503 - 510

Morning Star! Morning Star!

[Beep! Injected spiritual force reaching critical levels!]

With his sea of consciousness swelling up, and the reminder from the A.I Chip, Leylin realised that not only had his spiritual force reached the value of 399, even his sea of consciousness were filled with black—with a tinge of red in the centre—spiritual force crystals.

Inside his sea of consciousness, the three layers of the spiritual force core nucleus started to emit dazzling lights.

'The results of the first time the bloodline ignition experiment is performed is the best, and they decrease over multiple uses.' As he could still feel the strong surge of bloodline energy, Leylin ordered, "A.I. Chip, initiate the promotion to Morning Star!"

[Assignment received! Vital signs under observation, initiating Morning Star deduction, starting from the prototype of the point mass…]

Numerous amounts of data, both numeric and otherwise, relating to the construction of the point mass began streaming in front of Leylin's eyes. If not for the Azure Mountain King's clone, Leylin could never have gotten a hold of all this secret information about the Morning Star realm as easily.

"Lamia fingerbone!" Looking at the other bloodline treasure, he realised that it was actually his biggest gain from Quicksand Castle. If he were to use it then, he could have advanced immediately to the peak of Rank 3, skipping the Hydro and Crystal Phases.

Yet, Leylin was one who did not give in easily to temptations, forcing himself to control his impulses and merely using the radiation emitted by the fingerbone to slowly nurture his bloodline.

Even though the Lamia fingerbone could help him advance tremendously, but under comparison with the advancement to the Morning Star realm, he knew which one was more important. So what's there left to think about?

*Peng!* The milky white fingerbone disintegrated into ashes, and one of the rays of lights that appeared during the explosion pointed directly towards Leylin's forehead.

*Hong!* The Lamia fingerbone was absorbed into his body.

A terrifying change started to occur immediately. In Leylin's sea of consciousness, under an enormous compressive power, numerous amounts of spiritual force crystals moved towards the centre.

His face paled under the enormous pressure exerted at the heart of his spiritual force. It was so bad that his whole body started twitching.

The sea of consciousness was essentially the home of the soul. The moment that it experienced any damage, the Magus would be in deep trouble.

Under the immense pressure that the spiritual force was experiencing, sounds could be heard coming from the centre of Leylin's sea of consciousness. It wasn't a good sign.

"Construct the fourth innate spell!" Leylin commanded with red eyes.

[Beginning assignment. Supplementary work initiated, transferring atomic microscope!] the A.I Chip replied loyally.

Leylin's sea of consciousness consisted of three layers presently. The outer layer held runes for two innate spells— one for Kemoyin's Scales and the other for the Eye of Petrification. On the layer beneath was the rune for rank 2— Toxic Bile. The innermost layer held rank 3 spiritual force crystals, consisting of his rank 3 innate spell— Intimidating Gaze.

Under a sudden flash of red light, the three layers of runes perfectly combined, forming the exquisite image of a Warlock's rune. Yet, it was missing one final thing.!

At this very moment, a fourth layer of crystals started to appear in the centre of the third layer.

As the centre of the core nucleus had a unique structure, the crystals became smaller as one went closer to the centre, but at the same time, the details on each rune became more intricate and they grew much more specialised.

At the centre of the fourth layer, even though it was a quarter the size of the first layer, it was still important that there be no errors when one was carving the rank 4 rune. That was an out-of-the-world request of a Magus' spritiual force manipulation abilities.

"It's no wonder that most Magi fail at advancing to rank 4. Even with the assistance provided by the A.I, Chip, this task seems to be too difficult …"

With the help provided by the A.I. Chip, Leylin who had already initiated the atomic microscope had started to carve down the Kemoyin's Pupil innate spell on the fourth layer with the innate runes he'd recorded.

This was something every Warlock must choose and only in high-grade meditation techniques do innate spell models like these exist.

The attention to detail required to carve a rune in the sea of consciousness was much greater than carving a statue, and the act was much more difficult. Once Leylin completed the final stroke of the rune, his body almost collapsed due to exhaustion.

Under the immense pressure, it seemed like completing the fourth level rune properly was a big challenge. It took a while for Leylin's consciousness to stabilize.

Once the innate spell had been completed, his entire sea of consciousness started to tremble.

Boundless rays of lights started to radiate from the centre of his sea of consciousness. The four layers of intricate runes started to bind together in a picturesque order, much like a piece of artwork.

Once the centremost part was filled up, the entire crystal started to shake violently, strengthening tremendously within seconds and the immense pressure that was present previously had disappeared.

"This rune?" Leylin observed the rune that was a combination of all his innate runes. It represented all of his achievements so far, and hence he commanded the A.I. Chip to record it down.

Perfection! The first impression this rune would leave on a person was that of perfection!

A gigantic rune was created by the combination of these small runes, which cirulated continuously and looked pretty much 3D. Regardless of how one looked at it, it was flawless.

"Is this… the path of my bloodline?" Leylin mumbled. At this very moment, he was almost moved to tears.

*Rustle!* Once the four layers perfectly crystallized, they started to crumble inwards, shrinking to a point that rapidly started revolving. Much like a black hole, it started to suck in everything in its surroundings.

The spiritual force crystals inside his sea of consciousness started to shrink as they got sucked into the black hole.

[Initiating the construction of point mass. Guidelines activated.] the A.I. Chip reported.

Leylin, too, started to construct his personal point mass according to his understanding and the information from his A.I. Chip.

*Boom!* An immense suction force could be felt coming from the mass point of the spiritual force. Not only were the spiritual force crystals sucked in, even the sea of consciousness was broken through and more energy, flesh and soul aura were pulled in.

*Slap!* Leylin's consciousness suddenly blurred. Time seemed to pass extremely slowly, and at times it felt like eternity was squeezed into an instant.

It took the sounds of glass shattering for Leylin to wake up again.

This time, his sea of consciousness felt empty. There was a dim light shining at the centre of the core, the result of shrinking the spiritual force a million times over such that the nucelus core's density and purity had reached an remarkable level. This was the point mass of a Morning Star Magus!

The source of the light shook, and the purified energy of the Morning Star realm, the energy of the point mass that was also known as soul force, started to leak out into the entirety of Leylin's body.

At that point, he had entered the Morning Star realm!

[Beep! Host's Kemoyin's Pupil meditation technique has advanced to the fourth level. Host has advanced to rank 4!]

The A.I. Chip sounded out.

[Host's spiritual force has undergone a qualitative change. Data is inaccurate, recalculating…]

It was a long time for the new data to go up.

[Leylin Farlier, rank 4 Warlock Bloodline: Giant Kemoyin Serpent (complete form) Strength: 50, Agility: 45, Vitality: 65, Spiritual Force: 503.7, Magic Power: 503 (magic power in synchronisation with spiritual force) Soul Force: ???] [Due to a lack of information about soul force, it is currently not possible to calculate stats.]

Looking at the A.I. Chip's report, Leylin touched his chin and went into deep thought.

After advancing to the Morning Star realm, the original spiritual force would undergo purification and turn into soul force. This energy was on a whole new level compared to spiritual force! Yet, as the information and data that the A.I. Chip had on soul force was limited, there was too little knowledge in the database to display a value. It could only display numbers in terms of spiritual force.

He had to wait until the A.I Chip had collected sufficient data to thoroughly calculate his soul force statistics.

"The boundary of the Morning Star realm is 500?" Leylin felt the terror of having such strong energy and sighed, "This is nearly a hundred higher than a rank 3's spiritual force value. It is no wonder rank 3 and rank 4 are worlds apart.

"Soul force!" Something came into Leylin mind and a gloomy light appeared above his palm. This was the mutated spiritual force from the point mass, it is also an energy of a greater level.

All Magi at the Morning Star realm and above used soul force. It was only when one reached this stage that they could find their own path in life.

"This is why in ancient times, Magi below rank 4 weren't even deemed to have entered the world of Magi yet."

There was a huge difference between rank 3 and rank 4, and the same was true between ranks 6 and 7. Leylin had no idea about what happened one reached rank 7, but after advancing he now clearly knew the differences between ranks 3 and 4.

