AUTHOR'S NOTE: A brief rest for a glorious rebirth + Join the story!
Greetings to all members and allies of the Morningstar Clan!
This is Void-Scribe. Before getting into the announcements, I want to offer my sincere apologies for my absence these past few days. The pace of writing 3k words daily is a demanding process, and I needed a short mental break to recharge my strength and ensure that the quality of the slaughter to come does not diminish one bit.
I have almost run out of written chapters, and in order to maintain the quality and impact of the new enemies and the massive action scenes ahead, I am going to take a week (or perhaps a few days more) without uploading new chapters. This time is vital for me to write the continuation of the story and plan the future battles that will set the continent ablaze.
However, I don't want you to leave empty-handed. To celebrate the path we have traveled, I am opening a special opportunity for you:
Join the story of the Morningstar Clan!
I want you to be part of the world we are forging. I am going to create a series of extra Clan mission chapters (assassinations, hunts, target eliminations). These characters will be "stepping stones" in the story: they will appear in one or two chapters, complete their mission (or die trying), and leave their mark on the upcoming tournament.
How to participate?
The Great Challenge: I will be introducing a key new character to the plot soon. Whoever guesses even a single word, a concept, or the identity of this new character will win a privileged spot: their own character within a Prestigous Clan or a prominent position in the next tournament. No hints! Use your intuition.
Your own character: For the rest of you, I am giving you the opportunity to design your own "extra character." They can be monsters (Note: no Divine or Sacred beasts; impure lineages are acceptable), bandit leaders, mercenaries, minor demons, assassins, or adventurers.
The Rules of the Game:
Most of these characters are destined to die in battle, so accept your fate with honor.
You can choose the name, elements, and appearance. If you prefer, just give me the name and the element, and I will take care of the rest.
Maximum Power: Saint King Realm Stage 1 and below.
Battles: You can choose who to fight against (except for Samael and Seraphina). You can face Lilith, Sienna, Vexia, Malak, among others. Remember: from the Great Saint Realm onwards, battles are fought in groups of 5.
Leave your proposals and your guesses in the comments. During this writing period, I will be selecting and preparing your scenes.
Note on publishing:
On Scribble Hub, I will continue uploading the chapters I already have finished until I catch up with WebNovel. However, remember that new chapters will premiere first here on WebNovel.
I look forward with great enthusiasm to seeing who manages to guess the new character and how you design your warriors for this new stage. The conquest does not stop; we are only preparing the next strike.
See you soon!
— Void_Scribe
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CHAPTER 203: The Void Inventory and the Seed of the True Law (Part 1)
The Main Palace of the Eternal Dawn Mini-World stood like an impregnable colossus, carved from black jade and stellar silver. Its towers pierced the false sky of the pocket realm, and inside, the immense Throne Room waited in a reverential silence, heavy and laden with anticipation.
Samael sat on the high and majestic Throne Chair, carved from obsidian and the bones of primordial beasts. His posture radiated a relaxed majesty, but the aura seeping from his body was suffocating. By his side, sharing the supreme dais, Seraphina stood tall. The Ice Queen exuded a frigid and serene beauty, her mere presence dropping the temperature of the hall and perfectly complementing her husband's unfathomable darkness.
Little Celeste, after endless hours of playing in the gardens at erasing her mother's ice butterflies from existence, was now sleeping soundly in her chambers, completely exhausted from the immense expenditure of her nascent, yet terrifying, void power.
The silence in the palace broke when the heavy runic iron doors, over twenty meters tall, swung wide open with a dull roar that shook the foundations.
Making their armored boots and sharp heels echo on the polished marble, the Sequences entered. The forty-five young monsters of the Morningstar Clan marched inside with flawless martial synchrony, their backs straight, their chins high, and their eyes burning with the fire of veterans. Their robes still held the dried bloodstains and ash from the battles, but their auras were those of absolute conquerors.
They stopped in the exact center of the hall, firm as statues forged on the anvil of death.
Leading the formation walked Sienna and Lilith. A few moments later, closing the immense doors behind her, entered Vexia. The Grand Marshal had arrived last because she was finishing organizing the overwhelming number of newly captured prisoners. She had mercilessly thrown them into Sienna's mirror dimension to keep them sealed and under absolute control. Those captives would be the new soldiers of the Dead Blood Legion or end up turned into macabre flesh golems; even if they were later given the false illusion of choice, their fate was already carved in stone.
