As she stepped out into the cool evening air, Thea felt the tension in her body begin to ease, but the weight of Soya’s words lingered. Her thoughts drifted to Kent. Despite everything, she knew that he would come to the Seventh Realm soon, and the thought of seeing him again filled her with a sense of hope and joy.
She walked slowly through the gardens, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of the Blue Planet and the preparations for the Immortal Beast Spirit Gathering.
Lost in her thoughts, Thea found herself standing before the patriarch’s mansion. The imposing structure loomed above her, a symbol of the Quinn family’s power and legacy. As she approached, her gaze was drawn to the large, magical painting of the Quinn family member tree that hung in the grand hall.
The painting was an ancient artifact, imbued with its own spirit. It depicted the lineage of the Quinn family, each branch representing a different generation. Thea had seen the painting countless times in her childhood, but now, she stopped to see the name of Kent.
There was a subtle darkness, a shadow that seemed to hang over certain parts of the tree.
Curiosity piqued, Thea moved closer, her eyes scanning the intricate details of the painting. It was then that she noticed the darkened area near the base of the tree, where two names and pictures were blacked out in a blurry manner.
The area was so well-concealed that a casual observer would likely have missed it.
As it was impossible to read, she placed her fingers on the blacked out area and began feeling the letters written at the base of the blacked out pictures.
As her fingers brushed against the faded words below one of the pictures, a sense of recognition washed over her.
“Long Wang Quinn,” she whispered, the words barely audible as they escaped her lips. [The Dragon Lord Respected.] This was Kent’s true name, a name that had been chosen after reading his fate lines, lines that revealed his destiny as the Dragon Lord.
The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on her shoulders.
A smile slowly spread across Thea’s lips as she let the name roll off her tongue. It was a powerful name, one that spoke of greatness and strength. And yet, it was the name “Kent” that held a special place in her heart. It was the name his grandmother had given him, a name that represented the boy she had grown to care for so deeply.
Her thoughts drifted back to those early days, to the time Kent had spent living with his grandmother in that old villa on the Blue Planet. It was a simpler time, before the weight of destiny had begun to bear down on them. Thea could still see the carefree smile on Kent’s face, hear the laughter in his voice. Read exclusive adventures at empire
But those days were gone, replaced by the harsh realities of their world. Thea knew that Kent’s journey was far from over, and that the challenges he would face in the Seventh Realm would test him in ways he had never imagined.
With one last glance at the painting, Thea turned away, her thoughts now focused on the future.
–
Days passed, and the time of the immortal beast spirit gathering was clicking like a time bomb. All the disciples were making final preparations. But the young man who is going to change the fate of this gathering is laid in the devil mountain forest among the fallen bodies of thousands of evolved beasts.
Kent’s chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, his body aching from the countless wounds he had sustained in the battle. Blood soaked his torn clothes, mixing with the dirt and grime of the forest floor. His energy was utterly depleted, leaving him barely able to move. And yet, despite the exhaustion that weighed on him, a confident smile played on his lips.
Today was unlike any other. The number of beasts that had descended upon him had reached a staggering one hundred and thirty-three thousand. Each one more vicious and evolved than the last. He had finished every single one of them, turning the once-ferocious horde into a pile of waste, their bodies broken and scattered across the battlefield.
As he lay there, staring up at the night sky, Kent couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer scale of what he had accomplished. The air was thick with the scent of blood and rain, a heavy, metallic tang that filled his nostrils as he breathed in deeply.
The sky began to rumble, the clouds swirling in a chaotic dance as the first drops of rain began to fall. The cool water hit his skin, washing away the blood that clung to his body.
As the rain grew heavier, it began to cleanse the blood to reveal the handsome features beneath. Features that had the power to captivate and ensnare, flattening the hearts of countless girls across the Nine Realms.
For a long time, Kent lay there, allowing the rain to wash over him. The coolness of it seeped into his bones, easing the pain of his wounds and bringing a much-needed sense of peace.
His mind drifted to the past, to the moments that had shaped him into the man he was today. Memories of his grandmother, and of the path that still lay ahead.
The night passed slowly, the storm above raging on as Kent remained motionless, lost in thought. He could feel the weight of the future pressing down on him, the knowledge that the time of the Immortal Beast Spirit Gathering was drawing near.
As the first light of dawn began to break over the horizon, Kent slowly pushed himself up from the ground.
He stood there for a moment, his gaze fixed on the distant silhouette of the Devil Mountain. The ancient mountain loomed over the forest like a silent sentinel.
“Someday, I will definitely reveal the secret behind your stony face.” Kent muttered under his breath, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.