"Magi at rank 3 and below mainly use spiritual force. However, once that is crossed, the Morning Star, Radiant Moon and Breaking Dawn Magi will have to come in contact with the soul force and pay extra attention to explore the potential in their soul"

Leylin couldn't help but look at his own point mass. In the heart of his sea of consciousness, that small glow of light continued to spin around, forming a nebular spiral that pulled many of the energy particles around within, only to regurgitate them upon purification.

From this point forth, his spirit had been concentrated into the point mass, creating a truesoul. At the same time, due to the protection from the point mass, his resistance toward the previous spiritual force and soul attacks were largely maximised.

The point mass, with its extreme density, was the last defence of Leylin's truesoul.

"My truesoul…" Leylin subconsciously remembered the last moment before he advanced.

In that instant, it seemed as though he saw the life and death of the universe, and also the rise and fall of the Giant Kemoyin Serpent clan. It was also at that very moment that his soul truly bonded with his bloodline to form one body, making him a true Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlock!

Edges Of The World

A Warlock's path was one of a bloodline.

However, before a Warlock reached rank 3, the influence of the bloodline extended only to his body, and was not sufficient to affect his soul. Even if the two were linked, they were completely different.

But after advancing to the Morning Star realm, a Warlock's true spirit would have harmonised with the power of his bloodline, the two no longer separate.

'The reason this promotion went so smoothly… Is it that, besides my sufficient preparations, there was a great deal of help from the Giant Kemoyin Serpent bloodline?' Leylin contemplated while touching his chin.

'The Giant Kemoyin Serpent of ancient times was originally a creature that could reach rank 4 at adulthood. My bloodline is incomparably pure as well. After the complete fusion with the spirit and its maturation under the radiation of the Lamia fingerbone, my body can totally be viewed as a pureblood Giant Kemoyin Serpent. All these factors were key in my promotion to the Morning Star realm.'

Now, Leylin could obviously feel that his spirit body possessed a desolate and distant ancient aura. It even glowed a blood-red on the outside.

"The emotional instability of the Warlock bloodline can no longer pose a problem to me now that I've promoted to the Morning Star realm. It has integrated into me as my personal state of mind and emotions, instead of being under the influence of my bloodline."

Leylin forced a smile, handing over the bits and pieces of the memories he received about Purgatory World and Shadow World to the A.I. Chip for storage. Although these fragments of memories could be incomparably useful, they were likely to tempt the brutality in his heart.

However, as compared to the common bloodline flaw of a Warlock, this innate emotion was even harder to control.

Because of how pure his bloodline was, Leylin learned a lot of things from his bloodline inheritance when he advanced to rank 4.

"My path as a Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlock, has already come to an end?" Leylin stood up, feeling the strong power surging in his body. He couldn't help but feel a little depressed.

He had already advanced to the peak of all Giant Kemoyin Warlocks. Those like Gilbert who were older than him had just accumulated more time at the rank. Essentially, there was no difference between the two.

Due to the limitation of their bloodline, rank 4 was the highest rank a Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlock could reach. This was the shackle of the bloodline, and was a curse no Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlock could escape from.

Now that his future was bleak, Leylin felt lost.

No matter his bloodline or the A.I chip, they clearly told him that in his current state, the Morning Star realm was the limit! And this misery killed him.

This was the most difficult thing for Leylin to tolerate. He was determined to reach the peak of the Magus world.

"The stars are boundless, the numerous worlds were even more in number than stars in the universe. Some other world definitely has the solution to this. If not, I can always find the coordinates of the Snake Dowager through the Icy World of the Twilight Zone…"

Leylin comforted himself. His scope was a lot wider now compared to before, and he even had the ability to adventure through astral gates independently.

A Magus who advanced to the Morning Star realm could cross over to other worlds on his own. The knowledge and resources they could gain through this were incomparable to the rewards from using a spirit seed.

"Alright let's do it this way. I'll first lay low for a period of time, stabilising my Morning Star realm or even trying to reach the peak. Once that's done, I'll immediately adventure through the different planes…"

Leylin decided.

At this moment, an explosion sounded as what seemed to be the tremors of an earthquake made it through the multiple layers of defence, being transmitted to the room.

"This kind of effect even after being damped by my defences?" Leylin's face grew heavy, "The situation outside has probably escalated to the extreme. The enemy might even have entered the city!"

"It's time to go!" He waved his hand, and a luxurious black gown was automatically draped over his body. He then disappeared from the secret room as if a shadow.

If he'd failed to advance to the Morning Star realm this time, Leylin could only wait for the opportunity to escape when the city was destroyed by the enemy. Even that was not likely, because he was still being hunted by the Azure Mountain King.

But since he'd already been promoted to one of the most powerful existences in the central continent, he had the confidence to try and rescue the Ouroboros Clan!

....

Looking at the genuine Morning Star domain being issued forth from leylin, even offsetting his own, Cyril's expression turned extremely ugly, as if he was a dead person.

Morning Star! This was one of the highest-ranking powers in the entire central continent! It took the protection of a Morning Star Magus for an organisation to be called large-scaled, and such organisations could last for millennia.

And this time, only after seeing the three Morning Star Warlocks of the Ouroboros Clan disappear did the allied armies set out to attack them. Their own side wasn't irresistible. Once a Morning Star from the other side attacked, more than half their legion would definitely be dead or injured. This was why they were very cautious to the point of being timid.

Now that there is a fresh appearance of the Morning Star in the Ouroboros Clan, undoubtedly it will strengthen this operation!

"He… What did he say? Morning Star? He is a Morning Star ?"

On the battlefield, Julian's face grew dull looking at Leylin's back view and was flabbergasted. He would never have guessed that the Marquis Leylin who had only recently advanced to the Crystal Phase would break through to the Morning Star realm at such a critical juncture!

"It's mentor! Mentor has advanced to Rank 4!" On the other side, a blood-covered Snoopy grew so excited he hugged Parker in revelry. Tanasha smiled while watching from the side. She had always been optimistic about Leylin's future, but she'd never have thought that this day would come so quickly.

Compared to them, the expression of another person was very complicated.

"Leylin Farlier? Wasn't he searching for the astral coordinates? So it was actually a pretence for his secret breakthrough to the Morning Star realm…" Inside the main control room, Faisal felt the two large force fields counteract each other and stood up from the ground, his mood very complicated.

With Leylin's protection, it was possible for them to survive this crisis.

And what made him feel complicated was that, be it his own painstaking effort or his persistence, it was still a joke in front of the sheer power of the other party. He was just like a soap bubble that could be burst by a mere finger.

"Duke Gilbert! Your student is excellent…" After a long time, Faisal sighed, covering up all his disappointment and loss. Shouting himself hoarse through the communications, "Ouroboros Clan! Strike back!"

*Boom!* Like a signal light, his command brought about an immediate change.

On the battlefield, the numerous Warlocks that had recovered suddenly burst forth and struck down the enemies that had come to invade until they drew back, shifting the battlefront to its initial location in no time.

Faisal surveyed the battlefield comprehensively without any cheer. He knew well that the key to their victory was not here, but instead, the confrontation with Demon Hunter Cyril.

'Leylin is just a newly promoted Morning Star Warlock. Can he obstruct the other party?' With a worried heart, Faisal moved his gaze up above, and saw an imposing figure blocking Cyril.

"How about just giving up this time?" Leylin started the conversation. Demon Hunter Cyril was an impressive existence among Morning Star Magi, not to mention the allies waiting for him.

Leylin felt the attention of several conscients watching him the moment he appeared. And one of them even had a scent of deep hatred and shock.

'Not only Cyril, there are at least three or four Morning Star Magi observing from the outside. The Azure Mountain King is among them!' He understood the situation after a sweep of his soul force.

"With just you?" Cyril jeered. It was not because he looked down on Leylin. But Leylin was obviously a newly promoted Morning Star Warlock while he himself was an existence who was well known for a long time in the Morning Star circles.It was impossible that he would be frightened by the words of the opponent. If he was, how could he mix in with the others afterwards?

Besides, he still had some impression on this young Warlock. They were the ones who caused him to fall at the last hurdle and lose a huge share of loots from the Forgotten Land the last time.

The new and old hate compounded, and there was no way he would cower! Besides, even if he himself agreed, the others behind him wouldn't. This was a war that they had prepared for over a long time, and the hate had already been planted. How could they back down at his words alone?

"In that case…" Leylin shook his head and seemed very sorry, "I can only request that you die first!"

