Unsealing Emptiness

Chapter 475: Choice?

"It won’t be long now before the fire spreads here as well."

"How are you so sure?" Ozul asked, taking his eyes off of the one-sided beating of the trio.

In these 10 years, Ember too had grown stronger. Her presence was even more diminished than before as she had gained finer control over her powers.

She looked down at him before stating, "While you were wasting your time sleeping every day, I traveled to other Realms."

Since there were fewer and fewer targets for him now, Ozul spent most of his time either sleeping or watching the trio train.

As for Ember, she kept herself busy building connections in other Realms.

Since she became an Empyrean, she realized that with just a bit of effort and the right techniques, she could easily hop onto other Realms without needing the Spatial Artifacts.

She had since visited the other 7 Realms surrounding the Land Above Realms.

Only once she arrived there did she realize that their Realm was one of the only 3 Realms out of the 8 still relatively peaceful.

The other 5 Realms had already descended into chaos. The factions of the Empyreans in those lands had already started killing each other in hopes of attracting the fancy of those from the Land Above Realms.

Though she had visited them all now, her ventures were still discreet so as not to catch the attention of any Heavenly Virtues.

Even with her burning hatred, she knew perfectly well that she stood no chance against a Heavenly Virtue alone.

’At least 3 Empyreans would be needed to stand a chance against only one of those monsters...’ Ember considered, painfully aware that no other sane Empyrean would even entertain such a thought.

"Sooner or later, they will be here as well. And then, there will be a decision to make..." Ember muttered, lost in her thoughts. She could make plans, but planning could only get her so far.

"What decision?" Ozul asked, curious as to what the other Realms were like.

"Which side will we join...?"

Ozul remembered that the Celestial Phoenix had warned him about making a decision as well.

Until now, they hadn’t figured out if they would fight for the Son of God or the Demonic Emperor.

’Since I want answers from God, would it be better to help his son?’ he mused.

But he felt that things weren’t as simple as they seemed. From what they had heard, it was always stated that the Son of God had waged the war and not God himself.

He turned to glance at Ember who was lost in her thoughts. Since he was clueless on the matter, he would just go through with whatever choice she made.

"Do you think the Demonic Emperor has any chances?" He asked, not knowing what power the Demonic Emperor was hiding up his sleeves.

Since the Heavenly Virtues were rumored to be the disciples of the God Emperor, everyone assumed that they would support his Son.

Ember shook her head. They barely knew anything about the situation or why the war even started in the first place. She had asked the same question to the Celestial Phoenix and only received a vague answer.

"He is the only man powerful enough to stand against God..." Those were the words of the Phoenix.

Ozul looked into her slitted eyes. Although calm on the surface, there was a hidden rage beneath that tranquility.

He knew for certain that her decision would be based on her revenge. If that Heavenly Virtue who had robbed her of her cultivation was supporting the Son of God, then she would join the Demonic Emperor without a blink.

"Did you learn anything about that man?" He asked her in a casual tone.

Ember knew instantly who he was referring to. She hadn’t been discreet in her information digging.

"Jidu... Heavenly Virtue of Kindness."

. . .

As Ember had seen firsthand, like the Realm of Abezan, the other 7 Realms nearest to the Land Above All also had at least 2 Empyreans leading them.

Each Empyrean had its factions and power divided between each of them.

Only after she went to all of them did she realize that the unwritten rule of the Empyreans not partaking in the skirmishes was followed in other Realms as well.

This simple rule was the only thread maintaining the balance across the Realms.

However, recently, the Empyreans had started actively involving themselves in the affairs of the world.

Since the war was still not declared officially, people hadn’t yet realized what was happening. Only someone like Ember who personally went to all the Realms could notice that something was amiss.

In the darkest of these 8 Realms resided the Demonic Emperor.

Within his castle, he stood face to face with the only two Heavenly Virtues on his side: Qingyu and Baoshi, virtues of Chastity and Temperance respectively.

"I still don’t understand just why you won’t let me ’persuade’ all the Empyreans."

Qingyu spoke with his hands stretched to the back. Just like all the Heavenly Virtues, he embodied the opposite aspect of his virtue title, appearing like a Sin of Lust instead.

Baoshi was the old-looking woman who had come to persuade Old Gu as well.

She shook her head, "There is no point in forcing them. And before you even do that, they won’t let you."

4 Heavenly Virtues were supporting the Son of God and they had already spread out in the 8 Realms, protecting their ’assets’.

She then turned toward the man shrouded in darkness, the Lord of Darkness.

"What about the Celestial Beasts?"

Most of the Empyreans were in favor of the Son of God, and their only advantage in this situation was if they had the support from the Celestial Beasts. Even the Virtues didn’t know where those Beasts had originated from.

"They know what they have to do."

The Demonic Emperor spoke concisely, not wasting any words.

Baoshi was relieved to hear those words. If Old Gu stayed neutral till the end, then she and Qingyu would have to face 2 Heavenly Virtues each.

Even the number of Empyreans on their side was lower, so they couldn’t expect any help from them.

As such, they had to secure the support of the Celestial Beasts at all costs.

From his confident tone, Baoshi heaved a sigh of relief. Now she could at least see a chance of them winning.

Eyeing his visage, Baoshi couldn’t help but compare the God Emperor to him.

’They really are alike...’

From their way of speaking to the air of absolute authority around them.

’In the end, everything will depend on him.’

The Heavenly Virtues had seen his prowess and knew firsthand that he was the only one who could face off against the God Emperor.

’And he has only grown stronger since then...’ She wondered how that brat of the God Emperor planned to defend against him.

. . .

In the Land Above Realms, far from the castle of the God Emperor, a meeting was held between his Son and the 4 Heavenly Virtues.

"The Celestial Beasts refuse to cooperate," spoke the only woman among the 4 Heavenly Virtues.

A hand hit the table, as his voice thundered in the surrounding mountains, "Do those damned beasts wish to rebel against me? Even after all the mercy we have shown them?!"

"Mercy how? You should know since you are the Son of God-"

"Kami!" He interrupted the old man.

"My name is Kami!" His voice reverberated throughout the mountains again.

"Either way," the Virtue of Humility did not pay his outburst any mind, and continued, "Only the God Emperor knows about the origin of those Celestial Beasts. What kind of mercy have you shown them?"

He was the only Heavenly Virtue who couldn’t show any humility even if he was talking to the Son of God.

"They were allowed to live until now," Kami spoke with coldness seeping through his body. "That was my mercy for them."

The Heavenly Virtues exchanged glances, a silent agreement not to get on this man’s nerves.

"What about the Celestial Phoenix? You haven’t tried her yet." Kami asked, still holding hope to persuade at least one of them.

The elderly woman shook her head, "The Celestial Beasts are always unanimous in their decisions. It won’t make a difference even if we ask the Phoenix."

Kami ignored her, looking at another old man named Jidu, "You have ties to that Realm of Abezan, right?"

Jidu nodded his head, "I can order the ruling force of that Realm."

"Go there. Either convince that Beast or join hands with the Empyreans there and kill her."

Ignoring their reactions, Kami spoke firmly, "If these Beasts don’t join my cause, then they are rebelling. And there will only be death for rebels!"

Jidu smiled crookedly, "I always wanted to put that beast in her place." Her presence in the Realm of Abezan always annoyed him as he was limited in his actions because of her.

He stood up and disappeared from that place, going straight for the Realm of Abezan.

"Kill the other three beasts as well. Bring their corpses back." Kami ordered the Heavenly Virtues.

They nodded, each leaving for a separate Realm to target the Celestial Beasts.

"No more playing around. It is war..." He muttered as a cold glint flashed past his eyes.