Samael opened his eyes.
The pure power of the Void and Blood flooded the vast hall. His dragon eyes, an intense crimson violet, shone in the gloom. Behind his throne, the immense and oppressive shadow of the Primordial Dragon rose, spreading wings of pure darkness that seemed to swallow the light from the spiritual torches in the room.
"Welcome back," Samael's voice resonated in every corner of the hall, deep, vibrant, and unquestionable. "I hope you immensely enjoyed your hunt and your little treasure hunt. Prepare yourselves and rest while you can, because now you have much more to do and oceans of tasks to complete. But first... it is time to reward you and see exactly what those treasures are that you have brought home to me."
Sienna took a step forward. Her immaculate white qipao didn't show a single crease out of place. With an elegant and fluid movement of her silk-wrapped hand, she released the seals on the immense main spatial rings that housed the unified loot from the missions.
The space in the center of the hall distorted violently, and a mountain of cosmic wealth materialized its weight on the marble. The blinding light of the spiritual stones and the ancestral aura of the herbs filled the hall with a Qi so dense it almost felt liquid in the lungs.
These were the resources recovered from the ancient Tomb of Saint King Xaloc, which would now be added to the clan's inventory.
Samael didn't need Sienna to meticulously explain every detail. Fixing his dragon gaze on the mountain of treasures, the System synchronized with his pupils, deploying blue holographic windows full of precise information about the uses, grades, and natures of each object.
"We will begin with the inventory of the Primordial Tomb, Patriarch," Sienna announced, her voice cutting the air with executive elegance.
[Supreme Grade Spiritual Crystals: 3,000,000]
Sienna pointed to the immense pile of faceted crystals emitting a blinding glare.
"A total of three million crystals were recovered, Patriarch," Sienna reported. "Of that total, exactly 2,520,000 remain for the Clan's vaults. The distribution was as follows: 450,000 crystals were given to the Sequences, guaranteeing that each of the forty-five youths obtained exactly ten thousand crystals a head. Logistical expenses included 20,000 crystals used by Marshal Vexia for the activation and stabilization of her formation, and an additional 10,000 crystals consumed by Cedric and Iris in their arrays."
Samael nodded slightly. Seeing those crystals, he verified that the orders had been followed to the letter. He himself had decreed that distribution before they left. Those kids had shed their blood, broken their bones, and been on the brink of death; they deserved every fraction of that initial payment.
Sienna made a slight gesture with her slender fingers, and six colossal masses of solidified energy levitated above the crystals, pulsing with a tectonic rhythm.
[Fossilized Qi Veins: 6 Colossal Veins]
Samael mentally read the System's interface. Distribution: 100% for the Clan, he dictated in his mind.
The System reminded him of the current state of the Stellar World Tree, the core of his domain's ecosystem. The original seed of the Earth Dragon Heart generated a permanent flow of 5,000 mid-grade spiritual stones a month and increased the Qi concentration by 500%.
But by injecting these six colossal veins, the World Tree would evolve to a grotesque scale. It would produce 20,000 high-grade stones a month, and the ambient Qi would increase to an absurd 5,000%. That meant one month of cultivation in the outer mortal world would equal two months of pure cultivation inside the Mini-World.
Seeing those veins, Samael didn't hesitate for a second; the best and only logical use was to feed them to the Tree to exponentially multiply the growth of the Clan's next generations.
The exhibition continued. Sienna floated a series of jade chests and runic containment boxes, opening their lids to reveal biological and mineral wonders that would make any Empire declare war.
[Dragon Bone Lotus x12]
Grade: Saint (Mid-High). Nature: Bone Calcification and Structural Reinforcement Resource.
Samael observed the twelve organic geological formations. They looked like flowers, but their petals were thick, rigid, and ivory white, resembling meticulously carved and polished vertebrae. The System indicated that, to the touch, they were smooth, cold stone, with a hardness rivaling Saint-grade steel.