*Crash!* Leylin tried to attack first, striking like lightning. Powerful energy waves ripped apart the space and formed a huge rift. A silver spatial wave rippled, swallowing both him and Cyril.

"They went to the edge of the world to battle! Let's follow them!"

"This type of battle between those at this rank is very rare. If we record it, we can definitely sell it for a sky-high price."

Several Morning Star conscients communicated, but another voice chimed in, "Although Morning Star Warlocks have the additional power from their bloodline, I still look down on that fellow. Although Cyril has a bad personality, his nickname of Demon Hunter was rightfully earned!"

"I also agree. I bet that Warlock will be defeated in ten rounds! What do you think, Azure Mountain?"

"I…" the Azure Mountain KIng touched his chin and recalled the loss previously. Although he wished that Leylin could just be defeated and even killed, he still didn't speak out. "You guys need to be careful, that kid is unfathomable."

"Hehe! I remember now. Wasn't Azure Mountain's clone killed by a Crystal Phase Warlock? Was it him?" Another voice sounded, making the Azure Mountain King's face turn dark.

"Enough!" The largest conscients spoke, and the place suddenly became quiet.

"Watch their battle carefully. The result of this battle will be the basis of our next actions!"

A battle between Morning Stars usually lasted a long time and it was difficult to kill the opponent completely. Thus, Leylin's strength would be the key to the upcoming battle!

Great War of the Morning Stars

'Although the data paints a similar picture, the magnificent beauty of the edge of the world can't ever be fully described by mere words and pictures…'

Leylin sighed faintly. Currently, he was in a mysterious space surrounded by darkness. Multiple silver rays of lights streaked across among the stars, and it was like the universe in his previous life, boundless and magnificent.

Cyril sat opposite him with gloom clouding his face. Subtle chaotic flows of turbulence struck him, but were rebounded by the layer of soul force on his body, unable to cause even the slightest of injuries.

All Morning Star Magi possessed the ability to survive in the crevices of space. They relied on it to pass through the different worlds.

Of course, it also depended on the grade of the crevices.

The one that Leylin chose was situated at the edge of the world. The space there was comparatively stable, and the slight spatial turbulence could easily be held off by one's soul force.

If, by any chance, the space encountered violent turbulence similar to that caused by ancient battles, or due to the wild and violent storms occurring within the crevices of two worlds, leave alone Morning Star Magi, even Radiant Moon Magi were likely to succumb to the force, leaving just ashes. The Scorpion Man from the Icy World had met his death in that exact same manner.

Clashes between Morning Star Magi caused extensive damage. A battle between two could destroy the entire continent. As such, if any Morning Star Magi desired to take revenge, they would choose to settle scores inside these spatial crevices instead.

No matter how extensive the damage was, it would not affect the stability of the world.

The venue of the big battle this time was the Ouroboros Clan headquarters at Phosphorescence Swamp. If their clash had occurred there, regardless of the outcome Freya, Parker, and the rest would certainly meet death. In fact, the entire Ouroboros Swamp could cease to exist.

Leylin definitely would not want that to happen. Hence, he voluntarily dragged the opposite party here.

"You're good!" Cyril raised his eyebrows in rage, traces of blue current circulating between them.

He felt insulted at being outschemed by a junior. Even though he didn't want to be criticised by the other Morning Star Magi for starting a battle in the main world, he felt he was entitled to choose another location as the battleground instead of being forced here by the opposite party.

"Cyril! This and he matter at the Forgotten Land, let's settle everything today!" Leylin's voice was soft yet strangely firm. He had not let go of his grudge from when he'd almost been killed in a single blow and was forced to take refuge in the main headquarters for over a century.

He'd shelved the idea of revenge then due to lacking power, but now the time had come.

"How dare you bring up the past?!" Cyril fumed as he recounted the interference of these fellows who took away a portion of the gains. If not for them, the natural resources at the Forgotten Land and the Quicksand Organization would have all been his.

He had also been suppressed by the three Morning Star Warlocks and been left with no possible means of escape.

"You have to account for your teacher's sins too!" Cyril's silver pupils shone with a sharp icy chill. A long black pike appeared in his hand.

Faint, yet audible demonic cries were sounding out from its tip, chilling to the bone.

"You're a brat who just advanced to rank 4, just how much do you understand about the abilities of the Morning Star realm? Prepare to accept your fate of failure!"

Cyril's growl was steely, "Rank 4 spell— Demon's Wail!"

He tossed out the pike from his hand. *Boom!* The horrific scene was like history repeating itself, when the legendary giant Argyle threw the ahlspiess that destroyed the sun and killed the Sun's child!

Violent waves of torrential power descended, and the black pike transformed itself into a ray of black lightning, streaking through the turbulent space before arriving at Leylin.

Powered by a Morning Star Magus' soul force, the results of the spell were earth-shattering!

"Demon Hunter Cyril, you are indeed worthy of your name!" Leylin gasped in admiration, "Unfortunately, I too am not as weak as you think!"

He had prepared to advance to rank 4 for a long time. During this period, he had managed to acquire some badly damaged rank 4 spell models. With the A.I. Chip's simulations, he had managed to repair the content, and skillfully grasp them.

Besides, the numerous memories he'd inherited from his bloodline also net him a battle experience that was even marginally better than Cyril's!

The phantom of a Giant Kemoyin Serpent, with large amber eyes, smooth scales, and ferocious razor-sharp teeth hissed from behind Leylin.

"Complying with the ancient contract, I call upon the power of the bloodline, serve me now and transform into a resolute shield…" Leylin spoke with a delicate yet intense tone, similar to the hissing of a giant snake, as he chanted awkward-sounding ancient incantations.

With every syllable distinct and audible, Leylin chanted the incantations before the pike arrived, completing the spell's preparations and causing everyone an eerie sensation of time disorder.

"Bloodline Shield!"

As if an existence from ancient times, a black-scaled shield that had ferocious Giant Kemoyin Serpent images portrayed on it appeared out of empty space. Crimson lightning still bounced across its surface.

*Bang!*

Like a clash between the sun and the moon, or the impact of a star hitting the earth, the long devilish spike that had transformed into black lightning suddenly bombarded the shield. Blood red and coal black tangled, and the explosive aftermath was horrifying.

A huge spatial turbulence resembling the gushing of a tsunami struck from both sides. If it were the main world, one single wave could have left the entire Ouroboros Clan completely destroyed.

"No– No way!" Cyril yelled hoarsely from afar. From the connection with his soul force, he clearly witnessed the crimson point on his pike fade to its original dull colour. The Giant Kemoyin Serpent on the shield seemed to have come to life as it opened its mouth and ruthlessly chomped the tip off the pike!

The black pike cracked, and violently blew up.

Space itself rumbled as the turbulence started wreaking havoc. It created enormous sharp rifts that even Leylin and Cyril had to avoid temporarily.

"Shield Strike!" The huge shield collapsed like a mountain, taking aim at Cyril. With Leylin following closely behind, the attack was incomparably fierce.

"No way! No way! No way!" Cutting a sorry figure, a defensive Cyril yelled despondently, "You're a newly promoted Warlock. Why…"

He was clearly agonising over his situation. Leylin was not like a newly promoted Morning Star at all, being extremely familiar with battling in spatial rifts. His ability to handle difficulties even exceeded that of Gilbert and the rest!

'It looks like my inherited bloodline is indeed rare!' Assessing his expression, Leylin understood his display of abilities had been too outstanding, even exceeding that of the three dukes.

"The exceptional purity of my own bloodline must have meant that the bloodline inheritance I received is more complete. As for Mentor Gilbert and the rest, what they'd received was much weaker…"

The inherited memories of a creature were always stored in its bloodline. Thus, if the descendant's blood was pure, the arousal of the inherited memories would be greater, and the inheritance itself would be richer, resulting in more benefits.

With the A.I. Chip having purified his bloodline and the Lamia fingerbone's supplementation, Leylin could potentially be the best of the Kemoyin Warlocks!

Suddenly, Leylin was clear about his fate and he had no intentions to be lax about it.

*Crackle!* Multiple black scales appeared on his right hand, morphing into a sharp blade.

The runes of the rank 4 Kemoyin Scales were even more simplistic and reflected only a minimal amount of light but still carried a uniquely daunting aura.

*Swoosh!* A layer of menacing black light surfaced on the blade, and Leylin mercilessly cut across Cyril's chest.

