The imperial palace of the Illusive Empire was divided into several living quarters, from the central estate, where the direct lineage of the empire lived, to the side quarters, where the ministers would be given a sanctuary.

The palace itself was massive, especially considering the wealth and power they possessed. The guards outside were all at least of the fifth rank, wearing gilded robes engraved with runic patterns. They held flag poles, showcasing the flag of the empire proudly.

Although one might think that it was disgraceful to hold such a position while at such a high rank, they had a reason to become such loyal subordinates.

Most of the guards were commoners who rose to prominence thanks to the help of the Empire schooling them and strengthening them. They were given status and ample rewards to hold the position of guarding the sanctuary of their empire.

In fact, the position of royal guard was so sought-after due to their granted status, which was on a similar level to that of the nobles of the empire.

The royal guards had gathered outside the gate, their faces expressionless as they patiently waited.

A few minutes later, a carriage came driving out of the palace, prompting the guards to make way and salute the carriage as it left the central zone of the palace.

The carriage was not driven by anyone, using runic formations as its energy source to be driven. It functioned in a similar way to a car, but it didn’t have a steering wheel but rather a stick, while its shape was exactly the same as a normal carriage’s.

As the carriage drove past the outer zone of the palace, the lower-ranking guards also made way for it and saluted.

The guards in this outer area were all young, mostly newly graduated students, with some elderly guards looking over them.

As soon as the carriage left their designated area, the young guards heaved sighs of relief, their figures slouching and becoming more relaxed. The elderly guards couldn’t help but frown, but they were already expecting something like this.

They knew that these young ones would probably be in this position for a long time before they could advance further with their current attitude, so they didn’t say much.

“So, who do you think it was this time? We've seen three exit the palace so far, so I’m pretty confused as to what is going on.”

One of the guards muttered while nudging his friend, who was slouching in boredom.

“How am I supposed to know, man? You know, ever since the boss left the imperial family, we haven’t been able to get any information.”

Responded the slouching one, his back straightening slightly at the mention of his "Boss”.

“Seriously, why do you keep calling him boss? That bastard was nothing but an asshole. Thank God we were able to get something out of him while we were still hanging out with him.

Argued the first guard, his face showing slight resentment.

“Oi, Lian Chao, you better stop badmouthing Han Feng! Even though he is no longer in the imperial palace, it’s been confirmed that he is still alive thanks to his life fire. Don’t forget, he is still considered a member of the royal family!”

A third guard intruded in the conversation, annoyance evidence in his face.

“I want to keep my head, you know! I’m almost ready to advance in rank, unlike you two slackers.”

The third guard continued, hitting the first guard in the back and leaving back to his guarding spot.

“LENG PO, YOU SON OF A BITCH, HOW DARE YOU HIT ME?”

Screamed the first guard, but before he could even react, a strong kick hit him in the head, prompting him to fly a few meters before crashing.

“I’ve had enough of you brats. If I hear one more word from you for the rest of the day, you are all fired!”

The culprit of the attack was one of the veteran guards who was tasked with looking over them. He had enough of their attitude, so he decided to show them their place.

 

---

 

Meanwhile, inside the carriage that had just exited for the academy, three figures could be seen inside it, having a leisurely conversation.

The figures belonged to Han Dong, Xiao Long, and Huo Liang.

The three of them wore luxurious garments, and their appearances had changed quite a lot compared to when Rui had last seen them.

Huo Liang’s change was the greatest, as his frame was now over 2.5 meters tall with a bulky physique that matched his giant frame. He was so big that they had to use an especially crafted carriage that would fit him properly.

His hair had gotten longer, but oddly, it didn’t fall down like normal hair. Rather, his hair was shaped in a way that made it look like it was constantly on fire, while his eyebrows followed the same pattern. His skin had taken on a bronze and metallic tint, while his eyes were constantly changing through the colors of the rainbow.

He grinned widely, his goofy attitude never disappearing, even in the smallest of actions.

Han Dong, on the other hand, hadn’t changed much; the only big difference was his increase in height and the cold yet sharp aura around his body.

His long black hair was braided, while he wore robes that represented his status as the crown prince. His sharp blue eyes had heavy dark circles under them, signifying the great stress his status had given him through the years.

Xiao Long, also didn’t change much in appearance. Even his height was the same as it was in the academy, making him the shortest in the group, but he didn’t mind.

His average features made him blend in with the environment, but if one looked into his bright green eyes, they would notice a brilliance that could not be hidden no matter what.

“Honestly, I’m shocked beyond words. To think that he would inform us out of nowhere about a marriage? I couldn’t even find any information as to who he was getting married to.

Xiao Long said in dismay. He took pride in his skill of acquiring information, so the sudden news Rui had delivered him caught him off guard.

“Big Brother is getting married! Man, I can’t believe it! I haven’t seen him in so long!”

Huo Liang exclaimed in glee, his eyes glowing brighter than before and the rune on his forehead burning with flames.

“I can’t believe it either... I expected Liang and Yinin to get married first out of all of us, but for Rui to be the first? I didn’t think he had it in him, especially with how he acted around women.”

Commented Han Dong, a small chuckle escaping his lips.

