In the hidden realm within the valley, the game of chess was still ongoing beside the flowing stream.

The scenery was just as gentle as before, but the atmosphere was exceptionally solemn.

Duke Yun was standing beside the board with his hands folded, still and silent. The Profundity Monarch’s chess piece lingered for a good while in the air before he finally placed it on the board.

The piece ended this losing game for him.

He said without looking up, “Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?”

Duke Yun said, “If my eyes do not deceive me, he has indeed become a heavenly monarch.”

“Are you sure he’s a heavenly monarch and not a great dark monarch?”

The Pointer Monarch sighed. “Even we are not a match for Duke Kong’s perception. He can’t be wrong.”

“Nonsense!” The Profundity Monarch was furious. “How many years does it take for our race to produce a heavenly monarch as we forge ahead? How can a mixed-breed like him call himself monarch?!”

He suddenly turned around and stared at Duke Yun. “You said he’s already a heavenly monarch. Why didn’t you test him out before coming back.”

The duke’s expression turned dark for a split second. He was an important subject of the Empire, an expert backed by the Kong family. Even the Emperor would not be rude to him in court. How many people had ever shouted at him like they were addressing a servant?

However, they were in the inner world and not the Empire. They were already backed against a corner since they could only enter and not leave. Since all the experts came here expecting to die, it was only natural that they wouldn’t think too much about formalities.

Duke Yun replied, “I didn’t dare.”

The Profundity Monarch’s brows knitted together. “What?! You didn't dare?!”

Before he could finish, the Pointer Monarch cut him short. “Shunxuan, your emotions are in disarray.”

The Profundity Monarch was shaken. He quickly suppressed the anger welling up within him and said, “Thank you.”

“We came here expecting to make the ultimate sacrifice, but sacrifices have to be made at the right place. Fury will bring us no benefit.” The Pointer Monarch sighed, gesturing for Duke Yun to withdraw.

After walking a distance, Duke Yun sneered, “So high and mighty! That person is right beneath the holy mountain, why don’t you fight him if you’re so capable? Humph, what’s there to fear since we’re all going to die here anyway. Unlike some people who took things further than they should, I don’t have to worry about my descendants. We’ll see how your family will fare in a hundred years.”

The words were softly spoken, but everyone in the valley was at the peak of their power. Everyone heard him as clear as day.

The Profundity Monarch’s face was ashen. He was just about to act up, but he eventually returned to his seat. Moments later, he cupped his fists and said to the Pointer Monarch, “If I fight Qianye to the death, can you promise that your genius descendant will protect my family? I won’t ask for too much, just leave my bloodline intact.”

The Pointer Monarch laughed wryly. “If you fight to the death with anyone else, I can make that promise. The only exception is Qianye. Even if I promise you that, the child will surely renege on it once he grows up.”

“Why is that? Is it because he’s half a disciple of yours?” The Profundity Monarch was surprised.

The Pointer Monarch let out a dry cough. “That’s not it… And the reason, cough, isn’t significant enough to let outsiders know.”

The Profundity Monarch was puzzled, but he realized that there had to be a secret amidst all of this. He probed, “Now that Qianye has become a heavenly monarch, how will the Empire react? Don’t tell me we have to accept him?”

The Pointer Monarch shook his head with a sigh. “That might be possible if there was no Nighteye, but now it’s hard to say.”

“What do we do now?”

“Let’s just see how things develop.” The Pointer Monarch looked tired.

The Profundity Monarch couldn’t calm down. “How despicable! He was just saying he could become a heavenly monarch in three years, and I believed it! I would’ve slapped him to death had I known.”

…

Things were getting busier and busier in the holy land as more Attawa tribes arrived. Those who had arrived in advance were the elders, giant wargods, and tribe elites. The death of these people would produce a gap in the tribe’s lineage, perhaps setting back the entire civilization as a whole. The fragility of a primitive tribal system was extremely evident among these people.

Qianye did only one thing for three whole days, and that was to train the Attawa to perfect their language. At the same time, he tasked them to carve their knowledge and inheritance on media that could be stored for long periods, like bones and rocks. Most of their knowledge and inheritance were stored in the mother tree, just like how the werewolves relied on their ancestral spirits.

As Qianye saw it, this method was not reliable at all. The mother trees were interconnected, but they had no way to defend or isolate themselves. They could be wiped out entirely by some sort of disease. Wouldn’t their entire inheritance be gone at that point?

Qianye simply wanted to help them retain as much of their technology and knowledge as possible. The Attawa were simply tools in Andruil’s plan, tools to wear down the Evernight experts. At the same time, they were naturally strong and received the blessing of this world. That was why Andruil had secretly tampered with their development, guiding them in the direction of these giant wargods.

Otherwise, they might’ve become a powerful civilization not inferior to the Evernight Council.

This wasn’t something Andruil wanted. The Black-Winged Monarch never had the intention of becoming a world savior. All he wanted was to do right by his woman, that was all.

What Qianye was doing now was making it up to the Attawa. He knew that before long, all the Attawa here in the holy land would be wiped out.

The Evernight experts should’ve appeared long ago, but there was no movement from their side.

The calmer things were, the more dangerous it would be. The holy mountain was extremely important for the dark races, a place they were intent on capturing as quickly as possible. Why were they so patient now?”

Qianye had a feeling that they were planning something.

He might’ve become a heavenly monarch, but his origin crystal hadn’t stabilized yet. Every moment of delay was tipping the scales in his favor.

Qianye simply watched the world become increasingly fragile.

On the third day, he suddenly recalled many things.

Memories from the dumpster, until he was picked up by Lin Xitang. It was from that man that Qianye had felt the first bit of warmth and belonging. Things flashed back to the Yellow Springs, Red Scorpions, and to when he was bitten by vampires. It was then that he fell back to the realm of ordinary people, waiting for his death in a small town on Evernight Continent. It was then that he had met Nighteye.

Many things happened thereafter. He gained more brethren and developed a sense of belonging. Even the hatred of having his crystal stolen receded when he realized that it was done to save Zhao Ruoxi.

It felt like everything he had experienced was insignificant. Even great battles like the sky demon, void continent, and the opening of the new world felt like small skirmishes. Countless minuscule happenings like these came together to form life.

What could Lin Xitang have been thinking when he went to the void continent?

Was he thinking back on the past like Qianye was?

All of a sudden, he glanced up. “Why not come out since you’re here?”

The wind stirred all of a sudden, and the world changed colors.