Chapter 303: Chapter 274: Body Defeated, Dust Settled, Unknown Relic

Having had its core consciousness utterly destroyed by Bagget’s Arcane Storm, Red Crying Castle was now left with nothing but instinctive writhing and chaotic torrents of energy, completely devoid of any active defensive capabilities.

As a result, two golden torrents plunged into its torso unopposed, like searing knives slicing through rancid grease.

"—!"

This time, there was no earth-shattering explosion. Instead, there was a strange, long sigh, as if myriad souls were being liberated all at once.

The Divine Power shells that blasted deep into the Fortress didn’t erupt with terrifying destructive force. Instead, like two suns rising in a sullied abyss, they burst forth with an unparalleled light of Purification!

The light was so pure, so overpowering, that it instantly penetrated layer upon layer of dark red flesh and writhing fascia, illuminating the massive interior of Red Crying Castle until it was as transparent as a crystal palace!

Wherever the light reached, the twisted flesh melted like ice under a scorching sun, letting out a SIZZLING sound. The thick stench of sulfur was replaced by a fresh scent, reminiscent of a forest after rain.

Then, an even more shocking sight emerged. Within the brilliant divine light, countless blurry, pained, and twisted humanoid phantoms rose up from the dissolving walls of flesh, from the cracks in the shattered rock, and even from within the very tissues that were attempting to repair themselves!

These were the innocent souls who had been devoured, subjected to Imprisonment, and reduced to a part of Red Crying Castle. Among them were Soldiers, civilians, and even once-loyal Knights of the Heta family.

Now, under the soothing comfort of the divine light, the pain, fear, and venomous resentment on their faces rapidly faded, replaced by a pure, grateful tranquility.

Like fireflies scattered by the wind, these humanoid phantoms transformed into specks of pure light. Escorted by the golden glow, they drifted toward the distant sky, dissolving as they returned to the world’s origin.

Jon stood quietly on a temporary high ground at the edge of the ruins, his pupils reflecting the grand spectacle of intermingled holiness and destruction. He watched as the mountain-sized creation of flesh completely lost its vitality under the Divine Power’s Purification. The remaining rock structure could no longer support its weight. With an even more violent roar, it collapsed completely, kicking up a cloud of dust that blotted out the sky.

At almost the exact same moment, a line of incredibly clear, azure-blue text that only he could see suddenly popped into his vision.

[Defeated ’Red Crying Castle.’ "Comprehensive Counterattack III" Faction Contribution Points +433,164]

The massive number brought a momentary daze, followed by a sense of emptiness, as if the dust had finally settled.

Jon lightly closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling with a long, almost inaudible sigh.

The eventful "Red Vulture Rebellion" from his past life’s memories, altered by the flapping of his own transmigrated butterfly wings, had finally been brought to a close in a different manner—amid the light of Divine Purification and the roar of the flesh-and-blood castle’s utter collapse.

"It’s over."

He muttered to himself, his voice perfectly calm.

Heta County City had been the rebels’ final stronghold. Now that ’Red Crying Castle’ was defeated, the few remaining remnants were merely a minor nuisance.

The aftermath, however, would be a far more troublesome issue.

With so many civilian casualties, the tasks of post-war governance and cleanup would be enough to drive anyone mad.

On top of that, the fall of the Heta family had left a power vacuum. The local noble families, as well as the outsiders who were sure to arrive, were bound to engage in a fierce struggle for supremacy.

And he, along with his [Giant God Workshop], would also have to face new challenges.

[Comprehensive Counterattack III] was over, but the [War of the Scepter] had only just begun!

’Forget it... There’s no point worrying about all this right now... I just need to stick to the original plan...’

Jon reined in his thoughts and, with a subtle turn of his mind, opened the [Contribution Points Store] in the quest interface.

However, the moment the dazzling exchange list came into view, Jon’s gaze habitually swept over the few items at the top he had already planned to redeem, but then his brow suddenly shot up.

There was something new!