He read their functions with growing interest. The lotus induced a Controlled Petrification in the bone matrix, depositing dense minerals into the skeleton's pores. It turned a human's bones into an almost indestructible "Qi Ceramic." It improved Heavy Energy Conductivity, allowing brute-force techniques to be channeled without the arms collapsing from the feedback. And most importantly: it was a Graft Stabilizer. The extract sealed fissures in the marrow and fused energies, creating absolute cohesion. Perfect for our laboratories' Alpha Subjects, Samael smiled.
[Stellar Blood Ginseng x8]
Grade: Saint (Mid). Nature: Thermal Regulator and Bio-Energy Fuel.
They were eight deep crimson fibrous roots, glowing with tiny silver specks inside, like a night sky trapped in blood. These roots pulsed with a constant, rhythmic heat, like living hearts. They acted as a Thermal Engine Stabilizer, a high-performance mystical coolant that allowed handling extreme body temperatures without collapsing.
But its most aggressive function was Output Overload. When consumed as fuel, the ginseng released its stellar energy all at once, inducing an "Ignition Frenzy" that violently multiplied attack power, preserving the structure of the veins so they wouldn't tear during a suicidal attack.
[Whispering Void Orchid x3]
Grade: Saint (High). Nature: Consciousness Stabilizer and Spatial Catalyst.
Three translucent liquid crystal flowers floated in the air, emitting an almost inaudible whisper every time the space around them fluctuated. They had no roots, for they anchored directly to the cracks in reality. The System explained to Samael that, upon refining them, they expanded Spatial Perception to divine levels. They were vital for assassins and warriors executing complex teleports, preventing their consciousness from being lost forever in the emptiness of nothingness.
[Cold Star Iron: 100,000 Tons]
Grade: Saint (Mid). Nature: Cryogenic Shielding Metal and Passive Stealth.
A mountain of ingots made of a blackish-blue metal that maintained a temperature of absolute zero. Its surface did not reflect light; it literally "drank" radiation. As a Divine Sense Insulator, armors forged from this material would absorb and scatter the spiritual scanning waves of enemies, rendering the Morningstar heavy infantry undetectable.
[Blood Gold: 5,000 Ingots]
Grade: Saint (Mid-High). Nature: Memetic Metal and Killing Intent Amplifier.
Ingots of reddish gold that pulsed like a living circulatory system. Its molecular memory was terrifying. Embedded in armor, the gold would use Qi to execute Auto-repair by closing cracks. In weapons, it generated Soul Resonance. Samael looked at Dante and the assassins; if their daggers were made of this, the metal would become denser and sharper in direct proportion to the bloodlust and killing intent of their wielders.
[Crystallized Void Tears x1,000]
Grade: Saint (High). Nature: Coordinate Anchor and Dimensional Storage.
A thousand small dark purple gems. Solidified fragments from zones where spacetime had collapsed. As Deployment Arrays, they allowed "Zero Latency." They turned an army into a massive deployment projectile that could appear directly over the enemy without prior warning, with a 0.0-second delay. It was the ultimate tactical annihilation.
Upon finishing reading the information projected by the System, Samael was deeply satisfied. What an unparalleled treasure map he had obtained from his past roulettes. Thanks to that tomb expedition, his empire's vault continued to grow monstrously, and they would not lack high-level resources for years. He was fascinated watching the riches pile up; the more, the better.
He thought that was everything found in the Primordial Tomb, and was about to open his mouth to ask to see the blood loot from the mercenaries and the sect, when he saw Sienna stop.
The Silver Matriarch did not bring out another batch of minerals. From the folds of her sleeves, she extracted a single ancient jade box, sealed with dozens of blinking runic formations. Sienna slowly levitated the box up the dais steps until it landed with extreme delicacy in Samael's hands.
"Patriarch..." Sienna spoke, her voice completely stripped of its usual mockery or sarcasm, replaced by a deadly seriousness. "It is best that you see this up close yourself."
Samael, genuinely curious about the inscrutable Sienna's strange reaction, raised an eyebrow. He nodded, broke the light seals with a thought of his Saint King will, and lifted the box's lid.
What lay inside took his breath away for a fraction of a second, his mind stunned by the sheer cosmic irrationality of the object.
It wasn't a gem. It wasn't a weapon.
