The three were pacing in circles, utterly restless.What they didn't know was that the warzone soldiers had already been deployed and were systematically searching every mountain peak.High-tech detection devices were also in place.…Gideon escorted Elliot to the Snow residence and asked Fred to help make arrangements."Gideon," Elliot called out."What's wrong? Don't be afraid. This is your home now."Elliot took off a red string from around his neck, revealing a bronze key attached to it. "This is the key to open that box. Without it, the thieves can't open it. More accurately, they wouldn't dare. If they try to force it open, the box will explode!"Gideon's eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Your grandfather was truly foresighted. This is excellent news."Elliot handed the key to Gideon. "Gideon, my task is done. I hope you can retrieve the box.""Don't worry. They won't escape!"…Time passed quickly, and soon, the sun dipped below the horizon. The night began to fall.The
"Novo Ordo? What's that? I've never heard of it!" Gideon shook his head.Marty froze for a moment before angrily shouting, "Gideon, you're too arrogant! How dare you look down on Novo Ordo? Do you know that our sect leader has unmatched power and could crush you with ease?"At that moment, the warzone commander spoke up, "Mr. Snow, I once led troops in Dalhurst and know of Novo Ordo. It's a mysterious and powerful organization, full of formidable individuals with significant backing. It's not to be underestimated!"Novo Ordo—Gideon had indeed never heard of it, nor had he crossed paths with them before. There was no reason they would target him without cause.There had to be someone pulling the strings.Could it be that the Jaeger royal family was behind Novo Ordo? Another possibility was that Novo Ordo, like the Jaeger royal family, was a hidden force coveting the Empyrean Atlas."Gideon, I already sent word to headquarters when I obtained the box. By now, the strongholds from h
"No!" Marty screamed. "Sir, I still have something to say.""Oh?" Gideon stopped his action, looking intrigued. "What else do you have to say? I'm curious!"Marty gulped hard, trying his best to suppress his trembling. "Mr. Snow, I can help you get the box!""Do I need you to get the box?""Sir, if those two face a life-threatening crisis, they'll definitely destroy the box. Even if you're strong enough, they're extraordinary individuals. There's a high chance you won't be able to stop them in time."Caius said, "Sir, what he says makes some sense. Spare him for now, and we can decide later."Marty was desperate to survive.Gideon snorted coldly. "I'll give you a way out. However, with your current level of strength, I doubt you can handle those two extraordinary individuals."With that, Gideon struck Marty a few times on his body.Immediately, Marty convulsed violently. Then, a powerful energy erupted from him, stirring a gust of wind that made everyone present uneasy."What
Melvin and Marcus were left speechless."Marty, listen to me…""I don't have to!" Marty cut him off, waving his hand dismissively. His expression turned cold, and his tone was firm. "Hand over the box now, and I'll let you walk away. Otherwise, don't blame me for not honoring our brotherhood!""Are you out of your mind?" Marcus snapped. "Did you get your hands on some kind of advanced tech? A bomb? A machine gun? You really think you'd have time to use it? The moment you reach for a weapon, I'll crush you!"Marcus exuded his energy, making his stance clear.Among the three of them, Marty had always been the weakest. But that was before. Now…Marty sneered and let out a sharp shout. It was like a thunderclap in the sky.Melvin's and Marcus' minds went blank, and the box slipped from their grasp, hitting the ground with a dull thud.However, Marty didn't pick it up.Instead, he stood there, watching them coldly. As Melvin and Marcus came to their senses, they were visibly shaken
The corners of Marty's, Melvin's, and Marcus' mouths twitch.A peak transcendent, who was considered a powerful and influential figure in the world, was being described as insignificant.However, none of them doubted it.Gideon gave off a presence akin to a deep ocean, immeasurable and unfathomable."Go now!"After the trio left, Gideon took the box back to Beaker Island.Using the key provided by Elliot, he inserted it into the lock and gently turned it. With a soft click, an ancient, dusty smell filled the air.He carefully opened the box.Inside was a parchment scroll and a letter.Taking a deep breath, Gideon hoped the letter would reveal some useful information. But after reading it, he frowned.The letter from the old man stated that Gideon's parents had split the Empyrean Atlas into two parts years ago. One part was taken by his parents, while the other was hidden somewhere. The map in the box—the parchment scroll—led to the hidden portion.Additionally, the letter me
Justin looked slightly embarrassed. "Sir, don't bring it up. It's a long story full of tears."Gideon rolled his eyes, guessing that Ajax and the others were the culprits."Sir, what's the mission you have for me? Come on. Tell me already. I'm raring to go.""Take this map." Gideon handed the parchment scroll to Justin and instructed, "I need you to go to the central area of Mount Mille and locate the place marked by the red dot. Find the treasure I'm after.""That's it?" Justin pouted. He had expected something grander, perhaps leading a campaign against a nation. Instead, it was just a treasure hunt."Not interested?""No, no, no! Sir, I'm very interested. It's just that Mount Mille looks pretty vast. I won't be able to find it alone.""Summon your troops. Have them quietly sneak into Dasovia and begin a covert search deep within Mount Mille. Remember, no big commotions. Keep it low-key and discreet.""Understood!""Get to it at once. Find the red dot's location as soon as p