"[Red Eagle Seal Ring], redeemable for 500,000 Contribution Points... So this is the Heta family’s heirloom spatial item..."

"But what the hell is this [Unknown Relic]? It actually costs 1,100,000?"

Jon glanced at his own faction contribution.

It was a seven-figure number, more than enough for the [Red Eagle Seal Ring]. But if he also redeemed the [Unknown Relic], he wouldn’t be able to afford some of the other items he had originally planned for...

So...

"Should I get it or not?"

—

At the very moment Red Crying Castle fell, far away in the core region of the Empire, a meeting of the highest order was being held in secret deep within the Minsali Palace.

The high, vaulted ceiling was lost in shadow. On both sides of a long, obsidian conference table, faint candlelight illuminated several faces that radiated immense power.

Three Sword Dukes occupied the seats of honor on one side.

Duke Feldren’s fingertips unconsciously stroked the smooth tabletop, his eyes as deep as an abyss.

Seated opposite him was Duke Visarion, commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army, who was unconsciously tapping his fingers on an armrest.

Between the two of them, Duke Artemis, who held the title [Sword of the Empire], sat with his arms crossed and eyes closed, seemingly lost in simple Meditation.

Below them, several heads of the Empire’s core departments held their breath, their heads bowed.

Everyone was waiting.

Waiting for the arrival of the being who stood above the Empire’s laws and authority.

The next instant, as if space itself had been gently parted by an unseen finger, a figure appeared without warning upon the cold Obsidian Throne at the head of the table.

A voluminous, black Magic Robe, shimmering with a subtle light like stardust, draped smoothly downwards. Such an outfit should have concealed the wearer’s figure, but on her, it seemed to have lost that effect.

The alluring curves that symbolized feminine beauty were perfectly outlined, forming breathtaking arcs.

Yet not a single person dared to gaze upon this beauty.

A low, uniform greeting rang out as the three Dukes and all the department heads bowed their heads in unison.

"You have arrived, Lady Guardian."

The Guardian did not respond to the formulaic welcome.

She simply leaned back languidly into the cold throne, lazily propped a pair of perfectly shaped, slender feet on the tabletop, and swung them casually a couple of times.

Then, a pair of eyes that seemed to hold a shattered galaxy swept over everyone at the table. The gaze was light and ethereal, yet it made even the ever-composed Duke Feldren feel a slight sting on his skin.

"Hmph."

The soft, ambiguous snort, like a bead of ice dropping into a deep pool, made everyone shiver involuntarily.

Then, a voice carrying a strange rhythm—languid, yet seemingly able to pierce the soul—broke the dead silence of the council chamber:

"Nerva Heta is dead."

She paused slightly. Her gaze swept past Duke Feldren’s lowered eyelids, past Duke Visarion’s suddenly clenched fist, and past the sharp glint that flashed in Duke Artemis’s eyes. It finally came to rest on the void-like darkness of the vaulted ceiling, and the corners of her lips curled into a barely perceptible arc.

"You all can finally rest easy now."

The council chamber fell deathly silent.

The faint candlelight cast flickering, unsteady shadows across the faces of the Empire’s high-ranking ministers.

Then, Duke Feldren took a deep breath, letting the cold air pierce his lungs.

He raised his head, his face a mixture of regret and relief.

"The Heta family... In the end, it has come to this."

"Thank you for informing us, Lady Guardian. This news is of the utmost importance to the stability of the Empire."

The Guardian did not look at him. Her gaze merely shifted, and in the depths of her eyes, which had reflected the collapse of Red Crying Castle, there seemed to remain a lingering ember from the fire of Purification.

She lightly raised her hand, and the wide sleeve of her robe slid down, revealing a wrist so fair it was almost translucent. Her fingertip casually traced an erratic arc in the air.

"Heh, stability... In this world, there has never been such a thing as true [stability]..."

Wherever her slender fingertip passed, a faint Arcane light flickered unceasingly, carrying fragmented images that only she could clearly see.

The woman murmured as if talking in her sleep, then vanished.

"Prepare yourselves... A war... is coming..."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.