Chapter 60: The Lich King (Second Update)

Efine, in the suburbs of Florence, by the Emerald Lake!

The outline of the starry giant palace grew increasingly clear, as if encompassing the entire firmament, imparting a heavy, crushing oppression akin to Mount Tai bearing down upon them.

Thirty stars shone around the periphery of the immense palace, and countless dazzling starlight descended upon its surface, yet failed to conceal its imposing and majestic momentum.

Viewed from afar, the surrounding space was distorted by its mere presence, standing like an eternal monument in the deepest reaches of the universe, witnessing the flow of time and the alternation of stars.

Every single brick and stone, every single pattern seemed to contain boundless power, as if it were an unrivaled masterpiece cast by the gods themselves, its formidable momentum shocking the soul of anyone who gazed upon it.

Grand Duke Roland's expression became incomparably grave. A Saint had actually made a move!

This meant "Black Tomb" was truly about to launch an all-out war!

Could a demi-artifact truly be that important?

As the starry giant palace blanketed the firmament, heavy dark clouds pressed low against the horizon, and thunder rolled dully.

Several eerie green lights, resembling a demon's breath and distorting the surrounding space, instantly flared from all directions, tearing the darkness apart.

Accompanied by a bone-chilling wind, the Vice-Minister of the "Black Tomb" combat department and current Lich King of the "Wings of Eternal Gloom" clan, Naxus Bone-Shadow, officially descended!

Naxus's tall physique was covered in heavy armor, every single plate shimmering with an ice-cold luster.

Upon his head rested a huge bone crown, the spikes of the crown blazing with ghostly green fire capable of incinerating the soul.

His face was hidden within the shadows, revealing only a pair of eyes burning with blue flames—flames so cold and merciless they seemed capable of freezing a person's soul entirely.

The Lich King stepped forward, step by step, causing the ice and snow phenomenon behind Adelle to creak under his immense pressure.

The frost dragons pinned across the sky continuously fractured, huge chunks of ice plunging from the firmament and turning into nothingness around him.

Seeing the student of his inner-qi white moonlight being bullied, Grand Duke Roland wore unmasked sarcasm on his lips and sternly rebuked:

"A centuries-old old monster bullying a young woman, Naxus, have you spent all those years growing your shameless face?"

Naxus halted his footsteps, turned his head, and his muffled voice sounded:

"Roland, the affairs here have nothing to do with your Western Regions. Why poke your nose into this?"

Grand Duke Roland roared angrily:

"You have the nerve to lecture me?

During the Five Nations Joint Conference, your 'Black Tomb' also sent delegates!

Saints are forbidden from acting lightly; you signed that restriction as well!

Are you publicly violating that restriction by doing this today?"

The phosphorescent fire in Naxus's eyes flickered, and he said darkly:

"If I remember correctly, the last person to violate the restriction and use Saint-tier power was none other than your Western Regions Empire. It seems you even have to call him your father-in-law!"

Grand Duke Roland snapped coldly:

"The late Emperor did that to safeguard the peace of the Northwestern Continent, to prevent the dwarf tribes from rushing out of the Great Snow Mountains and threatening the safety of the Western Regions nations!

Our Western Regions Empire was actively fulfilling the role of a responsible major power and maintaining regional peace!

Moreover, the late Emperor's intervention was permitted by the votes of the Northwestern Continent's nations!

That was the embodiment of justice!

It is fundamentally different from you lot of Saints scuttling about for selfish gains!"

Mammon, standing nearby, chimed in with a direct sneer:

"That vote you mentioned wouldn't happen to be your previous rogue emperor summoning the kings of the Northwest nations together under the guise of a military parade, and then threatening that whoever didn't vote in favor wouldn't be allowed to leave, would it?"

Roland flew into a rage:

"Bastard, how dare you slander the late Emperor!

Mammon, you just wait. If your Eighth Pawnshop dares to show its face in my territory even once, I will crush them!"

The Lich King's phosphorescent eyes flickered even more violently as he said in a grim and solemn tone:

"Absurd!

When you make a move, it represents justice and upholding peace; when we make a move, it is for selfish gain and petty scheming.