The soul force from both sides came into contact. With Leylin's formidable strength and the razor-sharp blade, he successfully broke through Cyril's innate defence. The knife-like blade left a huge wound across his chest, and blood splashed everywhere. It left a hole so large even the organs could be seen within.

"How… how can it be?" Cyril attempted to cover his chest while stumbling backwards, disbelief in his eyes.

"How can I lose? And to a newly promoted junior?" Cyril yelled fiercely, his face distorting with anger. The poise he previously possessed evaporated, and the fury tinged his silver eyes blood red.

"No! I have not lost! I have my last trump card!" Cyril suddenly looked up, his body filled with an extremely dangerous aura. "Leylin Farlier! Today I will show you what it means to be a true rank 4 Morning Star Magus!"

The halo of an innate spell appeared from his body before brightening.

"Rank 1 innate spell— Anarchic Forcefield!"

This was followed by the halo of his rank 2 spell…

By the end, Cyril's aura had risen to the maximum, and four unstable rings revolved around his body.

This was the Morning Star Arcane Art! Forced to the edge by Leylin, Cyril he'd ended up brazenly using his final trump card!

"The Morning Star's final technique…" The corner of Leylin's mouth curved up in a smile. His old memories of witnessing one being performed had been refreshed, and it came to life.

"I have one too!" Restraining his smile, the brilliant red glow on Leylin's body started twinkling.

"First, the rank 1 innate spells— Kemoyin's Scales! Petrifying Gaze!" A fine layer of black scales covered Leylin's body entirely, and his pupils glowed amber.

"Next up, the rank 2 innate spell— Toxic Bile!" A poison from the ancient times surfaced, swiftly surrounding him.

"Then the rank 3 spell— Intimidating Gaze!" After his promotion to rank 4, the dignified aura exuded by Leylin's body had grown even more terrifying. His body had rightfully regained the power and influence of the Giant Kemoyin Serpent itself. He now radiated the aura of an ancient first-rate predator.

"Finally, the rank 4 innate spell— Bloodline Metamorphosis! Combining to form the ancient Morning Star Arcane Art— Kemoyin Serpent Transformation!"

The point mass in Leylin's sea of consciousness started rotating violently, with his and his soul force spurred him on. The four innate spells synchronised with each other, with an amplification that caused a horrifying change.

Fall of the Morning Star

*Hiss!*

In the void that seemed to resemble the universe, a gigantic black serpent emerged. With a body more than ten thousand meters long, it looked like it could swat an entire star out of the way with a sweep of its tail.

It was a predator at the top of the food chain which only existed during the ancient times, and was only heard of in rumors and myths. The Giant Kemoyin Serpent had actually descended!

The huge black serpent occupying the void had large amber pupils that resembled stars, and the fine black scales on its body twinkled, reflecting its glossy texture.

This wasn't a phantom that was combined with his bloodline aura using spells; this was an actual living being, made of flesh and blood!

The Morning Star Arcane Art of Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlocks was indeed this Kemoyin Serpent Transformation! It allowed the Warlock himself to temporarily revert to his ancestral form, and turn into a terrifying ancient creature!

The ancient Morning Star realm creature was still completely under the Warlock's control, and he even retained his original spell-casting abilities.

With the terrifying strength of the corporeal body and great magical prowess, Kemoyin Warlocks at the Morning Star realm were definitely a nightmare for many Morning Star Magi!

Cyril broke out in a cold sweat when he realised that the large pupils were staring right at him, and the fear hidden in his deepest corners of his psyche suddenly burst out.

"No! NO! I still have a Morning Star Arcane Art! I'll give it my all!" At this moment, Cyril had also completed his own Morning Star Arcane Art. Splendid rays of light exploded forth from his body.

"Rank 1 innate spell— Chaos Forcefield!"

"Rank 2 innate spell— Meteor Force!"

"Rank 3 innate spell— Celestial Explosion!"

"Rank 4 innate spell— Rites of Turbulence!"

"Combining to form the Morning Star Arcane Art— Aerial Meteor!

*Bang!* The void exploded, and an enormous meteorite that seemed like a star emerged, transforming into a streak that charged towards Leylin and fire flickered continuously in the space the meteorite travelled through.

The Giant Kemoyin Serpent hissed, greeting the huge meteor in a great clash, just like in the legends.

...

Above Phosphorescence Swamp in the Magus World, numerous Morning Star conscients were at a loss for words.

"How… How could it be… Why is that youngster's Kemoyin Serpent Transformation so strong?"

After a long silence, the strongest central thought spoke up, "The strength of a Warlock's innate spell is not only decided based on their rank, but also on the bloodline. The purer the bloodline, the more powerful the Warlock!"

"What you're saying is that the purity of that fellow's bloodline is even higher than that of Gilbert and the other two?"

"Yes, it's such a regret that we didn't discover him earlier and kill him… Now that we have allowed him to grow…" The central conscient sighed, feeling that it was a great pity.

"Seems like Cyril is bound to lose…" Soon after, the numerous voices started making gurgling sounds like strangled ducks. Even the Morning Star Magi watching the battle were alarmed.

"You must be joking!" "How is this possible?"

They seemed to have seen something unfathomable happening before their eyes, and sank into collective despair.

*Buzz!* Above the battlefield, the void contorted. Leylin changed into his black Magus robe and proudly straightened himself.

Upon seeing him, the numerous Bloodline Warlocks below finally heaved a sigh of relief, yelling forth, "Leylin! Leylin!"

However, the shouting from the crowd suddenly stopped.

This was because Leylin had lifted up a head, one that didn't even have the chance to die a peaceful death with its eyes closed. It had thin lips and silver eyes— just that they had lost their luster. This was the head of the Demon Hunter, Cyril!

"Demon Hunter Cyril has already fallen in battle. Which one of you would like to be next?" Leylin stood proudly on the battlefield with Cyril's head held high, and looked around.

This rank 4 Magus had always been held in high regard for a long time, and was even seen as a Morning Star Magus. But now, he had actually fallen right in front of their eyes?

It wasn't just the Magi in the allied armies, but even the Warlocks of the Ouroboros Clan who pinched themselves, unable to believe their eyes, and thinking that they were dreaming.

The battlefield fell into a deathly stillness for a moment. When the Warlocks regained their senses, they all started screaming wildly.

All this while, the burden they had been carrying in their hearts was too heavy. Now that they had the chance, they naturally unloaded everything off their chests, and they even seemed to have gone a little insane.

At the same time, Leylin was also communicating with other Morning Star Magi.

"You shouldn't have killed him!" A large conscient sounded.

"This is a war, an endless fight to the death!" Leylin refused to concede.

"Does this mean that you will fight us to death as well?" The other party was naturally not startled by Leylin's threat.

"Of course… Not! If you still decide to continue to battle, I will abandon the Ouroboros Clan headquarters and flee, then attack your territory!" Leylin answered without a single bit of shame, and instead caused the other party to be caught in a dilemma.

The battles between Morning Star Magi usually lasted for long periods of time. If one could not subdue the other and let him escape, no organisation would be able to withstand the consequences if he came back for revenge.

Leylin had already proven with his military accomplishments that he wasn't your average newly-advanced Morning Star Warlock. He had great capabilities, even among those at the Morning Star realm.

His enemies, who were Morning Star Magi, would be able to defeat him if they joined forces, but they would have to pay a tremendous price. It would also pose a problem if he ran away after they suffered serious injuries!

The risk was not nearly worth the reward. And with the possibility of a hidden danger being present even Morning Star Magi would not attack head-on.

The many conscients immediately started quarrelling.

"Are we going to let him go just like that? He killed Cyril!"

"Doesn't Cyril still have a doppelganger?"

"It is only at rank 3, what use does it have? Furthermore, Cyril has bad blood with many other Morning Star Magi, and they won't let this chance slip by. He's as good as dead!"

"No! We cannot let him go!" The Azure Mountain King bore the most hatred towards Leylin.

"Really?" Leylin's voice was transmitted to his mind directly.

"Dear Azure Mountain King, if the allied armies still decide to start a war in the end, I can guarantee that the stardust bugs will immediately be made known across the whole of the central continent!"

The Azure Mountain King's was startled. He glanced around his surroundings. Seeing that none of the Magi discovered that he was communicating with Leylin, he spoke with less restraint. "Are you threatening me?"

