The silence that followed was normal. Liam and Emma exchanged glances. Carla watched her mother, her expression complicated.David met Matilda's gaze. He saw the hope there, the hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a path forward.He did not know if there was. But he also did not know if there wasn't."Not immediately," he said finally. "But you can come with us for dinner. After that, we can talk."Matilda nodded slowly. The hope in her eyes flickered but the other half of the sentence reignited it. "Okay, I won't be joining as you have friends with you. But I think you young people should go for food. I will come later to meet you."She turned and followed Erevan, her figure disappearing into the distance. Carla watched her mother go, then looked at David."You're being kinder than I expected," she said quietly as the others couldn't hear."I'm being honest," David replied. "I don't know what I feel about her. But I know I can't keep running from it forever."Carla nodded. She und

The restaurant was warm and inviting, filled with the smell of roasting meat and fresh bread. The table they had secured was large enough to accommodate David's massive frame, and the food that arrived was plentiful spirit boar roast, glazed vegetables, steaming bowls of rice, and pitchers of cool fruit wine. For a while, there was no conversation, only the sounds of eating and the occasional satisfied sigh.Liam was the first to break the silence, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "You know, David, I've been meaning to ask you something."David looked up from his plate. "What?""Have you heard about the girl who reached Immortal King in just a few centuries? She was in the first competition, back when you were still in the Abyss. Started as an Immortal realm cultivator, barely qualified for the bracket. By the time the competition ended, she had broken through to Immortal King. It was... insane."David raised an eyebrow. "A few centuries? From Immortal to Immortal King?""E

The conversation continued, flowing from topic to topic with the ease of long friendship. Liam told stories about his training mishaps, Emma shared gossip from the outer zones, and Sophia offered quiet observations that revealed a sharp, analytical mind. Carla listened more than she spoke, but when she did contribute, her words carried weight."So," Liam said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. "We've got Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III. What about Tier IV? Or Tier V? Is there a ranking below Tier III?"Carla shook her head. "The Holy Land only recognizes three tiers. Those who don't qualify for Tier III are simply not considered geniuses by the Council's standards. They can still train, still grow, still compete but they don't receive the same resources or opportunities.""That seems harsh.""It is. But it's also necessary. The Council can't give every cultivator in the human race access to the Holy Land's resources. The population is too vast, billions of cultivators acr

David turned toward Carla, his expression softening slightly."You are the only reason I'm tolerating this conversation. You didn't choose to be born into that family. You didn't choose to be my sister. But you're here now, and you've done nothing wrong. So I'll tolerate your mother for your sake. But that's all."He looked back at Matilda."Now we are just two people working in the same place. Nothing more and nothing less. I am tolerating you because of her. Don't mistake that for family love."Matilda stared at him. Her hands were trembling at her sides. Her eyes were wet, though she had not allowed the tears to fall.She had known this would be difficult. She had known David would be angry. But she had not expected this cold, controlled fury that radiated from him like heat from a furnace. She had not expected him to dismiss his father with such contempt.And that the mention of his father cut deeper than anything else."You better watch your mouth when you speak about your father

Mark looked at her for a long moment. Then he spoke, his voice quiet but firm."Things are changing in the Paradise World. This ascension of this world's elevation to Demi-Divine status might be more dangerous than you realize. If you and Arthur want to awaken your children, you need to call back your original bodies. This world will attract attention in a million years. You have that much time to prepare. No more."Matilda stared at him. "What do you mean by that?"Mark sighed. It was a sound of ancient weariness, the sigh of a being who had seen too much and carried too many burdens."This world's ascension is more dangerous than you can imagine or you have known there are unknown factors about this world. And the realm where you and Arthur truly belong is also watching the paradise world. Also Others are watching. And Edward's strength isn't enough to handle the situation."He paused, letting the weight of his words settle."Matilda, let your original body return. Explain everythin