Unsealing Emptiness

Chapter 451: Vesta.

Phoenix City basked in the festivities as several important figures were seen on the streets.

Among the visitors, the strongest were at the Transcendent Realm’s peak. The Celestial Phoenix did not take kindly to outsider Sages staying too long in her territory.

There was a heated argument between Sarah and Elder Saiko in an auspicious room of the City Lord’s Hall.

"What do you mean I can’t touch him?!" Sarah Silverbird complained with her arms crossed. Beside him stood Aakal who looked helpless in this situation, but supported her nonetheless.

Elder Saiko wore a cold frown as he stared down at these two. They were among the most promising Dragon Hatchlings, and so they were supported by the Grand Elders who were at the Sage Realm.

The support of the Grand Elders in the Sect was the only thing deterring Saiko from disciplining that spoiled princess into her place.

"Watch your tone, little girl," he exerted a bit of his aura which was enough to shut her up. He sighed internally, cursing his luck that he was assigned to this task by the Sect Leader.

"As for why you can’t touch him, it’s because he’s under the protection of the Celestial Phoenix! Do you want to offend the Phoenix and risk the whole Sect going to war with the Celestial Beast?" Saiko reprimanded in a severe tone.

Although he didn’t truly believe Ozul was in any way related to the Celestial Beasts, if there was even a slight possibility, he wasn’t going to take any chances. There was a reason the Sect Leader had chosen him among all the other Elders in the Phoenix’s territory and he wouldn’t disappoint him.

"If I see any of you acting out of line here again, I will report you directly to the Sect Leader. Do you understand me?" he ordered with a death glare.

Sarah felt her heart shake at the mention of the Sect Leader. She was only bold in front of Saiko because of her support from the Grand Elders. But in front of the Sect Leader, all of that was for naught.

For all of the Dragon Hatchlings, the Sect Leader was an enigma. As one of the strongest beings in this Realm, not many dared to disobey him.

"Understood," Sarah forced out with a weak voice.

Aakal beside her nodded his head firmly as well. It seemed like he would have to soothe his girlfriend. She had become restless after meeting that monster of a boy.

’Silly girl, what if he is still that nightmare you run from? Why do you want to offend that...thing?’ he couldn’t help but sigh in his heart as he glanced at Sarah’s distressed figure.

. . .

Outside Ember’s estate, there now stood a few cloaked figures.

In front of the new gatekeeper who was merely at the Nascent Soul Realm, the cloaked figures had immense pressure.

Still, the gatekeeper understood letting them pass would have him face a worse outcome than stopping them. So, he mustered up his courage and straightened his back, feigning confidence, and spoke, "Turn around. Lord Ember has forbidden new visitors until the festival ends."

The feminine figure leading the group stepped forward threateningly, but she had yet to touch the gatekeeper when a voice halted her,

"Resorting to violence in Phoenix City? Tsk Tsk Tsk... I expected better from you."

Rai shook his head as he walked toward with his hands behind his back.

"Let us meet Lord Ember. The Elders have a message for her," the feminine figure replied so quietly that she was almost whispering.

Suddenly, Rai smiled in amusement before donning a slightly surprised face, "Ah, you should have told me that first."

Shaking his head and taking a breath as if he had made a mistake, he continued, "If I knew you were here with a message from the Elders, I would’ve told you earlier to roll it up and shove it up your ass."

The woman narrowed down her eyes, and the aura of a peak Transcendent enveloped her skin as the other cloaked figures behind her took out their blades.

But Rai wasn’t alone either. As it turned out, several meters behind him, on the walls and in the corners, different colors of eyes glowed brightly in the dark.

Most of the Transcendents in the estate were present at the scene, their Beastkin instincts itching for action under the full moon.

Glancing all around her, the woman noticed that they were not only surrounded but also outnumbered. If they fought, they wouldn’t last long.

To add to her frustration, Rai spread his arms wide and smiled with his fangs, "Do you dare?"

The gatekeeper standing behind Rai couldn’t even stop the shaking of his legs. He was surrounded by so many Transcendents and all of them were overflowing with killing intent.