"Yes I am!" Leylin answered without a tinge of modesty. "Now that I am already a Morning Star Magus, you can't erase all traces of me. In comparison to you, how many people will choose to believe me?"

He even added another sentence at the end, which ruthlessly pierced through the Azure Mountain King's heart like a dagger, "Also, I seem to have found some possibly disastrous items among your grandson's belongings! So many interesting sketches… If they are leaked, I'm afraid…"

"Enough!" The Azure Mountain King's tone went an octave higher, and he had no choice but to accept a compromise, "I promise you!"

Even as he said this, his heart was bleeding. He understood that with such an agreement, not only would he be unable to seek revenge in the future, he would also be subjected to Leylin's threats.

However, he had no other way out. After all, his strength was not even as great as Cyril's. If Leylin could kill even Cyril, using military force against him would just be a joke.

...

"Damn it! How could such a thing happen?"

On the ground, in the command centre of the allied troops, the Bloodline Warlocks on the entire frontline were counter-attacking. This made the green-haired commander hysterical, especially with Leylin having just attacked and killed a Morning Star Magus.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Hesitation flashed across his face, and the green-haired Magus tightly clenched his teeth. "Order the Kyasha Beast to attack with full force, and self-destruct at the end. Even if we cannot reap the fruits of the battle, we have to make sure the other party suffers great losses! We have to at least get rid of that Giant Serpent puppet!"

The Kyasha Beast and the Duo Serpent Annihilator of the Ouroboros Clan were both puppets; artificially manufactured products at the Morning Star level. Although they had partial Morning Star strength, they were unable to fully put it to use. They were not very intelligent either, and were rather rigid.

But even so, the terrifying damage one could cause upon self-destruction could not be looked down upon. If Leylin didn't pay attention, forget the Duo Serpent Annihilator, even the entire town of Warlocks would be reduced to ruin.

Just like how other Morning Star Magi were apprehensive towards Leylin, but did not take action. It would not be wise for Leylin to harm the green-haired Magus just because of the damage he caused. Because threats would always be always mutual.

The green-haired Magus then made a decision. He fished out a necklace from his waist pouch, adorned with emerald. He was about to issue an order.

At this moment, he was greeted with a fragrant smell. A figure that he was familiar with appeared behind him, and the smell of perfume lingered around the tip of his nose.

"Quit playing around, I'm doing something serious!" The green-haired Magus furrowed his brows, but didn't push the other party away. He knew this person all too well, thus he took no precaution at all.

All of a sudden, his face turned blank. He lowered his head, seemingly in excruciating pain, and saw the tip of a blade sticking out of his chest. Fresh, scarlet blood stained the knife, dripping down.

A gentle voice explained next to his ear, "The minister of the Dark Serpent department, Trelisse, sends her regards!"

"You… You…" Blood foamed at his mouth continuously. He had not been wary of that female Magus at all, and his innate defence was as weak as paper when faced with that dagger.

"This mission was completed successfully all thanks to you! Also, don't even think about using the life entrustment spell to reincarnate; I already learnt of the location a long time ago… One last thing, your choice was a grave mistake. You really shouldn't have turned against us…"

The lady's voice seemed like the sweetest venom, entering the male Magus' body along with the dagger. His vitality trickled away unceasingly, and even his vision was starting to blur.

Soon after, a black ray of light flashed and the ring finger on his left hand was burnt to ashes.

As a high-ranking Magus, and also the commander of the allied armies, he had methods that he could use as a last resort to ensure his survival, the most important one being the life entrustment spell. This would allow him to transfer his soul to any part of his body; as long as that part still existed, he would be able to reincarnate.

But what a pity it was that the other party had already seen through it all.

Post-War

*Boom!* Upon pulling out the dagger, a beautiful red-haired female Magus grabbed the emerald necklace from the male Magus expressionlessly.

"Command: gklm…" After a series of spells, the aura of the gemstone necklace burst forth, as if a miniature war giant had emerged from its core.

"Get as far from here as possible, beginning self-destruct procedure!" After she coldly issued the command, the necklace in the female Magus' hands immediately turned to ashes. Shortly after, her entire body was engulfed in a dark green flame, disappearing into thin air…

The headquarters' allied army had been thrown into confusion. It instantly became a mess, and some of the soldiers had already chosen to retreat.

"Very good! Very good! The 'Shadow Snake Department' of your Ouroboros Clan has even infiltrated our main command post!"

The conscient in the middle gritted his teeth.

"How would I know?" In his heart, Leylin rolled his eyes. Previously, his position in the Ouroboros Clan was not one where he would be exposed to such things, but it did not stop him from improvising.

"War is always unscrupulous. Now, it's your choice. With the current state of the allied army, I'm afraid that even without us attacking, it will immediately descend into chaos…" Leylin spoke very confidently, as if he was the one who had sent out the female spy.

The Kyasha Beast growled, abandoning the fight with the Duo Serpent Annihilator as it made a run for the outer regions, causing the ground to shake vigorously. The allied army soldiers in its surroundings became minced meat one after the other.

Big chunks of flesh fell off its body even as it ran. This was the activation of the previous self-destruct command.

Watching this, many of the conscients fell into a silence, then began to talk to one another soon after.

Leylin smiled confidently instead.

Now, they were evidently carrying out an arduous but unrewarding job, and were in the midst of hesitation. And just now, the most stubborn Azure Mountain King had been changed from opposing him to being a supporter. With these changes, the strong force that had at least two votes had become the one to decide between the two previously evenly-matched choices.

Indeed, after a short moment, the large conscient emitted huge soul force waves, communicating with the many soldiers of the allied army.

After receiving orders, the Azure Rain knights, as well as the other numerous allied Magi, began to retreat gradually.

Only the Demon Magus Army, and a few other small organisations like the Arm of Vengeance, held their positions with a look of helplessness on their faces.

"You have won this time!" The large conscient spoke from opposite him.

"Thank you all! I only need to preserve the core territory, which is Phosphorescence Swamp. As for this war, pin the blame on the City of Sins, Nefas, and that Arm of Vengeance…" Leylin quit while he was ahead, speaking with a slight bow.

What he meant, was to maintain the current situation, make the opponent hand over all the territories they were occupying, and not to look into the responsibilities of other forces.

Leylin had considered things thoroughly. Because of the support of the 3 dukes, the Ouroboros Clan could originally hold such a large territory. Now, with him alone, the results of this war were considered a success.

Furthermore, with his current frail strength, forming rivalries with so many Morning Star forces was unrealistic. He could only assign a few scapegoats to settle the problem.

The Arm of Vengeance was originally a predetermined choice. With the addition of Nefas, which had already lost its Morning Star protection, it was enough.

"Very well! You have made the right choice!" A hint of rare gentleness floated in the conscient's voice.

"I believe in the future, we will become good friends…"

The interactions between those at the Morning Star realm was this simple. Once they realised they could not completely annihilate the other party, it was very normal to humble themselves to form good relationships.

Two great forces in heated conflict could sometimes bury the hatchet the next day. All of this was definitely not unlinked to the Morning Star Magi backing them.

If not for Leylin coming out of the blue this time, how would these starving wolves have been so easy to convince? Perhaps the entire Ouroboros Clan would have been swallowed up without any remains.

*Swoosh!* Many conscients disappeared, and only at this time did Leylin slowly heave a sigh of relief.

He knew that, at least for now, the Ouroboros Clan had crossed its predicament.

"Sir Leylin!" "Sir Leylin!" "Sir Leylin!"

On the ground, many of the bloodline Warlocks had injuries on their bodies. As they watched the allied army retreat, they could not help but rejoice. Especially upon seeing Leylin's gaze, it was as if they had seen a deity.

Faisal, who saw the scene, could only smile bitterly to himself.

He knew that from then on, the entire Ouroboros Clan would probably fall into the hands of the Morning Star Warlock floating above.

...

"Ugh… I… Where is this?"

Freya groaned. After waking up, she looked at the familiar ceiling with a little disorientation in her eyes.

Suddenly, the devastating great war, the blood and flesh flying all over, the appearance of a Morning Star Magus emerged one by one in her mind. At the end, was that pair of gentle eyes.

"The chief has awakened!" The two pretty maids at the side noticed Freya coming to and they immediately rejoiced, scurrying out.

