"Heavenâs Mandate is here! We are saved!"
"Itâs the Heavenâs Mandate! The Celestial Emperorâs most elite warriors!"
The soldiers in golden armor halted the moment the Heavenâs Mandate appeared on the field; they dropped to their knees and gave thanks to the heavens.
âHeavenâs Mandate? Yuan thought, amused. What an arrogant title for an army...â He studied the massive red banner with Heavenâs Mandate written boldly in gold and felt the power radiating from it press down on the battlefield.
"The Heavenâs Mandate... damned puppets of heaven! How dare you show your faces before me!" Yuan roared at them, a defiant cry that shook the sky.
Killing intent rolled off him like a tidal wave, sweeping toward the Heavenâs Mandate.
Soldiers on the Mandateâs side began to cough up blood and fall, their bodies failing from exposure to that murderous aura. Those with weaker cultivation died instantlyâa rare, terrifying phenomenon that left even Yuan speechless.
âW-What a powerful killing intent... to do something like this... what level of cultivation does the man in my vision possess?â he wondered, dazed at the scale of the power before him.
"The Malevolent God of SlaughterâEvil God... Today is your final day!" the commander of the Heavenâs Mandate thundered, his eyes flashing gold as killing intent poured from him.
But compared with the Evil Godâs own aura, the commanderâs intent was paltryânowhere near the otherâs ferocity.
"AHAHAHAHA!!!" Evil God laughed like a madman, amused. "Every damn time I face your dogs of the Celestial Emperor... you mouth the same lines."
"Donât you think your lines are getting stale?" he taunted, openly mocking the Heavenâs Mandate.
His followers erupted in cruel laughter that rolled across the battlefield.
"Evil God! How dare you slander us?! We serve Heaven! Heaven demands your death!" the commander of the Heavenâs Mandate bellowed, rage and humiliation burning his face scarlet.
"Bring me that bastardâs head!" he roared, pointing his blade at Evil God as his aura spiked.
Tens of thousands of cultivators surged toward Evil God and his host, and the entire field shook under the thunderous battlecries that followed.
And suddenly, Yuanâs vision went blank, and the next second he found himself standing in an endless darkness, unable to see anything.
Wherever he looked, there was nothing, as if he had been swallowed by a void and thrown into a world where only darkness existed.
Suddenly, he sensed a presence behind him, one that made his heart pound. In this silent place, he could clearly hear his own heartbeat.
The presence was so overwhelming that he felt like an ant before a towering giant. Then, a voice echoed from the side, a voice he recognized instantly.
"You need to hurry, or else you will lose something very valuable again."
Yuan jolted and turned around at once. There he saw the man in that strange outfitâthe same one from the scene he had witnessed moments agoâthe Evil God.
"You... why is it you again? And what was that dream I just saw?" Yuan asked, his expression calm, not surprised by the Evil Godâs appearance.
"Oh, that scene... did you enjoy it? Those mountains of corpses I created while slaughtering that dog Emperorâs lapdogs." The Evil God spread a wide grin as he stepped closer.
"I donât even know how to describe it... Who are those people calling themselves Heavenâs Mandate?" Yuan asked with genuine curiosity.
"Itâs too early for you to learn about them. You shouldnât dwell on it, not yet." The Evil God shrugged. "For now, you should focus on growing stronger."
"Youâve already reached the peak of the Spirit Lord realm. It wonât be long before you face the tribulation... nothing comes free in this world, especially power." The Evil God spoke sternly, his eyes locked onto Yuan with a heavy gaze.
Yuan was confused, but he didnât question further, knowing this man wouldnât reveal anything more.
"Itâs time for you to go. Your women are very worried about you right now," the Evil God said with a smirk, then added, "Before you leave, Iâll give you some advice."
"Time waits for no one. It moves on without stopping. Once something is lost, it canât be brought back. I hope you understand and act accordingly."
As the Evil God finished speaking, Yuanâs vision blurred, and the darkness dissolved as a blinding light washed over him.
And then, he found himself in his motherâs embrace. She was hugging him tightly, staring at his face with deep concern.
Seeing him open his eyes, a relieved smile rose on Anna Graceâs face, as if a heavy burden had finally lifted from her chest.
"Darling... youâre awake... are you feeling alright? Is your head hurting?" She asked several questions as she touched his cheeks, hands, and gently ruffled his hair, a relieved smile on her face.
"Iâm fine, Mom. You donât need to worry. I just had a strange dream..." Yuan replied with a soft smile as he held her hand and kissed it gently.
"Dreams? What kind of dream?" Lily asked, suddenly bringing her face close to his, surprising Yuan.
"Big Sis! You scared the hell out of me just now..." Yuan shouted with a startled look, breathing heavily as he tried to calm down.
