"We can talk about that after we leave this place. In any case, it's a rather bizarre story — like something out of a myth or legend…"
Dark Eye scratched his head and gave a wry smile.
"Also… I'm currently working under an extremely distinguished lady! If you ever meet her, you absolutely must remember to… never mind, I don't actually need to tell you that…"
"Dark Eye!"
Xavier rushed over to Dark Eye: "I… I…"
For some reason, the words he had been longing to say surged to the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn't get a single one out. The young man's face flushed crimson.
"I managed to save your parents as well, but…" A flicker of regret crossed Dark Eye's face. "I still wasn't able to find Jia. I'm sorry…"
"Alright… these are all minor details — let's get out of here quickly!"
After contacting Genius, Portie delivered a sharp smack to the top of Xavier's dejected head and shouted at the top of her lungs: "The Imperial Guard has already been deployed! They'll completely surround this place in five minutes — follow me and break through!"
The Imperial Capital. Inside the Palace.
"The Silver Mountain Research Lab has been attacked! Here is footage of the perpetrator!"
Ling reported before her father, projecting an image into the air. In it, none other than Dark Eye could be seen, his entire body wreathed in tendrils of shadow!
And at that very moment, the man who ruled the entire Shadow Empire — a dignified, gray-haired middle-aged known as Emperor Aragorn — wore an expression of absolute calm.
It was as though, to him, the Imperial Guard's fruitless pursuit and the Special Operations Division's devastating losses were all matters of no consequence.
"Leave these trivial matters to the Security Bureau and the Military. Your only objective right now is to see the Grand Plan through — understood?"
A faint note of reprimand crept into Emperor Aragorn's tone.
"Your daughter understands!" Ling answered obediently, then switched to another report. "Regarding the selection of resonance bodies for the plan — I've found another qualified candidate!"
"Oh? Show me at once!"
Emperor Aragorn's eagerness was so intense it was almost frightening, enough to make even Ling feel a faint trace of fear.
"This is the young bloodline I previously ordered the Special Operations Division to deliver... After a series of tests, the opponent's soul purity is extremely high. They are completely capable of serving as the array's eye and the converter!"
In the image Ling presented, a little girl was curled up, sealed within a cultivation vat, her eyes tightly shut. There were glistening traces above her eyebrows—clearly she had been crying before. She was none other than Shawell's sister—Ka'er!
"Very good... Haha... Well done..."
Emperor Aragorn paid no attention whatsoever to the subject's origins or suffering, his gaze fixed instead on the pile of data and examination results, the delighted expression on his face so intense it was about to solidify.
"With Number Twelve added, the plan to transform the Tree of Life has its foundation complete... Well done, Ling! Truly my most beloved daughter!"
Emperor Aragorn's goal was to use his own will to dominate the collective consciousness formed by the Tree of Life, obtaining extraordinary power to counter the Night Lady's control.
However, there was a great difficulty in this, especially since the emotions of countless humans were infinitely complex, and his own strength was entirely insufficient to fully conquer and digest them.
Therefore, he also had to establish several relay stations to first cleanse the mass of crazed and evil wills; the subsequent steps would then be much easier.
And with the empire's might, the soul-refining formation medium that had been developed required 12 maidens of extremely high soul purity!
Only with the most innocent and childlike souls was it possible to potentially redeem and convert those evil spirits!
As for whether the souls of those maidens, serving as the exchange and converters, would directly collapse and dissipate under excessive pressure afterwards, that was not something Emperor Aragorn needed to consider.
After all, being able to sacrifice themselves for the empire's great cause, those maidens should feel excited about it!
"Find an opportunity to report to *that* one—the empire's preparations are complete!"
After a long period of agitated excitement, Emperor Aragorn's emotions finally stabilized. But the first sentence he spoke was earth-shattering.
"Finally... is it time to act?"
Ling looked at her imperial father. Although his expression was calm, the blazing heat in his eyes could not be concealed in the slightest.
Of course, here, under the protection of the Eye of the Seer and the Mermaid's Reverse Scale, there was no need to conceal anything.
In the outside world, Emperor Aragorn still hid himself very well; even the Empress and several of his children had not detected any abnormality in him.
This was the basic requirement of being an emperor.
"Dark Eye, why did you bring me here?"
Shawell looked at Dark Eye in front of him, his face full of confusion.
Ever since this fellow had returned, something had been seriously off — not only was his aura intimidating, but it seemed he now had a master, one that even Boti was jealous of. And today, he had actually dragged Shawell straight out of the base.
"Sigh…"
Dark Eye scratched his head with a bitter smile. "Because there are some things you'll only truly believe once you see them for yourself… Don't worry, I won't harm you. Besides, if we get that lady's help, the rescue of Jia'er will be practically guaranteed…"
"You're serious?" Shawell's face was filled with disbelief.