After a moment, Freya who had regained her usual astuteness and capabilities, tidied up her clothing and sat by the bed. Listening to the many elders who had rushed here, as well as Julian's narration, her tiny lips slowly spread apart.

"That means… Leylin! Oh no! Sir Leylin has already advanced to rank 4, to the Morning Star Realm?" Freya muttered, unsure of the feeling in her heart. Previously, it was because she had been driven by Leylin that she went into seclusion in order to cultivate and advance into the Crystal Phase.

She had originally thought that she had shaken him off, but little did she know that Leylin would display such great strength at the Crystal Phase after that, even advancing before her.

Now, he had even broken through the Morning Star bottleneck directly, achieving the dream of many of the central continent's Magi—rank 4.

Furthermore, he had even killed Demon Hunter Cyril in one blow, and with a determined stance remedied the Ouroboros Clan's perilous situation.

"So, without me even realising it, the gap between us has already grown so large?" Freya's eyes grew hot, almost tearing up. However, after having trained for such a long time, she was able to hold it in by force of will, not exhibiting the slightest bit of emotion on her face.

"Yes! According to Sir Leylin's previous diagnosis, your spiritual force is exhausted. You require more rest…" Julian looked at Freya carefully, making eye contact with most of the clan elders.

Deep in their hearts, they were extremely impressed by Freya's previous support for Leylin. Now that he had been promoted to the Morning Star realm, even obtaining the great power of making changes the Ouroboros Clan, he would definitely favour their clan in the future.

Even… some elders stole glances at Freya.

Because she was seriously injured, Freya's face was slightly pale yet it did not cover up her touching expression. It was a pitiful look.

If this clan leader could mesmerise Sir Leylin, wouldn't the clan be able to introduce a Kemoyin bloodline of the Morning Star rank?

Just the mere thought of it made these elders flush red, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

"No need, I'd like to see him!" Freya took the thick fur jacket, draped it over her shoulders, and walked out.

The physique of a Crystal Phase Warlock was beyond one's imagination. With only a short rest, Freya's body was more or less recovered, posing no problem for her to move around on her own.

Julian wanted to follow her initially, but was stopped by an elder with a strange smiling face…

The heart of the Ouroboros Clan's regime was originally a senate formed by the 3 Morning Star Warlocks. However, with Leylin as the only one left, he could naturally decide everything as he wished.

He no longer worked in his own manor, but in the most luxurious hall in the headquarters. Many high-ranked Warlocks bowed humbly, awaiting orders from the young Magus on the throne.

"Dark Serpent Section, the military, the technical department… 57 Marquises, as well as many Earls and Viscounts have announced their loyalty to your highness. They are all willing to follow your highness, and revere your highness as the highest veteran of the Ouroboros Clan!"

A smile of flattery hung on Faisal's face. Like the most loyal dog, his back was hunched almost 90 degrees as he reported to Leylin.

"Very good!" Leylin was now wearing a platinum robe embroidered with a fierce black serpent. In the vibrant lights and colours, even the totem of the Giant Kemoyin Serpent was on the robe. At the sides of the robe, many runes were sewed on with thin golden thread.

The robe itself was a low-grade magic artifact! And Leylin, who wore it, seemed much more majestic for it. Being on the throne was like being the central power of the universe, and it had him brimming with dignity.

As he watched Faisal and the other Warlocks giving him an abnormal amount of respect, a playful smirk curled up at the corner of Leylin's lips.

Ever since the war ended, these Warlocks immediately crowned him lord, showing the utmost respect for him.

The strong rule, this had always been a fundamental truth!

Furthermore, with Leylin's current strength and the reputation of saving the clan from its perilous situation, even if they disagreed he could force a massacre upon his subordinates. By that time, things would no longer be as simple as handing over power. Hence these Warlocks were very obedient, fearful of Leylin finding their weaknesses.

*Thump!* After Freya stepped into the hall, two rows of Warlocks immediately stared at her, giving forth a pressure that even she could not endure.

"Blood serpent Marquis Freya greets Sir Leylin!" Freya was also unsure of the feelings in her heart, and she just bowed respectfully.

"Everyone except Freya, leave!" Leylin nodded. The two rows of Warlocks immediately exited in an orderly manner, shutting the door silently to make space for Leylin and Freya.

"What's wrong?" Leylin stepped down, watching the slightly strong-headed yet confused and fearful Freya, accurately capturing the trace of fear deep in her eyes.

"You… really are different now!" Freya muttered softly as she watched the heroic young warlock before her.

From his aura that was as calm as the ocean that had an extraordinariness to it, one could tell that he had really advanced to that far-fetched Morning Star Realm, and was probably even stronger than her Mentor.

It was just that, such a powerful Leylin gave Freya an urge to cry instead.

Taking Action

With a sweep of his soul force, everything regarding Freya was revealed in front of Leylin.　　

"Your injuries are pretty much healed up, though your sea of consciousness still needs nourishment. I recommend the Giant Serpent's Spirit Potion! There are already very few Crystal Phase Warlocks like you in the Ouroboros Clan…" Leylin sighed.　　

After the great battle, the ten or so Crystal Phase Warlocks had dwindled in number to a pitiful seven or eight. Even Leylin's senior, Lucian, had been unlucky enough to lose his life at the hands of the plant legion.

In a situation like this where there were few trump cards remaining, Leylin knew that even though he was in charge every single Crystal Phase Magus was a precious resource.

"Many thanks, my Lord!" Freya bowed, seemingly very solemn.

"Oh, right. One more thing. I hope the Blood Serpent Family can help me arrange for my Morning Star Ceremony." Morning Star Magi had very high statuses in the central continent, especially since it was so difficult to advance. Every instance of it was a joyous matter worthy of celebration with a huge circle of friends, and was even a grand ceremony for the entire continent.

Based on conventional practices, each appearance of a Morning Star Magus meant that there had to be something like a ceremony. This was an announcement of power, which was even more important for the Ouroboros Clan, given its current state.

The bloodline Warlocks, who were in a state of chaos, were in desperate need of a burst of motivation.

"It shall be my family's honour to do so!" Leaving it to her family meant valuing her. Whatever it was, this was beneficial to the Blood Serpent Family. As the leader, Freya could not reject them, nor did she have any reason to do so.

"I am also planning to release another piece of news during the ceremony." Watching Freya, who was biting her lips with an odd look on her face below him, Leylin smirked.　

"What is it?"　　

"After the ceremony, I shall organise a huge wedding and marry you into my family!" The words that left Leylin's mouth were earth-shattering, leaving Freya completely stunned.　　

"Marry into your family?" Freya repeated it like a mantra, her child-like features perplexed. Leylin was a Warlock who had recently joined and basically had no support from any bloodline families.　　

"Yes, the Farlier family. Although there's only me on the central continent for now, I believe we'll become the first family of the Ouroboros Clan. We'll even become the best of all bloodline families!" Leylin touched his nose.　　

Though he was the only Warlock in his family and it seemed pitiful, Leylin didn't care.

After all, how could a family with a Morning Star Magus be common? With his pure bloodline, the chances of his descendants advancing were much higher than for other Warlocks. In no time, it would be capable of becoming the greatest family in the Ouroboros Clan!　　

The central continent was much too large. Though Leylin now held control over the Ouroboros Clan, he needed to develop an organisation that was uniquely his. How could there be anything that could beat a family he created himself? Others would have another layer of bloodline restrictions, and this would count as insurance for himself.

In addition, he who had already reached the Morning Star realm no longer had to worry about the leakage of information regarding the purity of his bloodline. He now held enough strength to protect himself.

Since he needed a female Warlock to spread his bloodline, Leylin naturally chose Freya. First of all, she was clean and honest, and treated him well. She looked pretty as well. What else was there to hesitate over?　　

"What if I… reject you?" Freya bit her lips, slightly unwilling. Though she liked Leylin, she didn't want things to go this way.

"You can't reject anyway. I rule the Ouroboros Clan!" Leylin's tone could not be questioned. The rims of Freya's eyes reddened, and she lightly grasped Leylin's hands.　　

"I know you're unwilling to do this because you're hoping I'll marry into your family instead of the other way around. Is that right?" Leylin completely saw through Freya.

Deep inside, Freya still hoped to bring Leylin into the Blood Serpent family, but this was obviously not possible.

The Leylin right now would definitely not agree to this at all. Even before he advanced, he would only get others to do as he wished, and there were never instances of others getting him to do something.　　