Huo Liang immediately flushed in embarrassment, his bulky figure acting like a little child caught doing something bad.

“You know that our clans are trying to make a big deal about it, so it's taking a bit of time."

He murmured in a barely audible voice, prompting Han Dong and Xiao Long to laugh out loud.

“Anyway, did you get any information on the rest of our group?”

Asked Han Dong, subverting the topic and giving Huo Liang some breathing space. His gaze fell on Xiao Long, who would surely have the information he wanted.

Xiao Long couldn’t help but smile widely at Han Dong’s question.

“Liliang should already be with Rui since he joined his clan as an external member, though from what I know, he should be getting married soon as well.”

Han Dong and Huo Liang opened their eyes wide in surprise at the news, but things didn’t end there.

“Cong Mizaru should be returning from his visit to the Qin State since he joined the royal court as an advisor not too long ago, but I guess you should already know about that. Though his strength has increased, from what I know, he has hidden his true skills.”

Continued Xiao Long, prompting Han Dong to nod in agreement.

“That happy-go-lucky fatty, Song Liwu, should be coming over with some escorts from the Holy Isles. The monks are very worried that he might somehow get corrupt. From what I know, they are already planning to make him the next Arhat.”

“Hua Dao has exited his seclusion, and his strength has increased drastically. I got news of him hunting down and executing multiple criminals, collecting their blades in the process. He should also be attending the wedding.”

“Zhou Huajia hasn’t cultivated much after the academy, only reaching the initial stage of the second rank. He has spent most of his time in the arts. He sent me a letter a week ago about how he was preparing a great present for Rui’s marriage.”

“As for Yinin and Mofa, the two of them should be going together, though I initially thought that Huo Liang would go together with Yinin as a couple, but oh well.”

Xiao Long finished informing the others about their friends, his figure slumping slightly.

He was extremely tired; since the past few months, a lot of things had happened in and out of the empire. He felt a war brewing, so he had to prepare adequately for all situations.

The Xieye Empire’s blood emperor had recently gotten into contact with the White Lily School and the Puppet Sect.

Although, on the surface, these two forces were benevolent and righteous, Xiao Long knew more than the average person. The White Lily School was nothing but a treacherous training ground for poisonous ‘insects’ to grow.

As for the puppet sect, although they initially were of the righteous faction, in recent years a lot of their hidden experiments were unveiled, which put them in the spotlight.

However, for Xiao Long, things didn’t end with these three powers. The actions of these factions were disorderly and out of place, as if they were being ordered to do something in a much grander scheme. Although initially there wasn’t a pattern in their actions, slowly a grander scheme was being showcased.

 

---

 

“Man, I’m so fucking tired."

Swore a travel-weary figure as it walked through the streets of the Illusive Empire's capital, countless blades hanging loosely from his back while he downed alcohol from a gourd.

His long and disheveled pink hair was tied up loosely, while his sharp yellow eyes were clouded, as if he were lost in thought. The Mannaz rune shone brightly on his forehead, prompting the common folk to make way and not disturb his path.

His facial features were manly, and a few scars ran along his entire body, showcasing his fighting experience.

Suddenly, the figure halted its steps, its head rising slightly.

“Huh, what is up with this familiar aura? No, not just one, but three? Hm…”

He muttered, his figure blurring and disappearing, leaving the common folk to stare in awe.

His figure appeared hundreds of meters away, standing on top of one of the buildings as he scouted his surroundings.

“Found it…”

He said, a mischievous grin appearing on his face.

Once again, his figure blurred as it rushed towards his target.

Soon, he reached it—a high-quality carriage with the imperial insignia on it. Ignoring the aftermath of his actions, the figure leaped on top of the carriage, opened the door from the side, and made his way in as if nothing had happened.

Soon, he heard a voice.

“Hua Dao, at least inform us next time. If it wasn’t for Huo Liang’s warning, we would’ve blasted the entire carriage to smithereens.”

Commented Xiao Long, his face showcasing his annoyance.

The worn-out figure, Hua Dao, smiled brightly at those words, greeting his friends with clasped hands.

“Heyo! How is everyone doing?!”

 

---

 

Unlike his busy clan members, Rui had spent his time consolidating his cultivation rank. Although his advancement was successful, one had to make sure that every step was taken with caution. One small mistake could cost them their lives after all.

Rui had already invited all the people with whom he had a close connection to his wedding, which in reality wasn’t a lot. Just like when the two of them were married on earth, this time Jane was the one who didn’t have any of her family participate, plus she didn’t have anyone she knew here.

When he was not cultivating, Rui introduced her to everyone and comforted her the best he could. Since Jane's appearance wasn’t similar to that of the people here, for them, she had an exotic charm. People with her facial features were more prominent on the western and central continents.

Rui was at first worried about his family’s reaction, but thankfully he didn’t need to worry since his family held no prejudice. He didn’t want to experience racism in his own home.

Jane was given countless medicines as gifts for their marriage, preparing her for the wedding. Her energy quantity had more than doubled; however, due to her weak constitution compared to that of rune masters, she could only consume low-quality elixirs and pills.