It was a seed.
The size of a fist, it possessed no fixed shape. It looked like a sphere of constantly boiling liquid crystal, changing color depending on the angle from which it was observed. It didn't emit a common glow; instead, it generated a visual distortion around it, a gravitational aberration, as if spacetime itself were desperately curving to protect its existence. Holding the box, Samael didn't feel the object's physical weight, but rather he felt the "weight" of an entire era upon his palms.
The System interface triggered, flashing with golden and red maximum alert letters before his eyes.
[Supreme Object Detected!]
Primordial Lotus Seed (True Law Core): 1 Unit.
Grade: Divine / Transcendental (Unique Grade). Nature: Reality Anchor and Law Comprehension Catalyst.
Cultivation Functions and Effects:
Crystallization of the Tree of Law (Absolute Comprehension): Effect: Acts as an absolute and unconditional shortcut to reach the Saint Realm or higher. Mechanics: When integrated into the Dantian or the Sea of Consciousness, the seed "untangles" the universe's most complex laws for the user. What would take a peerless genius a thousand years to comprehend about Space, Time, or Destruction, the seed projects as a primal and inherent instinct. It allows the cultivator to manifest a True Law without a single molecule of impurity. Infinite Energy Generation (The Second Heart): Effect: Provides a Qi reserve that never fully depletes. Mechanics: The seed functions as a self-sustaining micro-universe inside the body. It continuously absorbs chaotic Qi from the void and converts it into pure, docile energy for the user. A warrior bearing this seed can fight uninterruptedly for decades without needing to stop and meditate, maintaining their attack power at 100% at all times. Anchor of Existence (Immunity to Erasure): Effect: Protects the user's absolute essence against conceptual attacks or laws of "The End." Mechanics: Being a "Law Core," the seed anchors the bearer's existence to the very reality of the universe. If a higher entity attempts to "erase" the user from history, memory, or space, the seed acts as a cosmic counterweight, keeping the integrity of the soul and body intact against divine paradoxes or attacks that bypass any physical defense.
Samael finished processing the astonishing amount of information the System's status window dumped on him. His heart beat with a force that resonated in the throne.
He slammed the lid of the jade box shut, isolating the seed's spatial disturbance.
And this time, unable to contain the pure euphoria of ambition, he burst out laughing.
It wasn't a light chuckle; it was a deep, tyrannical, and devouring laugh that shook space and cracked the void in the fabric of the Throne Room. He imagined the infinite possibilities. He could absorb it himself and become virtually invincible against the ancient gods. But his calculating mind went further: What would happen if he gave this Unique Divine Grade treasure to someone of absolute loyalty in the Clan? What kind of deranged, apocalyptic cashback could he get from the System by gifting a True Law?
It was infinitely better to give it to someone else than to use it himself.
Samael smiled in satisfaction, his violet eyes shining with a feverish light as he looked at Sienna, Lilith, Vexia, and the ranks of the young assassins.
"What a grand treasure you have brought home to me," Samael said, his voice hoarse from laughter. "Thanks to this, your rewards and contribution points have just increased even more than planned. This is truly something magnificent."
He shifted his gaze specifically to his two main strategists.
"Vexia, Sienna... I imagine you two already knew the magnitude of this."
The two formidable women took a solemn step forward.
"Yes, Patriarch," Vexia replied, her martial tone laden with absolute respect for the object Samael held.
Sienna nodded, her silver mirror eyes reflecting the gloom of the hall.
"But to call it 'something very rare' is a euphemism bordering on an insult, Patriarch," Sienna said, her icy voice ringing with ancient truth. "It is almost impossible to obtain something like this here, in this lower realm, and even more so in that state of purity, in the form of a seed. Even the true gods of the Supreme Realms would fight and kill each other to obtain it. If the existence of that seed on this continent were known, it would cause a divine and genocidal war tomorrow. It is that miraculous. That is how terrifying its utility is."
Samael nodded slowly, his fingers drumming on the jade box. His aunts were absolutely right. But inside, beneath his cold monarch facade, he was already laying out the exact plan, thinking of the perfect candidate to assimilate this seed and unleash a new deity onto his chessboard.
With a casual movement, he stored the box in his soul-bound storage dimension, where no one but him could touch it.
