Chapter 577: Side Chapter II: Truth Behind White Dragon Heart
This was the day. As he stared into White Dragon Heart's loving eyes, memories of this fateful day flooded Konrad's mind. On this day, Celestial Slaughter would coerce both Peerless and Dragon Warden into a wedding—using them as the trigger to destroy Regretless' seal.
As a final token of her love, Peerless would give herself to Regretless, using her Divine Phoenix race's Nirvana Essence to break two-third of Regretless' bloodline seal—a gift she initially reserved for their wedding.
On this day, Highest Dragon would cross his last tribulation, become a Primordial God, and challenge his younger brother for his nephew's sake. Asmodeus would achieve Truth Transcendence, recover her memories, and get murdered by Celestial Slaughter—then sent into the Nirvana Dust Crown.
All the events that culminated in the creation of the Three Realms started here. But naturally, the Profane Prince didn't come to administer justice. Bringing this day to the carnal end befitting his depraved nature was his sole aim. With a smile, Konrad stood up and stretched out his right hand toward White Dragon Heart. Again, the move left her perplexed.
Did an invisible meteorite smack her beloved's skull, and make his personality spin 180? Not that it mattered. Following a brief delay, White Dragon Heart took Konrad's hand, stood up, and wrapped her arms around his.
If not for Celestial Slaughter's machinations, according to the Empyrean's customs, White Dragon Heart was the only one eligible to become Dragon Warden's Crown Princess.
As the heads of the Seven Sons of Heaven, and the Nine Celestial Fairies, the two of them stood at the pinnacle of the junior generation, leagues above any of their peers. Of course, that didn't take into account Regretless, who, having no need for fame, always kept his abilities concealed.
In silence, the two returned to the inner palace, with the immortal maids along the road taking envious glances at White Dragon Heart. But regardless of how deep their envy ran, they could only swallow it.
"As popular as ever," White Dragon Heart commented in a jesting tone. To this, Konrad shook his head in disapproval.
"Wrong, I just took a downgrade. But it's fine. I'm about to fix it all," Konrad replied, speaking words that left his partner confused.
Typically, the four Dragon Kings remained in their domains and only stepped in the Empyrean Palace in times of war or celebration. Because Celestial Slaughter gave hints of an impending wedding, a wedding all assumed to be between Dragon Warden and White Dragon Heart, the Dragon Kings gathered.
An erroneous thought, of course.
"You're about to have your cognition subverted. Just trust that the day will end on a favorable tune. I would never harm you," Konrad whispered in White Dragon Heart's ear as they reached the palace currently occupied by her royal parents. Again, confusion swept her mind. But trusting in Konrad, she didn't pursue the words.
Known as the second strongest couple of the Empyrean, the Northern and Eastern Dragon Kings, or Queen in the latter's case, currently enjoyed a sip of celestial tea, wondering when the emperor would make the official marriage announcement. For more than 1,000 years, they'd been awaiting this day, and as Konrad walked in with White Dragon Heart wrapped around his arm, their eyes shone with contentment.
"Uncle, aunt, your nephew greets you," Konrad began with a gentle smile, but didn't bow to greet the elders. Though of polite disposition, Dragon Warden never lost the face of his Empyrean Crown Prince status, and would never bow to those beneath his rank. Only three people deserved his bows—his father, his mother, his imperial uncle. The rest could only bow to him.
And bow they did. In tandem, the Northern and Eastern Kings stood up and bowed toward Konrad.
"Crown Prince, you honor us. Please have a seat." The Northern Dragon King began and motioned for Konrad to sit at their table. However, his following words left all three empyreans baffled.
"My upcoming words will make you all jump from your seats, so we might as well remain standing," Konrad leisurely replied, then shifted his gaze onto White Dragon Heart's mother—the Eastern Dragon Queen.
"Bad, bad girl…" Konrad whispered, in a tone that sank the other three in more confusion.
…
Meanwhile, in the Empyrean Empress' palace, Blue Dragon Star, or Asmodeus as we will call her, awoke from her Truth Transcendence. Unsurprisingly, her eyes landed on Celestial Slaughter, who'd been awaiting her awakening.
"What a cumbersome development. Of the four Laws to Transcend in, did you really have to pick Truth? A pity, really," Celestial Slaughter began and stepped toward Asmodeus. But though she knew her time neared the end, not the tiniest hint of fear rippled in her eyes.
"Radiant Dragon, you really are something. Let's forget about Highest Dragon and Divine Enchantress. When all the elders, kings, and prominent princes of the dragon clan advocated having your brother made Crown Prince, the Northern Dragon King, back then, a mere prince, was one of the rare few that openly backed you.
In the war against the Demon Race, he led the entirety of his troops at the vanguard to buy you breakthrough time. Your first, most loyal, and devoted retainer, and you pupped his wife? My sister, at that. Impressive gal," Asmodeus remarked in a tone that seemed to praise and curse Celestial Slaughter at the same time.
Undisturbed, he fell on one knee and lifted her chin.
"It's precisely because he's my closest retainer that I chose him. I wondered if it'd cause a ripple in my inert heart. Though, I admit that it was a bit tasteless," Celestial Slaughter candidly replied, and pressed his right hand on Asmodeus' forehead.
"Being a heartless monarch is not simple. My sons, you see, are all destined to be ruined by my hands. I need to leave a way out for myself in times I wish to pursue the meaning of fatherhood. My Little Heart is that way out. My hope to a true, scheme-free heart. Hence her name." He pursued. But hearing this, Asmodeus couldn't help but sneer.
"Oh? Aren't you going to use her to manipulate Dragon Warden?" She asked in a tone laced with cynicism. Asmodeus didn't doubt that in the past, present, or future, the world would never know crueler man than Celestial Slaughter. And deep down, she desperately hoped that beyond this life, their paths would never cross again.
Dazzling white light flashed in Celestial Slaughter's hand, and Asmodeus collapsed on the ground.
"I can't kill you yet. When Regretless' seal breaks and he unleashes his Tribulation Wrath on the Empyrean, I can kill you and pin the death on him. Dragon Warden vs. Regretless, lifetimes of enmity. I wonder, how does it feel to wring out one's brother's heart?
A pity that I can't truly experience it," Celestial Slaughter whispered, and turned to face Dragon Dark, who, trembling like a feather in a storm, knelt near the door. Warm tears drenched his face.
With leisurely steps, Celestial Slaughter sauntered toward his youngest and lifted his chin.
"From the moment you chose to remain on your knees, you picked your side, boy. Now, now, are you willing to die for me?" He coolly asked.
…
Meanwhile, Konrad revealed the truth of White Dragon Heart's heritage, thereby subverting the royals' cognition. In the previous script, Celestial Slaughter would seal White Dragon Heart's essence in a Primordial Seed, guarantee her outstanding Fate Standards, and send her into reincarnation. At the same time, he created a clone, which he left in the Nirvana Dust Crown to fool Dragon Warden's future incarnation—to fool Konrad.
The clone became Cacillia, the true self, became Yvonne.
Never did Celestial Slaughter expect that the quality of White Dragon Heart's Fate Standards would become the reason why she'd come across Konrad. The rest, we know all too well.
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