Marty's words were firm and resonated with conviction.The higher-ups were visibly shocked. What was he trying to do? Even if he had become a peak transcendent, did he think he was invincible? Was he now the strongest in Novo Ordo?They all knew that Esmond and the other peak transcendent seniors had years of experience and deep foundations that a newly ascended transcendent couldn't possibly match.Esmond's expression turned grim.At that moment, Melvin stepped forward and said, "Mr. Mendoza, please contact Mr. Heath."As soon as he spoke, his energy flared. A thunderous burst shook the room.Gasps filled the hall.A senior exclaimed, "Melvin, you've also ascended to a peak transcendent? How is that even possible?""And me." Marcus snorted coldly and stepped forward.The three stood side by side. Their peak-level presences roared like tidal waves.The power granted by Gideon made their transcendence even stronger than usual. Among them, Marty's strength even surpassed Esmond
"Mr. Poe, Kitherglen is vast and boundless. Where are we supposed to find the sect leader? Please give us a clue or a way to contact him directly," Marty said."Take this." Hubert handed a small box to Marty and said, "When you reach the northern mountain pass of Kitherglen, open the box. You'll know what to do then.""Thank you, Mr. Poe."Marty accepted the box, and the three left Novo Ordo in haste, leaving Monmouth.Only after confirming they weren't being followed did they allow themselves to relax slightly. The entirety of Monmouth was under Novo Ordo's control, and they had no idea where spies might be lurking. As a result, the three of them had stayed on high alert within the city."I've heard that the Jaeger royal family resides somewhere within the Kitherglen mountain range. Do you think we'll get to visit them this time?" Melvin asked."Maybe," Marty replied, his expression grave. "But I doubt it'll be that simple. It's highly likely that once we enter Kitherglen, we wo
Unlike Emery, Constantin had gotten intel from Logan and the others that Gideon was heading west. So, Constantin concluded that he had gone to Kitherglen.However, Kitherglen was vast. Finding one person was like looking for a needle.Still, Constantin was no fool. He figured Emery was connected to Gideon. Otherwise, why would he suddenly show up and block his entry into Drammore?So, Constantin hid along the route and sure enough, saw Emery heading west. He trailed him quietly.And now, they were at the Jaeger royal family's grounds."I haven't been inland in a while. Has the Jaeger royal family of the eight royal families fallen? A woman is in charge now? And only a half-Supreme at that."Constantin sized up Talia with contempt, making her seethe with rage. But Constantin was clearly on the same terrifying level as Emery. She was angry but didn't dare speak out.Emery, on the other hand, believed Talia. He patted the white crane and turned to leave.Seeing this, Constantin sh
After leaving the underground palace, Gideon had no intention of lingering.He said his goodbyes to Talia, took Adrelda, and left the Jaeger royal family's ancestral grounds, entering the nether aircraft to continue westward.In the Daysia Tower, Clementia asked cautiously, "Lady Talia, did the High Marshal agree to take over?""Whether he'll even make it back from Mount Immortal is still unknown. Talking about whether he'll take over or not is meaningless right now."Talia picked up her cup, blew on it, and said, "Clementia, I've never married and have no children. I treat you like a daughter and have invested a lot in training you. However, your talent still falls short compared to the world's top prodigies."Clementia's face burned with shame. Her expression dimmed. "Lady Talia, I'm sorry for letting you down.""It's not exactly disappointment. It's just that all top prodigies have some kind of unique physique. You don't, so naturally, you fall behind.""Lady Talia, if I had
Facing Talia's seemingly forceful stance, Gideon ignored it and asked instead, "The old man guarding the third floor of Sutra Library—who is he? Why is he always mumbling weird stuff?"Talia shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know. He's been around since I was a kid. I asked your grandfather once, and he said the man can guarantee our clan a hundred years of peace.""Seriously? That powerful? No elders in the royal family know who he is?""If someone did, don't you think I'd already know?" She looked exasperated.He rubbed his chin, full of thoughts.Talia continued, "He's always cryptic. What did he say to get you so worked up?""He said I'd be thrown into the 18 Hells.""Huh?" Talia's expression darkened.Gideon asked, "What, do you know something?""Are you going to Zonia Sect in Neroxia?""How'd you know?" He was slightly surprised. "I'm planning to head to Mount Immortal first, then cross it to visit Zonia Sect.""You're going to Mount Immortal, too?" Her eyes widened.