"Excellent," Samael murmured. "Now, show me the rest. I want to see the wealth of the mortals who dared to challenge us."
Having secured the unfathomable Primordial Lotus Seed deep within his soul, the atmosphere in the Throne Room relaxed slightly, though anticipation still throbbed in the air. The Silver Matriarch, having delivered the supreme treasure, turned back to the immense pile of loot distorting space in the center of the hall.
"Next, Patriarch," Sienna announced with an elegant wave of her hand, "I will bring out the remaining treasures from the unified vaults. They are highly attractive and vital for the logistics of a prolonged war, but, of course, they don't shine as brightly as the seed you just assimilated."
Space rippled again. This time, what fell onto the marble were not cosmic rarities, but the raw, heavy weight of earthly and commercial power.
A cascade of spiritual stones formed crystalline mountains that illuminated the Sequences' faces.
Low Grade Spiritual Stones: 300 Million. Mid Grade Spiritual Stones: 80 Million. High Grade Spiritual Stones: 1 Million. Supreme Grade Spiritual Stones (Peak): 8,000. (Sienna specified that the latter, extremely rare, had been looted directly from the inert fingers and private storage rings of Lord Volcanis and Lord Ziyun).
And alongside the spiritual energy, the currency of the mortal realms rained down in shattered trunks, spilling a clinking sea:
Copper: 100 Million coins. Silver: 80 Million coins. Gold: 20 Million coins. Platinum: 10,000 flawless coins.
"The mortal economy will be useful to us," Samael murmured, resting his chin on his fist. "Even if coins are of little use for pure cultivation, they buy the silence of human empires, bribe border guards, and fund spy networks in the underworlds where spiritual stones would draw too much attention."
Sienna nodded and proceeded to sort the natural resources extracted from the storehouses and mountains of the two fallen factions.
Exact quantities, ready for the absolute delight of the Clan's support departments, lined up in iron and jade chests.
9,000 stalks of Purple Cloud Yin Grass (High Earth Grade): A dark weed that exuded a cold miasma. The perfect and lethal base for experimental poisons and medicines. 200 Toxic Mirage Fruits (Mid Heaven Grade): Small orbs that seemed to contain swirling mist inside. Absolute illusion enhancers. 3 Millennial Cloud Lotuses (Low Saint Grade): The Purple Cloud Sect's supreme and most jealously guarded treasure, capable of healing direct soul wounds and stabilizing shattered Dantians. 30,000 Tons of Dead Star Steel (High Earth Grade): A literal mountain of ultra-dense metal, looted from the craters of the Bastion. 800 Seismic Vein Crystals (Low Heaven Grade): Stones that altered gravity around them. Pure raw material for the Clan's arrays to multiply gravity in the novices' training rooms. 5 Pure Volcanic Cores (Mid Saint Grade): Pulsing spheres of solidified magma.
Samael approved with a slight nod. The Clan's alchemists and blacksmiths would not sleep for the next few months, drowning in the ecstasy of processing so much high-quality material.
"The knowledge of the fallen, Patriarch," Sienna said, levitating eleven glowing jade scrolls into the air, projecting their titles with spiritual light. "The martial techniques."
Through the System, Samael quickly read the descriptions, breaking down the utility of each technique for the infantry and armies they would soon raise.
