Two days have already passed since the opening of the Secret Mystic Realm, and the news about Azrael's actions has already reached the ears of the Great Blueheart Kingdom's ruler, King Agustus.
Listening to the reports, he couldn't help but frown, thinking and calculating.
After hearing the reports till the end, he was silently considering different options on how to act and approach the issue. Yes, what happened there was a slap in the face to his kingdom's reputation, not only his kingdom but for the other forces involved. But that's it; there's no real damage that occurred. His son, although injured and embarrassed, suffered only minor injuries (losing a few teeth), and as for the protectors, although they were suppressed and knocked out, they were still safe and not totally crippled. As much as he wanted to take aggressive action, he couldn't help but stop in his tracks and tread this issue more carefully. The "slap in the face" to his kingdom had already happened multiple times, and he was not alone. In fact, most of the kingdoms experienced this when dealing with their enemy kingdoms, often embarrassing each other to exert dominance.
Normally, he would chase this man to the end of the world, putting a bounty on his head. However, considering his strength, most probably equal to his own, and being the husband of the Elf Kingdom Princess, which is not a small force by any means, it put him into a dilemma. Should he pursue this issue or not?
King Agustus, with his royal bearing, clad in blue-colored royal attire, straightened his back on his golden throne. He turned his gaze to his minister on his left side.
"What do you think, Minister Gueverra?"
The man, with a slightly skinny physique yet muscular at the same time, and sporting a curly mustache, spoke with respect, "I think, Your Majesty, we need to carefully approach this issue. Even if we consider allying ourselves with the forces involved to pressure the culprit and the Elf Kingdom supporting him, things wouldn't be that simple. A big movement like that wouldn't be missed by our enemy kingdom, especially the Eastern Kingdom. Now that they've lost a prince and a Profound Sovereign Cultivator, the Eastern King might not care much about his son's death, but the fact that someone killed his son will surely irritate him. He will see it as a stain on his kingdom, a blemish that must be cleansed or erased. If they can't find the culprit, he will undoubtedly think of other ways to overshadow this stain. The moment we ally ourselves and make a big move, that prideful king will seize the opportunity to attack our backs. Engaging in war against the Elf Kingdom while being attacked from behind would hurt us and bolster the Eastern Kingdom's reputation, thus overshadowing the recent stain on his name and kingdom."
"Hmmm, I can see that man doing something daring like that. And even if we ally ourselves with other forces, there's a high chance that their enemies would form alliances and join the war. Not to mention the Northern Sect and Three Gates Sect have some grudges, so there's also a chance that they wouldn't compromise, not to mention the Sect Master of Three Gates Sect is a careful individual." King Agustus responded.
The hall of the Great Blueheart Palace became relatively busy with discussions on how to approach the issue, seeking the best strategy that wouldn't lead to war while salvaging their reputation.
Meanwhile, the man responsible for all of this was enjoying a date with a beautiful Elf.
It's been two days since Azrael and Cecilia entered the Secret Mystic Realm. All they did was explore it in relaxation, finding comfort in each other's company. From time to time, they encountered monsters and even cultivators who avoided them. Some even offered their harvest to Azrael, fearing that they had offended him. However, Azrael simply ignored them.
Currently, they were at a certain location, and Azrael was simply staring at it. At first glance, there was nothing remarkable in the direction of his gaze – just a simple scenery within the Secret Mystic Realm.
"Is there something here?" Cecilia asked, her senses as a Saint Lord failing to detect anything out of the ordinary.
"Yes," Azrael replied, stretching out his right arm with his index finger pointing in a specific direction.
He then slashed vertically, creating a cut in the fabric of space. Using both arms, Azrael forcefully opened it. The space resisted, attempting to fight back, but it was helpless against Azrael's overwhelming power. The cut enlarged until a "hole" appeared – a hole big enough for them to enter.
"Who's there!?" An ancient voice suddenly reached both of their ears. However, Azrael ignored it and stepped inside, holding Cecilia's hand.
"So, this is the place where the Saint Lord cultivator was hiding," Cecilia said, taking a slight deep breath. Despite the power of the Saint Lord here, her confidence in Azrael remained unwavering.
The interior was even more mystical, with the qi quality resembling that of the Divine Realm. Everything here was considered a treasure, even the smallest pebble.
As the two continued to walk, a powerful force surged towards them, attempting to expel them from the hidden realm. Azrael effortlessly covered himself and Cecilia with the potent energy of Great Daos, creating a protective barrier that repelled the force. The intensity of the encounter heightened for a moment, but Azrael, with ease and composure, neutralized the opposing energy, allowing them to move forward undeterred.
After walking for about 10 minutes, they reached the center where an elderly man, appearing frail, sat cross-legged on the ground. "Who are you?" he asked, recognizing the formidable strength of the two, particularly the man.
He didn't wait for them to answer. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "A Saint Lord and... hmmm?" Confusion appeared on his face.
"What is this? A mythical beast? Wait, this ancestral energy is the first time I have seen. Hmm. Your bloodline is that of a human? But how? The energy inside you was definitely not qi; it's more like ancestral energy. Wait, you are clearly not a Saint Lord, so how are you able to control Great Dao perfectly? Even if you have comprehended Great Daos at the perfect level, you shouldn't be able to control it perfectly without a force as a foundation. Thankfully, one can directly ascend to Saint Lord once reaching the perfect level of Great Dao, which solves this problem. However, you are clearly not a Saint Lord," the old man muttered. He then tried to look more at Azrael, attempting to discern his origin or at least his name. However, suddenly he met a wall and couldn't progress any further.
He then heard the man's voice in front of him.
"That's enough prying. If I have aggressively prevented your prying eyes; you would face an extremely ugly backlash, let alone seeing my energy or cultivation. But because of what you did in the past years, I have let you see a little of it," Azrael spoke.
The old man couldn't help but frown even more, attempting to decipher Azrael's sentence.
"How does it feel to be targeted by the heavens itself? Was it worth witnessing that event?"
The old man couldn't help but open his eyes with shock. "How?"
"How do I know? Well, let's say I have met someone being attacked aggressively by the heavens itself, and the heavens, when serious, tend to leave a stigma or curse."
Azrael couldn't help but feel melancholic. Cecilia, sensing this, held his hands even tighter.
Now the old man was even more shocked, with confusion in the mix. "What are you? Curse? Stigma?"
"Don't worry, even I, myself, tend to question my existence from time to time. As for why I can control the Great Dao perfectly without a proper 'force' as foundation? Well, I simply transcend perfection, I have a Beyond Perfection level of control and understanding of Great Daos. As for the curse, I will answer that after you answer my question. And don't try to lie to me because I will know. I can forcefully know your complete past if I exert more power. However, out of respect for you, I am being benevolent enough to personally ask you. I am too kind for this world Sigh"
Even Cecilia couldn't help but giggle at Azrael narcissistic remarks.
The old man, still puzzled, responded, "Beyond Perfection? Such a realm exists?"
Azrael simply smiled, not providing a direct answer. "Now, my question for you: What led you to hide on this planet and create a Secret Mystic Realm?"