This King has truly witnessed the double standards and shamelessness of the Five Empires!

Talk of justice is nothing more than having a big enough fist! Why bother waving such a banner?"

Grand Duke Roland was never one to mask his emotions. Seeing that he could not refute his opponent, his face flooded with anger, and he directly unleashed an indiscriminate rant:

"Truly a despicable Lich clan. It is impossible to communicate with you using the language of civilized people.

Don't be too arrogant. Do you think you are the only Saint on the entire continent?"

The Lich King remained noncommittal to Grand Duke Roland's threat.

He thought to himself: If you hadn't married a good wife, would the likes of you even dare to shout and holler at a Saint?

With a disdainful chuckle, he merely flicked his finger, and Grand Duke Roland along with his "elite-tier" [Heart of the Bauhinia] force were engulfed together by an irresistible whirlwind, subsequently trapped within a thick blanket of black mist.

Having disposed of Grand Duke Roland's trouble, the Lich King shifted his gaze to Adelle. Seeing her calm expression, he hesitated for a moment.

A nation capable of enduring for three thousand years, even if it had never produced a Saint, definitely possessed the means to keep Saints in check.

This was the territory of Efine; it was unwise to provoke a major conflict with them and court extraneous complications.

He quickly made up his mind, waved his hand gently, and knocked the Queen down from the air.

A massive dark vortex appeared on the ground, glowing with eerie light within its depths, as if connecting to another unknown, terrifying world.

Deep within the vortex, a massive bone claw suddenly reached out, revealing a gigantic skull head.

Shortly after, a monster composed entirely of white bones slowly stepped out from the vortex, trapping Adelle within.

Having cleared away all nuisances, the Lich King looked toward his primary target of the day, his raspy voice ringing out:

"The Minister has given the order for me to politely invite Miss Wenzer to be a guest at the 'Black Tomb', and I hope Miss will not do anything irrational."

Mr. Mordo beside her smiled coldly:

"And what if I say the young lady does not wish to go?"

The Lich King cast an indifferent glance at Mordo, who was blazing with fire, and said flatly:

"You are formidable, and your legendary domain is at least among the top five I have ever witnessed.

Pity you have not entered the Saint realm; you have no qualification to speak before me!"

Isabella spoke decisively, cutting off the Lich King's movement:

"Answer me one question, and I will go with you."

"Please speak, Miss Wenzer."

"Who in the family is collaborating with you?"

The Lich King replied calmly:

"The matter Miss speaks of is handled by the Intelligence Department; our Combat Department only handles the rough work."

Isabella replied quietly:

"Then there is nothing more to discuss."

The Lich King sighed deeply and said in a grave tone:

"Then I must offend you."

He would not underestimate Mr. Mordo, who was nearly invincible at the Legendary tier, nor would he underestimate the trump card for self-preservation possessed by the first-in-line heir of the "Golden Wing Family."

The Lich King slowly raised his withered, stick-like arm, his distinct-jointed fingers dancing in the air as if playing a movement of death.

A low, raspy voice came from deep within his throat, and ancient, mysterious incantations echoed through the air.

Accompanied by the chanting, five stars on the starry giant palace in the firmament twinkled.

At the same time, the surrounding dark energy began to surge frantically, and the earth trembled slightly, as if in dread of the terrifying power about to descend.

With a thunderous crash, a pair of massive black hands slowly extended from the starry giant palace.

Those black hands seemed forged from endless darkness, emanating a bone-chilling aura.

The black hands blotted out the sky, casting a massive shadow in all directions and bearing down with irresistible force to snatch Isabella!

Unlike the Legendary tier's manipulation of rules, the Saint tier was fully capable of creating and nurturing rules!

That sanctuary was a product interwoven by rules.

Every five stars represented a rule; the more stars, the more rules it represented, and the greater the Saint's strength!

The rule of this pair of dark hands was named [Capture]!

[Capture] could seize all people and all objects!

Just as Isabella was about to be forcibly taken away, at the critical moment, a singing voice as breathtaking as celestial music drifted down from beyond the heavens!

The melodious notes parted the layers of dark mist, transforming into rays of light that completely dispersed the giant dark hands!