One had to acknowledge that Leylin was a male chauvinist. He would marry Freya of his own accord, and not because he was thankful towards her. And he would definitely not marry into her family.　　

"You know all this, but why…" Freya raised her head, face glimmering with tears as she protested.

Seeing her reacting this way, Leylin knew that she had pretty much made up her mind, and couldn't help but chuckle, "Because I am stronger than you! This is what you're destined to do!"

Strength ruled the Magus World. This was an undisputable truth.

Since Freya had completely given in, Leylin softened his tone and began to console her, "Don't worry. I will naturally take care of your family. When we have many children, I can even send a son over to the Blood Serpent family…"　　

This was an attempt at pacifying her. Since Freya had done so much for Leylin, he had to pay her back. However, Leylin's nature was such that he had to take the initiative, instead of being begged to act.

Upon hearing this guarantee, Freya nodded, finally at ease.　　

Leylin could tell that Freya had nodded slightly and agreed, and laughed heartily at that.　　

...　　

The battle that happened at Phosphorescence Swamp swept through the central continent like a whirlwind.　　

In particular, Leylin's exceptional and powerful appearance, from how he had killed the Demon Hunter Cyril and caused his fall, increased the enthusiasm towards the situation till the extreme.

Demon Hunter Cyril was not a nobody, even amongst the Morning Star circles. Rather, his strength had been proven to surpass the masses, and as a newly-advanced Morning Star Warlock, Leylin had been able to cause his downfall. Such strength immediately led to the dread of other Morning Star Magi.　

From the outside, it seemed like not only had the allied armies that had attacked the Ouroboros Clan completely withdrawn from key regions such as Phosphorescence Swamp, they had even drawn a certain line of isolation, seemingly wanting to avoid conflict.

After the fall of the main body of Morning Star Magus Cyril, Nefas, the city of sin, fell into a state of confusion. The Magi there weren't good people from the start, and mostly comprised of vicious bandits and those with death warrants for them. Without Cyril's suppression, the place grew rife with violence.

The areas surrounding Nefas gradually descended further into chaos as news about the death of Cyril's clone came in, confirming his fall.

In that period, spells flew everywhere in the city, and the architecture was engulfed in a sea of flames.

As many Demon Magi gleefully broke into Cyril's Magus Tower and were prepared to loot the place as they wished, a large number of elite Magus armies suddenly descended upon them.

Under the suppression of the Magus army, as well as with a Morning Star Magus' help, the chaos in Nefas died down.　　

After losing the deterring power of Cyril, the defenceless Nefas had basically turned into a giant gold mine, attracting the interests of many Morning Star Magi.

This was especially true for those few Morning Star Magi in the original allied army. In the name of their comrades, they dispatched forces and took over the city, making up for all their previous losses.　　

By the time the matter with Nefas had died down, an even more startling piece of news spread throughout the central continent.

The one who had caused Cyril's fall based on his own strength, and thus protected the Ouroboros Clan, the Morning Star Magus Leylin Farlier, had invited many friendly organisations to his Morning Star ceremony.　　

In response to this invitation, many large-scaled organisations who had intentionally kept a distance due to their disdain towards the Ouroboros Clan saw a chance to repair this relationship and sent people to attend.　　

Other organisations also saw the ceremony as a great chance to figure out the situation within the Ouroboros Clan, and to better understand Leylin's strength. They, too, sent out spies or envoys.

During that time, numerous Magi hurried towards Phosphorescence Swamp, causing the swamp to be bustling with life, a huge contrast from the normal deathly silence.

...　　

Within the city headquarters, Leylin reclined on the couch comfortably, listening to the female Magus reporting from beside him.

"The messengers we sent out have mostly returned with positive replies. Most of the emissaries of those organisations have already set out. Recently, Phosphorescence Swamp has not been very orderly. Though preparations for the ceremony are completed, I think it's necessary to prepare a few emergency contingencies…"

Freya leant against the couch while holding countless files and wearing a pair of frameless glasses, seemingly very busy.

"Let's do as you say!"

"Also, the bloodline Warlocks from Spirit Circle and Wind Wolf Lair are about to reach headquarters. You need to take some time out to meet them…" After finishing her report, Freya laughed delicately and moved away from the couch, leaving quickly.　　

After she left, Leylin's expression turned serious. He put on white gloves and produced a broken sword. This sword had the style of casting in ancient times. It was cold and sharp, and even time could do nothing to weaken its firmness. There were even traces of golden-coloured blood on the blade.　　

"I never expected for the bloodline of the Sun's child and the Wing of the Sun to reach my hands…" Sensing the powerful bloodline strength on the sword's hilt, a hint of a smile revealed about Leylin's lips.

This broken sword was one of the treasures from the Azure Mountain auction. Cyril had shamelessly used his status and pressurised others so he could purchase it.　　

Leylin had really wanted to get his hands on it, but for one he did not have enough magic crystals. On top of that, he did not dare go head to head with Cyril. However, this was no longer an issue.

Even Cyril's main body had fallen at Leylin's hands. The items he had hoarded and brought along on his body had naturally been kindly accepted by Leylin. Besides many precious materials and countless magic crystals, what he'd really desired was this item.

[Beep! Top-grade meditation technique, Wing of the Sun recorded!] The A.I. Chip transmitted.

"Hopefully it's useful for Kemoyin's Pupil." Leylin sighed, keeping the giant sword well.

Kemoyin's Pupil was merely a high-grade meditation technique with the fourth level as the limit. It was impossible to progress further. For Leylin, this was absolutely unacceptable.

Celebration

Based on the traditions of the central continent, high-grade meditation techniques had a minimum of four levels, allowing Magi to enter the Morning Star realm. Top-grade meditation techniques needed to have six or more levels, allowing Magi to understand the path to the Breaking Dawn.

Kemoyin's Pupil had merely four levels and was considered the bottom of the pack among high-grade meditation techniques. Leylin naturally hoped the A.I. Chip could simulate the rest of the levels.

Leylin had been trying to solve the issue of the bloodline shackles since advancing to the Morning Star realm.

The simulation of meditation techniques was very important. The Wing of the Sun was also a meditation technique for bloodline Warlocks, and there were six complete levels. It would surely be extremely helpful in completing Kemoyin's Pupil.

Since he had the bloodline of the Sun's child as well, he could attempt to purify it. Though the Oakheart Clan had already confirmed that the bloodline had lost all vitality, Leylin still had some confidence that he could restore it.

The ancient Sun's child was a being that could reach rank 6 when it matured. It was even a fixed sun for multiple small worlds, and was, therefore, the best bloodline Leylin had gotten to date.

"With this, I can begin the bloodline experiments…" After advancing to the Morning Star realm, many ancient bloodline experiments, and things like the interplanar experiments, could be undertaken independently. Leylin was extremely eager to spend all his time on this.

However, he still took some time to meet the emissaries from Spirit Circle and Wind Wolf Lair the next day.

It wasn't only the Ouroboros Clan that held bloodline Warlocks in the central continent. There were other organisations and families that had inherited ancient bloodlines, forming a giant alliance.

However, the three Morning Star Magi of the Ouroboros Clan had disappeared all of a sudden, resulting in a drop in their value. Hence, no aid had been given.

Leylin understood this very well, since even when saving allies, one had to see if they were powerful enough. Otherwise, they would only be bringing trouble upon themselves.

Besides, the various Warlock organisations weren't exactly tight-knit. There were conflicts, and a loose alliance was basically as good as a nonexistent one.

Of course, things were different with Leylin's ascension. It was especially so after he displayed his strength. All these former allies rushed forth to mend their relationship.

Spirit Circle and Wind Wolf Lair were the two largest bloodline Warlock organisations that the Ouroboros Clan was close to.

"Hehe… Sire Leylin is so young. This was entirely out of my expectations!" The moment they met, the two Warlocks were blown away by the plentiful life force brimming in Leylin.

Magi obviously did not rely on appearances to determine age. They usually had their own unique methods to determine it.

However, no matter which angle they looked at him from, Leylin was extremely young. He was not like those Magi who were approaching their end and looked young from the outside, yet held a rotting scent.

"Hehe… The two of you, please!"

Leylin was now dressed in a platinum robe that was a piece of magic equipment, giving him a more elegant aura. With his experience in controlling places like the Twilight Zone, he had already developed a distinct aura of a ruler in how he treated others, which made him all the more convincing.

