The five Great Emperors had successfully crossed the threshold into the Half-Saint Realm, allowing Kael Draven to breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief.The Saint Path consisted of eight realms, ranked from lowest to highest: Half-Saint, Saint, Earth Saint, Heaven Saint, Saint King, Saint Emperor, Saint Venerable, and Saint Sovereign.Although the five Great Emperors had only reached the first of those realms, the breakthrough was still extraordinary.According to them, the moment a martial artist entered the Half-Saint Realm, the spiritual essence within their body began transforming into saint essence. It was not merely an increase in strength, but a fundamental evolution—a leap into an entirely different level of existence.Even so, Kael Draven had little time to celebrate.Ever since he annihilated the army dispatched by the four great powers, he had been waiting for their retaliation. Yet days passed without the slightest movement. Not a single martial artist appeared, let alone a

Corvis Draven understood that the Sect Master had finally begun to fear Kael Draven.There was little else they could do. Ethereal Palace and the Netherworld Mansion had already withdrawn from the Nine Provinces. If the Third-Level Draven Family insisted on continuing the war, both they and the Dragon Sect would suffer heavy losses, leaving the other two powers to reap the rewards.Thus, the Third-Level Draven Family abruptly announced its withdrawal from the Nine Provinces.Three of the four great powers had now retreated.Only Royal City remained.Douglas Thorne was bitter beyond words. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that an insignificant youth like Kael Draven would grow powerful enough to force three great powers from the Nine Provinces.But what choice did he have?The other three powers had already withdrawn. Was Royal City supposed to stay behind and face the Dragon Sect alone?In the end, Douglas Thorne had no choice but to order Royal City’s retreat.With its depa

Kael Draven had finished reading the letter, yet he remained seated in silence.His eyes were fixed upon its final lines, lingering on the promise that had shaken him to his core. If you never leave or forsake me, I will remain by your side through life and deathAria Stormveil had said nothing about where she was. Kael Draven’s heart burned with worry and impatience, but without even the faintest clue to follow, he could do nothing.Aria Stormveil, where are you now?A heavy sigh escaped his lips.Everyone in the hall silently shared his sorrow. Kael Draven and Aria Stormveil had once been inseparable, yet fate had cast them to opposite ends of the world. Worse still, no one knew where Aria Stormveil had been taken.“Kael.”Kael Draven looked up. “Father?”Following his father’s gaze, he saw Kiera Thane standing a short distance away. Her face was calm—far too calm.Kael Draven cursed himself inwardly.There was nothing wrong with missing Aria Stormveil, but he had allowed his emotio

“Brother Jasper, remain calm and wait here. I’ll return shortly.”Kael Draven left the main hall and went to find the four Emperors—or rather, the four Half-Saints, as they should now be called.He wasted no time on pleasantries.“Have any of you seen Annie Grace?”The four men appeared to have expected this question. Alex Grant reached inside his robe, withdrew a letter, and handed it to Kael Draven.“Sect Master, Annie Grace left this behind before she departed.”Kael Draven accepted the letter but did not open it.He was Zeric Jasper’s brother, but he was not Zeric Jasper himself. Some matters were too personal for anyone else to face in his place.Returning to the main hall, Kael Draven handed the letter to Zeric Jasper and stepped aside. An inexplicable sense of foreboding weighed upon his heart.As Zeric Jasper read, his expression grew increasingly grave. The darkness gathering in his eyes told Kael Draven that the situation was far worse than they had feared.“Brother Jasper, w

Ethereal Palace was one of the four great powers of the Nine Provinces Spirit Domain.It stood atop Ethereal Peak, a towering mountain surrounded by treacherous terrain. Its steep slopes and perilous paths made the summit unreachable to ordinary people.At that moment, Zeric Jasper appeared at the foot of the mountain.He raised his head and stared at the distant peak. Without hesitation, he stepped onto the path and began his ascent.Three hours later, at the rear mountain of Ethereal Peak.“Eldest Brother, please let him go.”Before Annie Grace could finish speaking, Dante Grace struck her across the face.As the Palace Master of Ethereal Palace, Dante Grace stood at the peak of the Realm Emperor Realm, only a single step away from becoming a Half-Saint.Annie Grace’s cultivation far surpassed his, yet she made no attempt to retaliate.No matter how powerful she became, he was still her eldest brother. To her, an elder brother carried the authority of a father. Raising a hand against