Seeing Rai taunt the woman, the gatekeeper cursed his luck. If a fight started here, he wouldn’t survive the night. The woman shaking in anger didn’t help his anxiety. The atmosphere was seemingly frozen for him.

Just as the gatekeeper was praying for his family’s happiness, things began to move again in his world.

A boy casually walked forward, beside him was a black cat with heterochromatic eyes. They leisurely strolled toward the gate and eventually passed by Rai and the woman without so much as a glance at them.

How could Ozul not see the situation?

In reality, he was more than aware of the emotions of all the Transcendents present around him. However, after learning all about the rules of the Celestial Phoenix, he realized that anything of this level was not permitted.

The most that could be tolerated was a fight between normal Transcendents and that too would be quickly dealt with by the City Lord’s Hall.

If there was an all-out brawl between them and it was led by peak Transcendents, then it was bound to attract the attention of the Celestial Phoenix. The City Lord would also personally make a move in hopes of settling the matter before the Phoenix was annoyed.

And so, he walked without any worries that he would be harmed. Even judging from their emotions, both sides were only threatening the other.

As he entered the gates, the gatekeeper hurriedly followed right after, standing behind the safety of walls. Maybe today he had gained a new life.

On the other hand, the woman gave Rai a murdering glare, "Even that nobody was allowed to enter. Why do you go so far in defying and disrespecting the Wilderness1?"

Rai shook his head in amusement, "First of all, that ’nobody’ is a part of this estate. And secondly, the Wilderness is not." The smile faded from his face as he continued in a tone colder than that of the woman,

"Decades ago, I too had knocked on the doors of the Wilderness when Lord Ember had lost her cultivation. I wasn’t allowed an audience, why should you?"

The aura around his body burned glaring hot as he uttered those words. Even though both of them were at the peak of the Transcendent Realm, the sharpness of their aura differed greatly.

The woman gritted her teeth in frustration; she hadn’t expected that they wouldn’t even be allowed inside the estate. She wasn’t prepared to deal with such a situation.

Before she could think of anything, Rai spoke again, "If the Wilderness really wishes to speak with Lord Ember, they should at least send an Elder. You talk about disrespect, but is this how the Wilderness shows their sincerity?"

Although he sounded serious, the woman could hear the mirth in his voice.

’Damn you! You know as well as I that Sages aren’t allowed to step into the territory of the Phoenix!’ cursed the woman in her head. However, there was nothing she could do if he was really so persistent.

Before turning around, she gave him one last glare and warned, "You insist on going against the Wilderness, then so be it. I hope you are prepared to deal with the consequences."

Rai bared his fangs in a smile again and replied, "Consequences? All I hear is that I get to taste Beastkin blood once again."

The group of cloaked figures led by the woman all shot him disgusted looks before walking away.

Rai retreated into the estate with the rest of the Transcendents as well.

As their group left the premises, one of them couldn’t help but speak up, "The Elders will be furious when they learn that we didn’t even meet Lord Ember."

"I will stay with our Dragon Hatchling. All of you return and narrate all the events word by word. Let them make the decisions, I am too tired for that," the woman commanded.

Her primary task was to accompany the seedling that the Wilderness had found not too long ago. Not only was the seedling a Dragon Hatchling that ensured her potential, but she was also a Wild Beastkin who had gone through the transformation.

With their resources, they were able to secure her participation in the Trial of Phoenix as well.

The group of cloaked figures didn’t question her words and immediately disappeared from sight.

The woman on the other hand, calmly walked amidst the crowd and entered one of the good-looking hotels in the middle of the city.

She entered the room and found the Dragon Hatchling immersed in cultivation.

If Ozul or the trio were here, they would immediately recognize her as Vesta; the once Sovereign of their old Realm.

"I have told you, the trial doesn’t test your cultivation," the woman spoke before taking a seat on the bed. She was tired.

Vesta, on the other hand, only opened her eyes slightly to acknowledge her presence. She didn’t bother replying.

The woman felt her cold behavior, and couldn’t help but complain in her heart, ’’He’ pampers this girl too much.’

This is mentioned first time here. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything in the previous Chapters.