"Relax... is my face so terrifying that it scared you?" She gave him a cold glare before leaning even closer and kissing him on the lips.
The others were also worried about him, asking various questions about what had happened and why he suddenly fainted after screaming.
Yuan understood their concern, but he had no intention of revealing anything about the strange dreams he had experienced. He didnât want them to worry more than they already did.
One thing he knew for certain was that these dreams werenât normal at all. They felt vividly real, as if he had already lived them, which made no sense to him.
Since Yuan didnât seem comfortable sharing more about his dreams, Anna Grace and the others didnât press him, trusting that he would tell them everything when the time was right.
The following day, Mireya summoned all the council members to the throne hall of the palace for an incredibly important announcement she needed to make.
Yuan and his other wives decided to remain in their room, knowing their presence might make the council members uncomfortable, as most elves still harbored deep hatred toward humans.
Once all the council members and important figures of the Elven Kingdom arrived in the throne hall, Mireya made her grand entrance, capturing everyoneâs attention.
Sylvia and Elaris followed behind her. Sylvia wore her usual formal attire, fitting her role as both secretary and bodyguard for Mireya.
Meanwhile, Elaris appeared somewhat nervous, giving curious glances at everyone in the hall as she walked.
âIs Big Sister Mireya going to announce her abdication today? Itâs too soon!â she thought anxiously, noticing several people staring at her with curious eyes.
"We greet Your Highness, the Queen!"
All the elves greeted Mireya with a respectful bow, kneeling on the ground before their monarch.
"You may rise," Mireya said, her voice calm as she smiled softly and nodded at the people.
Once everyone stood before her, Mireya took a deep breath and spoke, "Today, I must make a serious announcement. It will affect the entire nation, and perhaps the entire continent once the news spreads."
"Since the Elven Kingdom is stable now and stronger than ever, with no nation able to compete with us anymore, I have decided to step down as Queen and hand over the throne to Elaris."
The moment Mireya said this, everyoneâs eyes widened in disbelief, as if the ground beneath them had suddenly vanished.
"Y-Your Majesty... you arenât joking, are you?" one of them asked with a trembling voice, stumbling backward.
The others were still frozen, their expressions blank with shock, their mouths slightly open as they tried to process her words.
Mireya shook her head and said, "Iâm not joking. Iâm completely serious."
She lowered her gaze to the marble floor and smiled faintly before lifting her head again, wearing a smile that left everyone speechless.
"This world... this kingdom no longer needs me. I have fulfilled my duty in protecting it, just as my mother did. Now itâs time for me to do something for myself," she said.
She continued, "If I remain here any longer, it will only harm the kingdom and its citizens. You all know about the recent attack from the High Heavensâthose so-called gods."
"Itâs best that I step down now before things worsen. I have already taught Elaris everything she needs. From now on, I hope everyone gives her their full support." Mireya said as she glanced at Elaris with a gentle smile.
Silence filled the throne hall after her words. Everyone stared at Mireya with profound expressions, unable to read her anymore, as if she had become far more mysterious.
Meanwhile, outside the palace, people began panicking as they witnessed a convocation of eagles circling above the kingdomâmassive eagles, unlike anything they had seen.
The sight terrified everyone so much that they rushed into their homes, shopkeepers slammed their stalls shut, and mothers pulled their children inside to safety.
Within seconds, the streets of the Elven Kingdom were empty. Not a single person remained outside, and the pressure began rising sharply as countless powerful presences approached the kingdom.
"Is this the Elven Kingdom? Itâs quite small compared to the other nations on this continent." One of the gods muttered as he gazed down at the kingdom, a sneer twisting his face.
"This is indeed the Elven Kingdom... but it seems the elves are cowardly. Theyâre all hiding inside their homes." Another god spoke with an arrogant tone, overflowing with contempt.
"Where should we start?" a third asked impatiently.
"Letâs wait a few minutes and see if that bastard plans to hide or show himself before us like a brave one." The commander of the gods responded in a calm, collected voice.
Meanwhile, inside the palace, Yuan and his wives sensed the dreadful aura immediately. They expanded their Divine Sense at once, covering the entire kingdom.
"So, the High Heavens have sent an army to capture me this time... very interesting." Yuan smiled as he watched at least a hundred figures riding atop the massive eagles.
"They seem quite confident. But itâs a pity theyâre still underestimating us." Julie chuckled softly, amused by the sheer number of gods.
âMireya, continue your meeting. Iâll handle these flies buzzing around the kingdom.â Yuan sent a voice transmission to Mireya without hesitation.
Almost instantly, Mireya replied.
âAlright. Iâll leave everything to you and the sisters.â