"As your ancestor — a blood descendant who has lived for over five hundred years — I would never harm you!"
Hearing Dark Eye even pull out that excuse, Shawell had no choice but to secretly roll his eyes.
Before long, Dark Eye led Shawell to a deep crimson villa on the outskirts of the imperial capital.
"This is a property I purchased during my travels. It's been registered under a butler and his descendants' accounts the whole time — completely safe…"
Dark Eye's tone carried a note of pride. "That great lady — the master I serve with all my heart and soul — is inside right now…"
"Something about this feels really wrong…"
Shawell's legs went weak and he wanted to turn and leave, but at that moment, the blood within his body began circulating involuntarily, causing a faint crimson glint to surface in his pupils.
"The call of the bloodline…"
Fine, delicate scales began to appear on Shawell's face and the backs of his hands.
His expression went blank as he uttered those words, his speech carrying a faint hissing, serpentine sound.
Before his eyes, the vivid red villa had completely transformed into a blood-red vortex, drawing him in with an irresistible pull to cast himself inside.
Yet deep down, a faint thread of free will continued to resist.
Only, that resistance grew weaker and weaker, until it was almost gone entirely.
"Enough now… Myriad Serpents, don't bully the young one the moment you meet them! Just like when you and I first met…"
Just as Shawell was about to collapse, a voice rang out, clearing the pressure from him in an instant. The villa before him returned to its original appearance, as though everything he had just felt had been nothing more than an illusion.
"Wait… this voice… it's so familiar!"
Shawell turned his head and immediately spotted Raylin, dressed in a long coat, gripping a black cane.
"You're… Ray? How are you here?" Shawell had an extremely deep impression of this Ray, who had been astonishingly formidable at every turn during the professional examination.
"Well, well! Long time no see, gentlemen!"
Raylin smiled briefly without answering Shawell's question.
"Wait… he's suspicious!"
Compared to Shawell, Wuyan's wariness toward Raylin ran visibly deeper — but then he seemed to hear something, his expression freezing for an instant before shifting to one of humility: "Welcome, great existence! The Mother of Myriad Serpents awaits inside…"
"Mm!"
Having just arrived, Raylin showed not a shred of courtesy, treating Wuyan as a servant out of hand and handing over his hat and cane without a second thought.
Once Wuyan led them into the villa, Raylin laid eyes on Myriad Serpents at a single glance — everything about her was striking, the kind of presence that commanded focus no matter where she stood.
"Lord Raylin!" The Mother of Myriad Serpents nodded, while Wuyan automatically stepped to the side, playing the part of a subordinate with practiced ease.
"This… this… this…"
Shawell's eyes went wide, bloodshot to the point that the sheer velocity of the rushing blood seemed on the verge of seeping straight through his pores.
"This feeling… why?"
"This is the Mother of Myriad Serpents — the very origin of the bloodline power within you. That is why seeing her produces this reaction. Unless you ascend to the Realm of Rules, you will never fully break free of her control…"
Raylin answered with a smile, helping Shawell out of his stunned state.
"Are you teasing me?" Myriad Serpents shot Raylin an exasperated glance, and even in her irritation there was a staggering allure that made Wuyan immediately turn away, clearly aware that looking any longer would spell humiliation.
"Very well. Wuyan, take this blood descendant away. I already know why you came, but I have far more important matters to discuss with Lord Raylin…"
Myriad Serpents gave the command.
For Wuyan and Shawell alike, a directive from the origin of their bloodline was the highest possible order — one that had to be fulfilled even at the cost of their lives.
Uyeon bowed to Myriad Serpents and Raylin, supported Shawell, and swiftly departed, leaving the space to Raylin and the Mother of Myriad Serpents.
"Come to think of it… this is the first time our true bodies have met within the Shadow World, isn't it? If the Lady of Night were to find out, she'd truly have a chance to wipe us all out in one go…"
A teasing smile played at the corners of Raylin's lips, but after he finished speaking, his expression suddenly shifted, a look of deep contemplation crossing his face.
For existences of their caliber bound to Rules, even a single word or action could send far-reaching ripples through the world — and everything they said carried the weight of prophecy.
Of course, even prophecy had very little chance of truly coming to pass. Too many variables could influence the outcome, especially when another Rules-bound existence was involved.
"Her surveillance of the Shadow World has weakened considerably of late, allowing me to accomplish quite a lot…"
The Mother of Myriad Serpents' eyes shimmered like the surface of water, rippling with boundless allure.
"I also followed your plan and suppressed the unrest within the Witch Council, the Martial Arts Palace, and the Round Table Knights, while leaking a bit of information and inside knowledge. They should be on their way to the imperial capital by now… though I'm not sure how useful any of this will be…"
Raylin said.