Although she seemed to be glowing with happiness, Rui could still see a hint of sadness in her eyes. It was clear that she was missing her family, but she had already made the choice, knowing fully well that she would probably never see them again.

Rui clenched his fist, discomfort welling up inside him. He felt weak. He had already asked Jane about bringing her family along, but they refused. They didn’t need more strength, nor did they wish to leave earth any time soon.

Rui understood their wishes, so he could only comfort Jane through these moments.

Exiting his living quarters, Rui made his way to the training grounds. He was already wearing his ceremonial robes, prepared for the wedding.

His long, dark blue hair was braided and tied up, while his face was perfectly pristine. His bright blue eyes scanned his surroundings, the Ansuz rune on his forehead glowing brightly. He looked like a drawing come to life, especially thanks to the effects of his physique, which gave him extremely clear, almost transparent skin.

On the training field, Silas, Maverick, and Gui Xue were huddled up together, talking to each other with great interest.

Silas had invited Maverick over so the two of them could learn about different ways of cultivating, with Gui Xue as an example.

The three of them exchanged knowledge, trying to find a way to empower their abilities and increase their strength.

Rui eavesdropped on them, leaving only after listening for a while. So far, the three of them haven’t really said anything substantial. He would wait and see how they progressed.

His eyes darted about the clan building, inspecting the rushing energy. His eyesight was still the same, but he had gotten used to it after a while. In the end, his brain wouldn’t overprocess the energy particles like it did in the beginning, which made things easier for him.

Energy was rushing in from all sorts of directions, and when he looked up, the energy surrounding the clan’s area was shaped into a giant dome, with only the purest energy rushing in from outside.

This was the effect of the arrays the clan was utilizing.

Since the clan was almost done with the preparations, all they had to do was wait for their guests to arrive so they could begin with the ceremony.

Rui extended his hand and rubbed the crescent moon earring that hung freely from his earlobe.

“Yue, can you sense the location of the fifth slip?”

He asked, prepared for what was to come. He had already acquired the first four pieces, and he finally felt ready to acquire some more.

He still remembered the fact that the sixth, seventh, and ninth slips were not touched in a long time, but this meant that the fifth and eighth slips were missing or being held by someone.

Since the stages corresponding to slips mattered, he couldn’t skip a level and acquire the rest first. He had to go level by level when acquiring the techniques.

So far, he hasn’t used the techniques he acquired from the fourth slip due to that reason. Although he felt like he was powerful enough to at least perform them now.

[Heaven-Shattering Fist]

[A martial art technique focused on pure destruction, created by the heavenly demon.
It can be utilized in any way, being completely formless.
Requires Heavenly Runic energy.

May destroy the body if overused.]

[Heaven’s Divine Path]

[A movement technique created by the heavenly demon focused on pure speed, be it on land, water, or air.

Requires Heavenly Runic Energy.]

Especially the [Heaven Shattering Fist] skill, since it had a very clear warning about overuse.

“The fifth jade slip has moved and is now closer to where the third jade slip was.”

Said Yue, relaying its message telepathically in a sad manner.

Yue was a spiritual artifact of a high grade, so despite it only being an object, it had developed consciousness. It felt emotions, and its greatest emotion at the moment was sadness, since its master had completely ignored its existence for a while.

It felt betrayed.

Rui, however, didn’t know of Yue’s feelings, nor did he care enough to go deeply into them. Although he had formed a contract with it and even had a high loyalty rating, it was an item he didn’t need at the moment.

Especially after his third advancement, his senses warned him about Yue, so he was keeping a distance. He could clearly see the energy around Yue getting darker and darker, as if an ominous force were trying to take over it.

For now, he had decided to keep a wait-and-see approach. However, he would still seek out the rest of the slips and acquire more strength.

“The fifth jade slip is now also inside the Xieye empire? I need to seek out more information about what’s going on there.”

Rui couldn’t help but mutter in response, his brows furrowing slightly.

Since Rui was lost in thought, a figure sneakily approached him from behind, but before it could do anything, Rui’s voice sounded.

“Jian, what are you doing?”

Turning around slowly, Rui’s figure looked slightly down at his younger brother. Since Rui had reached even higher than his genetically predetermined height, thanks to his bloodline upgrade, he was almost a full head taller than his younger brother.

Rui’s height is currently 196 centimeters, while Jian’s is 186 centimeters.

Jian smiled brightly at his brother’s question, launching forward and hugging his elder brother tightly in an embrace.

Rui was slightly taken aback by the sudden embrace. Soon, he also smiled brightly, patting his younger brother on the head in comfort.

Jian was only two years younger than Rui, so his actions would seem childish to anyone, but Rui didn’t mind. He could sense the killing intent covering Jian’s entire body and the scars he had acquired from fighting.

His younger brother had grown strong, and it seemed like he had gone through quite a bit of hardship during the time they were separated.

After separating from their hugging position, the two of them talked for a bit. Ever since Rui had returned, he hadn’t met with his younger brother, since he was back to doing missions as soon as Rui returned.

He had witnessed his elder brother’s tribulation, and he felt powerless in the process, as he could do nothing but watch with the others from the sidelines.