The old man didn't stop Gideon. Instead, he laughed weirdly from behind. "Young man, you're definitely screwed. You're getting thrown into hell.""What a nutjob!" Gideon pushed the nonsense out of his mind.The third floor didn't have many martial arts techniques, but the ones there were clearly high-level."Soaring Immortal's Blow." Gideon stumbled on one technique by chance. What surprised him was the name signed underneath—Annalise Jaeger."Did Mom create this secret technique?"He quickly grabbed the book and skimmed it. It turned out that the Soaring Immortal's Blow was incomplete. This was only a fragment of it. Even so, he could tell it was terrifyingly powerful."Mom was a badass." Gideon was seriously impressed.Annalise had left the royal family in her 20s, which meant this technique was created before that. She probably came up with it when she was still a teenager. She was a total prodigy and stunningly gifted.Edric's and the others' praise of Annalise was clearl
"It's no wonder they are a royal family. The heritage here is insane. There are so many resources." Gideon strolled through the Sutra Library, full of praise.Then, it hit him.He had built his own force, packed with world champions and elite soldiers. But in terms of martial arts resources, he had almost nothing. He lacked top-tier martial arts.He couldn't just hand out his own secret techniques. Even if he did, it would only be to his most trusted inner circle. There was no way it would be public."It looks like I need to start paying attention to this. It's time to stockpile martial arts techniques," he thought to himself.The Sutra Library had three levels. The first floor was all basic stuff. By the second, the quality shot up, and there were a few techniques Gideon found interesting.However, it didn't move him. Sure, it was interesting, but it wasn't enough.He headed toward the third floor and finally noticed an old, wiry man lying in front of the entrance."Even a pla
"That's because…" Clementia trailed off. A cold sweat broke out on her back.If she spilled that Gideon had just mentioned taking the family head position, the fallout would be huge. That was far more serious than any assault. The elders would come charging in, ready to kill."Clementia, go on.""Don't be scared, Clementia. We need him to apologize today.""The royal family cannot be insulted!"Seeing the younger generation yelling and shouting in the square, Gideon couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you all that bored? This has nothing to do with you. Get lost.""Insolence!""Arrogant bastard!"The hot-blooded youths were fired up.Gideon let out a cold snort. A sharp pressure swept over the entire square, instantly silencing everyone."You haven't trained your strength, but your mouths sure work fine. Be glad I'm not interested in the family head position. Otherwise, I'd show you what real discipline looks like."He glanced at Clementia.She immediately led Gideon away from
Gideon stared at Talia's retreating figure, lost in thought. He couldn't figure out what she was really up to.The position of the family head in the royal family was something prestigious and powerful, yet Talia was willingly handing it over. Something didn't add up.If something was too strange, there was probably a trap.Still, Gideon wasn't in a rush to leave. Since Talia had the idea to pass the family head position to him, he might as well collect some interest first. If there wasn't even a little interest, the offer had to be a fake.As he walked out of Daysia Tower, a graceful woman approached. Gideon recognized her. During the Martial Arts Tournament of the Eight Major Royal Families, she was the leader of the Jaeger royal family's younger generation. Her name was Clementia, if he remembered right."Mr. Snow, we meet again.""It's been a while. Ms. Jaeger, you've become even more beautiful.""You flatter me, Mr. Snow." Clementia smiled and added, "But it's you who des
"Then, why did you force my mother to leave?" Gideon questioned"No, no, you've got it wrong. Annie's leaving wasn't because of me. It was her choice. From the beginning, she never planned to fight me to be the family head. As soon as the struggle began, she quietly left with the Empyrean Atlas," Talia explained.Giden frowned slightly.Suddenly, Talia smiled. "Besides, if Annie hadn't left, she would've never met your father, and you wouldn't even exist, right?""I've been searching for my parents all this time. Do you have any leads?""None." Talia shook her head and sighed. "I want to find Annie just as badly as you do. But all these years, I've come up empty."Gideon, I've known for a long time that you're Annie's son, but I never made a move against you. That's because I hoped you might find her."Gideon didn't doubt this. With Talia's influence, confirming his identity would've been easy. Back when he was still weak, she could've captured or even killed him at any time.
"Wait here for me," Gideon said softly to Adrelda, then walked step by step into the main hall.Callan and the others were also waiting outside the hall.The hall was deep and imposing. Around it stood tall bronze pillars, carved with strange patterns. At the very end stood a majestic stone statue.The statue depicted a woman. It had one hand pointing skyward while the other held some kind of artifact as it gazed into the sky.Gideon instinctively guessed this was the founder of the Jaeger royal family, worshipped by generations of descendants.Beneath the solemn statue stood a throne. On the throne sat a stunning woman, upright and dignified, dressed in a lavish white phoenix robe.Gideon stopped walking. He stared straight at Talia, his expression slightly dazed.Talia looked just like Annalise—those eyes, that nose, and those brows. For a moment, Gideon thought the woman on the throne was the very mother he had longed for all these years.The hall was silent. Talia was als