From the Iron Blood Alliance (Fire, Earth, Body, Heavy Weapons):
"Molten Iron Body Sutra" (Body Cultivation)Grade: High Heaven. Concept: Tissue transmutation through internal heat. Description: The practitioner refines their body using igneous Qi to "melt" impurities from their muscles. Upon reaching initial success, the skin acquires a permanent bronze tone and becomes so dense that Earth-grade weapons bounce off without a scratch. Effect: Provides passive resistance to extreme heat and massively increases brute physical strength. The user's blows carry a "heat wave" that burns the enemy's meridians on contact. "Obsidian Armor Forging Art" (Defensive)Grade: High Heaven. Concept: Manifestation of crystallized energy armor. Description: The user condenses their Qi on the surface of their skin, creating overlapping black crystal (obsidian) plates. Unlike a common energy shield, this armor has physical properties. Effect: It is especially effective against piercing attacks (arrows, thrusts). If a plate breaks, it bursts into thousands of sharp splinters that can injure the attacker at point-blank range. Consumes Qi constantly while active. "Mountain Splitting Axe Technique" (Offensive)Grade: Mid Heaven. Concept: Force multiplication through seismic vibration. Description: Designed for heavy weapons (axes, maces, greatswords). When striking, the user releases their Qi in rhythmic bursts that imitate the movement of tectonic plates. Effect: The damage doesn't remain on the surface; the vibration passes through armor and strikes internal organs directly. Can generate cracks in the ground that unbalance multiple enemies in a short radius. "Boiling Magma Steps" (Movement)Grade: Low Heaven. Concept: Displacement via thermal propulsion. Description: The cultivator concentrates fire Qi in the acupuncture points of their feet. Taking a step generates a small, controlled explosion that propels the user forward. Effect: Allows one to "walk" on air for brief moments or travel over liquid surfaces (water or lava). Leaves a trail of heat that can burn those attempting to pursue the user closely. "Slumbering Volcano Breath" (Qi Recovery)Grade: High Earth. Concept: Filtration and assimilation of ambient energy. Description: A rhythmic breathing technique that allows the cultivator to absorb Qi even in hostile or polluted environments (smoke, ash, toxic fumes). Effect: Increases Qi recovery speed by 30% during combat. Additionally, grants moderate resistance to gaseous poisons, as the user learns to "burn" the air's impurities within their own lungs before they reach the blood.
From the Purple Cloud Sect (Wind, Poison, Illusions, Mist, Swords):
"Illusory Purple Cloud Codex" (Main Cultivation)Grade: High Heaven. Concept: Transmutation of Qi into a gaseous and mystical substance. Description: The cultivator refines their energy until it acquires a vibrant purple tone and a density similar to mist. This Qi does not flow linearly but "snakes" through the meridians. Effect: Provides a Qi foundation that is extremely difficult to detect and suppress. The user can project their aura outside the body to create "false presences" that confuse the enemies' divine sense. "Deceptive Wind Steps" (Movement / Evasion)Grade: High Heaven. Concept: Displacement through light and air refraction. Description: When moving, the user leaves behind a series of residual Qi images that imitate their movements with a half-second delay. Effect: In combat, the enemy feels like they are attacking a ghost. Every time the user dodges, their body seems to "flicker," making it difficult for precision attacks to find their real target. "Weeping Mist Sword Art" (Offensive)Grade: Mid Heaven. Concept: Vibrational attacks mimicking the sound of crying. Description: A light and fast sword technique. When wielding the weapon, the Qi generates a sharp, melancholic whistle that resonates in the opponent's ears. Effect: The sound causes slight dizziness and disorientation in the rival. The sword slashes are not deep, but they carry a "damp cold Qi" that seeps into the wounds, slowing the enemy's blood circulation in the affected area. "Mist Lotus Concealment Technique" (Stealth)Grade: Mid Heaven. Concept: Absolute mimicry with wet or gaseous surroundings. Description: The practitioner learns to retract their breath, heartbeat, and body heat inside an invisible Qi "cocoon." Effect: Allows one to become virtually invisible in areas with mist, smoke, or rain. Unlike other stealth techniques, this one allows slow movement without breaking camouflage, ideal for infiltrations. "Absolute Miasma Refining Manual" (Alchemy / Poison)Grade: Low Heaven. Concept: Creation of necrotic chemical agents. Description: A manual that teaches how to extract toxins from swamp plants and corrosive minerals to refine them into a dense, greenish gas. Effect: Provides recipes for poisons that do not kill instantly, but instead corrode defensive Qi. Upon inhalation, the enemy feels a burn in their meridians that reduces their attack power by 20% for the duration of the exposure. "Ten Thousand Echoes Sacrifice Array" (Forbidden Formation)Nature: Sonic-Spiritual Feedback Ritual. The Activation Ritual (The Blood Price): Cannot be deployed with simple spiritual stones. Requires Blood Markers: The tracing must be done with the blood of at least a hundred cultivators. The Soul Anchor: The echoes are the agonizing screams of the trapped sacrifices; they act as infinite fuel. Combat Mechanics ("The Crystal Torture Chamber"): Creates a purple dome. Infinite Replication: If the enemy throws a punch, the clash generates ten thousand physical slashing echoes. The Attacker's Paradox: The harder the enemy strikes to escape, the more destructive the formation becomes. It is an inertia trap. The Demonic Effect ("The Operator's Drain"): If the initial sacrifices are not enough, the array sucks the bone marrow and longevity of the user themselves. The operator withers until becoming white ash, joining the echoes.
