Chapter 549 - 376: Lingering Fragrance

「The western Anoroya Continent. The Imperial Capital of the Ratu Empire.」

Deep within the Imperial Palace, Latour Marcus stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of his study, gazing out at the vast, dark night sky.

More than half a year had passed since the last bloodline ascension, but the tense atmosphere in the capital had not dissipated in the slightest.

He sensed the gazes—from the outskirts of the Imperial Palace, from beyond the Imperial Capital, and from even more distant places.

"Father." Vincent pushed the door open and entered, his expression grave.

The young man, already the Empire’s first heir, had his brow tightly furrowed. Deep in his eyes was a killing intent he could not conceal.

"Two more spies were caught. They came from the southeast."

Latour did not turn around, merely grunting in acknowledgement.

"They want to confirm when Ian will return."

Vincent walked to his father’s side, his voice cold. "A bunch of insects. They’re courting death, daring to covet our bloodline."

"As long as Ian doesn’t show himself, this spying will never cease."

Latour turned, a calm smile on his face. After his bloodline baptism, he looked at least twenty years younger.

"How could these frogs at the bottom of a well possibly comprehend the greatness of a Morning Star?"

Vincent nodded in agreement. Just then, the air in the study suddenly froze solid.

Not only the study, but the sound of the wind outside the window, the distant clopping of horse hooves, the footsteps of the servants... everything vanished.

It was as if someone had hit the pause button on the entire world.

Latour and Vincent were frozen in place, unable to even move their eyes.

But they could feel it: a vast and blazing Will, like a descending Fixed Star, was casting its gaze down from an infinite height, surveying the entire kingdom.

「Three hundred li outside the Imperial Capital.」

In a hidden valley, three elders in ancient gray robes sat together in a circle. Their skin was wrinkled like withered tree bark, their eyes murky.

They were all Level Three old monsters who had lived for nearly a thousand years, recluses hidden in the various corners of Anoroya.

"The source of that bloodline fluctuation is right here."

The elder on the far left spoke slowly, his voice as coarse as sandpaper.

"Such a pure bloodline... Heh, how many years has it been since we’ve seen the like?"

The elder in the middle licked his lips, a flash of greed in his eyes.

"The strongest in that clan is merely the young emperor who just recently broke through—a Level Two Bloodline Mage."

The elder on the far right was silent for a moment before his menacing voice cut in, "We’ve been observing for this long. Why haven’t we made a move?"

"Let’s wait a little longer," the elder on the left said, narrowing his eyes. "Let Poisonous Spider and Bone Hand test the waters. Those two are the most impatient."

Before he could finish, the expressions of all three changed drastically. An indescribably terrifying Will pressed down on them like the very sky was collapsing!

A gaze they could not comprehend descended upon them, like ants on a piece of paper suddenly being stared at by a human eye.

The terror, born from the absolute disparity in their level of existence, instantly shattered the mental fortitude they had cultivated for a millennium!

"Morning... Star..." The middle elder’s teeth chattered, his words coming out jumbled.

At the other end of the valley, two sinister, malevolent auras had just emerged from the ground.

They were none other than Poisonous Spider and Bone Hand, two Level Three Old Wizards who had also lived for nearly a thousand years and were renowned for their cruelty and greed.

They had been planning to sneak into the Imperial Capital to capture a few members of the Marcus Clan’s Direct Lineage for research.

At that moment, they had only emerged halfway from the ground.

Then, without any warning, they burst into flame as a pure, incandescent white light erupted from their bodies.

Without a sound, without a struggle, their bodies instantly dissolved.

"Run!"

Terrified, the three gray-robed elders transformed into three gray streaks, fleeing in three different directions.

In mid-air, three bright spheres of light flashed and then vanished, leaving behind three wisps of fine ash to drift down.

At the same time, the sky above the Imperial Capital changed dramatically!

The once-clear afternoon sky suddenly darkened, as all light began to converge and collapse toward a single point above the Imperial Palace.

Finally, it condensed into a Miniature Sun one hundred meters in diameter. It hung high in the sky, radiating a warm, gentle light.

Wherever the light fell, grass and trees grew with wild abandon, and flowers bloomed across the land. The coughs of the chronically ill subsided, and the wounds of the injured began to heal.

This was the light of life, the light of Order.

But every Level Two and Level Three Wizard could feel the terrifying might contained deep within that light.

With but a single thought, this warm light could instantly transform into a destructive corona, incinerating all creation.

"A Morning Star... It’s truly a Morning Star..."

Somewhere on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, three Level Three Wizards from the Silver Tower dropped to their knees, pressing their foreheads to the ground, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

They had received a secret decree to wait here, and after so long, they finally witnessed the advent of the Morning Star Wizard.

"We respectfully welcome Your Eminence!"

Within the Imperial Capital, every member of the Marcus Clan and all their allied forces, regardless of their location, instinctively knelt in the direction of the Imperial Palace.

A resonance from deep within their blood brought hot tears to their eyes. He was the founder of their clan, the very source of their bloodline—the sun itself.

On the outskirts of the Imperial Palace, the lurking spies and informants from various factions were also prostrated on the ground.

Some faces were deathly pale, some backs were soaked with cold sweat, and some were just grateful they had not acted rashly a moment ago.

"All hail the Eternal Fierce Sun Crown!" It’s unclear who shouted it first.

Immediately, the voice spread like a tidal wave—from the Imperial Capital to the surrounding towns, and then to the lands beyond.

Every living being who felt that oppressive might cried out instinctively.

"All hail the Eternal Fierce Sun Crown!"

The voices converged into a tide, echoing between heaven and earth.

「In the Imperial Palace study.」 The frozen air began to flow once more.

Latour gasped, stumbling back two steps and grabbing his desk to keep his balance.