"Good, I like them," Samael said, nodding slowly as he took in the savagery of the Ten Thousand Echoes Array. That forbidden formation would be an excellent suicidal defense mechanism for cornered battalions. "With this, we don't have to worry about the basic instruction of our troops or the resources. We have enough spiritual stones and coins. Although coins aren't much use to us for ascension, the rest is vital. Is there anything else?"
"There are three more things, Patriarch," Sienna said, lowering her hands.
With a soft hum, three objects levitated toward the throne's steps.
The first object was a red orb that pulsed rhythmically. As soon as it was released from its box, it expelled a wave of immense heat that made Seraphina's cold air ripple.
"The Incomplete Fire Law Orb," Sienna explained. "Extracted directly from Volcanis's personal treasury. It contains purified fragments of his comprehension regarding the fire element. Our Sequences affiliated with this element could absorb it to beastly accelerate the comprehension of their own domains."
Samael looked at the orb and then at the youths in the vanguard. An excellent catalyst, he thought.
The second object was less ostentatious, but tactically more dangerous. It was a worn leather book, tied with blood seals and heavily encrypted with security runes.
"Transaction Records of 'The Tailor'," Sienna said, her tone turning icy. "An encrypted ledger that our intelligence found in the office of Leng Bi, the Butcher's defeated spymaster. It contains payments, clandestine routes, and direct communications with the Underworld."
Samael took the book and weighed it. This was absolute physical proof. The direct connection he needed to know exactly who had sold the Tomb's information and who had betrayed their secret.
"The next thing in this book contains interesting information," Sienna continued. "These Underworld people, in Aethelgard, were the very same ones Sela informed us about twenty days ago."
Samael caressed the leather cover.
"But we can't do anything hasty yet," the Patriarch decreed, his mind analyzing the grand continental chessboard. "We do not know the true power, depth, or connections of these factions in the city of the Cosmic Balance. A blind attack on a continental assassin network could draw the gaze of empires we are not yet ready to devour. For now, we will keep this in the shadows. It is evidence and leverage. Besides, it is not that urgent considering we have already obtained all the treasures we wanted, especially the Primordial Seed."
Sienna nodded, agreeing with the strategy of calculated dormancy.
The last treasure did not levitate toward the throne. It was being used at that very moment, although it was not visible in the room.
"And the final treasure, Patriarch," Sienna said, pointing toward Vexia, "is being used with great efficacy at this precise moment."
Vexia, firm in her military posture, nodded slightly. In her hands, connected to her own Qi network, she held the spiritual anchors of a series of heavy runic chains that vanished into a miniature portal to the mirror dimension.
"Tyrant King Shackles (Sealing Artifacts)," Vexia explained, her firm voice echoing. "They are chains forged from a suppressing metal that suffocates the flow of Qi. They are the main reason the Iron Blood Alliance was so absurdly good at capturing spiritual beasts and high-level cultivators alive. I am currently using them to keep all the prisoners—the Kings, Sect Masters, and Captains—under absolute control in their confinement. They will not be able to use a single ounce of spiritual energy while wearing these."
Samael smiled, a dark, satisfied curve on his face. The hunt had been a monstrous success, and the Clan's wealth had reached incomprehensible proportions. Now, with the inventory complete and the prisoners secured for their impending doom, it was time to proceed to the most important part: the shower of rewards and contribution points for his legion's loyal blood.
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Note from Void_Scribe: 🐉
(Are you enjoying the story? Then don't forget to add it to your library and leave your votes to support the book! Every show of support counts immensely and motivates me to keep writing. See you in the next chapter! And if you want to directly support this humble author, swing by my ko-fi.com/void_scribe for a little coffee... wink, wink hehehe ☕. Thanks for reading!)