Meanwhile, while the two emissaries were stunned at Leylin's age, Leylin himself was also shocked.

He could feel the energy of the point mass on these two emissaries. In other words, they were actually Morning Star Warlocks as well!

"Looks like these two organisations are taking this very seriously!"

The smile on Leylin's face became even more welcoming as he invited the two Warlocks to the couch in his room. Freya brought three cups of coffee over, bowing to the three of them unreservedly as she quickly left.

"By the way, I've yet to ask you for your names!" Leylin smiled as he spoke.

"Oh, look at me! I was so surprised when I came that I didn't introduce myself. How impolite of me!" A Magus with countless tentacles on his face that looked like a giant octopus head palmed his forehead with a tentacle and answered, "I'm Paul, from Spirit Circle!"

"Sir Paul!" Leylin nodded in recognition, seeming serious.

The bloodline Spirit Circle had inherited came from a strange creature— the Spirit-sucking Oddity! It was said that this being not only had a unique spirit body, it even enjoyed sucking the brain juices of intelligent beings, and had the strange ability of peeking at someone's spirit.

What caused countless bloodline Warlocks to rip their hair out in frustration was that this Spirit-sucking Oddity was no bloodline creature! However, the original Spirit-sucking Oddity Warlock had fused the ability of this creature into his own bloodline and passed it down, resulting in this strange branch of bloodline Warlocks.

This branch was named the 'Spirit Warlock' and had a very special strength. They were more partial towards attacks on the mind, and it was difficult to resist them.

At this point, Leylin couldn't help but look into his eyes.

On the giant octopus head were a pair of dark eyeballs with no pupils, looking like a dead fish's eyes.

However, the moment their gazes met, Leylin felt as if his heart was being stripped and laid bare before him.

*Weng!* The point mass in his body rumbled, and soul force swept through. The discomfort instantly vanished, and Leylin immediately put on his guard even though he smiled at the other party.

"I am Philip of the Wind Wolf Lair. Greetings, Sir!" The other was a middle-aged, burly white man. His face and body were filled with hair, and his sideburns were very straight.

Compared to spirit Warlocks, Wind Wolf Lair was an orthodox bloodline Warlock organisation that had inherited the bloodline of the ancient Wind Wolves. They were exceptionally sensitive towards wind elemental particles.

On top of that, Wind Wolf Lair was a very well-known bloodline Warlock organisation in the central continent that maintained good relations with other Warlocks. They had very deep roots.

"Sir Philip, and Sir Paul!" Leylin nodded, "It is my honour for the two of you to attend my ceremony…"

Whether it was Leylin or the other two Warlocks, all of them were very satisfied. Though there weren't any deep discussions, this was a good beginning.

After that, however, Leylin could not bring himself to feel happy, as the two Warlocks brought him shocking news.

"Jupiter's Lightning?"

After unexpectedly finding out who was responsible for attacking the Ouroboros Clan, Leylin's expression turned grim.

Even if he hadn't been privy to the knowledge among the Morning Star circle before his own advancement, even he had heard of this organisation's fame in the central continent.

Compared to organisations such as Nefas and Azure Mountain City, Jupiter's Lightning was even more tremendous, and perhaps even surpassed the Ouroboros Clan.

It was a shadow that loomed over the continent, and was perhaps more similar to a bandit guild. It regularly took on assassinations, bounties, and the like, preferring to stir up chaos and exploiting it.

The reason why they were so fearless was due to the manipulator behind them. It was a Radiant Moon Magus!

A Radiant Moon Magus was also a great rank 5 Magus, and they were even rarer than Morning Star Magi, as well as much more formidable. In the entire central continent, there were probably less than twenty of them. It could be said that besides the few Breaking Dawn Magi there were, the rest of them split the central continent amongst themselves.

Hearing that Ouroboros Clan was being targeted by such a person, even Leylin couldn't help but break out in cold sweat.

Paul and Philip exchanged a glance and, noticing Leylin's peaceful expression, nodded.

"Don't worry. As allies, we will provide a certain amount of assistance, such that at least the Radiant Moon Magus will likely not deal with you personally…"

'Do you mean that if the other Morning Star Magi of Jupiter's Lightning attack, I have to take them all on myself?'

Leylin rolled his eyes inside, but his expression was that of gratitude, "Thank you so much."

In reality, he had serious suspicions that these two organisations wanted them to fight. Perhaps they had been the ones to provoke Jupiter's Lightning, and yet were now pretending to take the brunt of the damage for the Ouroboros Clan, and were insincere about sending aid.

Of course, he was no child and would not believe everything these Morning Star Magi told him. He would only trust them after performing his own checks.

This was a very simple matter. Though he was unfamiliar with the Morning Star's conscient, he had already recorded the aura fluctuations. With more Morning Star samples, he would be able to make comparisons.

He even had a spy like the Azure Mountain King, so information was not an issue.

At the thought of the Azure Mountain King, Leylin's gloomy mood was lifted, and he began to anticipate ascension ceremony.

...

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Countless giant fireworks exploded in mid-air. The headquarters of Ouroboros Clan had been painted over, and now no longer had any traces from the battle. There were even fresh flowers and streamers along all the pathways.

The guests from the other organisations in the central continent all had sincere grins on their faces. Under the guidance of the Warlocks of Ouroboros Clan, they headed towards the heart of the city.

This was a palace that had been constructed in a hurry for Leylin, the location of the ceremony.

In order to curry favour with the only Morning Star Warlock in the organisation, as well as the husband of their family's leader, the Blood Serpent Family Warlocks had done all they could and arranged everything tidily. They had even gone out of their way and brought out lavish liquor and delicacies, many of which were unique resources in the Magus World that could increase spiritual force and the effects of meditation. There were so many that they seemed dirt cheap, and it resulted in looks of admiration and surprise.

Many guests were gathered in a hall, though they were separated clearly into tens of little circles.

Bloodline Warlocks and Magi had two large circles, and within those, another ten or so were formed based on various factors like power, ranking, level of intimacy and so on.

The Warlocks and Magi were like the ladies and gentlemen of high society, conversing courteously and occasionally toasting each other. The atmosphere was harmonious, and it was unthinkable that some of the people here had been eager for the death of the other party just a few days ago.

Assuming the Post

"It's time to start the ceremony!" Parker's tone conveyed his high spirits and excitement. He was wearing the suit of a compere, and his hair was sleekly styled.

His previous investment at this time had gained him the most returns. Leylin was advancing at the speed of light, far beyond his own predictions. It made him feel like he was in a dream.

With unanimous joyous cheers, Leylin stepped on the flower petals laid out on his path as he entered the hall, wearing a magical robe with a gold crown on his head.

At the same moment, an overbearing and horrifying force similar to that of an ancient beast was slowly released from his body. From his eyes, one could faintly see the image of an enormous black serpent which was several tens of thousands of metres long.

Morning Star! The formidability of a true Morning Star made many Magi and Warlocks bow their heads respectfully to welcome him. Some of the sullen emissaries were also so overwhelmed by his aura that they too bowed, albeit rather unwillingly.

"In accordance with the rules, Warlocks of the Ouroboros Clan who are promoted to the Morning Star realm will fundamentally acquire the noble title of a Duke! Congratulations to you, Duke Farlier!"

Faisal stepped up and ceremoniously handed a snake-shaped scepter embedded with jet black crystals to Leylin, who accepted it effortlessly and raised it up.

Numerous bloodline Warlocks stood up and bowed in salutation, " Greetings, Duke Leylin!"

This was a tradition of the Ouroboros Clan, something shared by many other Magus organisations. Yet, for Faisal himself to do it meant that Leylin had already succeeded in suppressing internal strife. Seeing this unfold, many influential emissaries were left in deep thought.

"The ceremony shall begin!" Parker yelled after Leylin was seated.

"The emissary from the Rustic Woodlands— Louis greets Duke Leylin!" An old fellow dressed in a red suit took the lead and saluted Leylin.

"The Lord's promotion to the Morning Star is a grand occasion for all of us in the central continent. This is a gift from our Master!"

The entourage standing behind him lifted the cloth off a tray to reveal a rock shimmering with brilliance.

"An astral stone!" "Such a huge astral stone is rare indeed!" "The Rustic Woodlands is so magnanimous!"

The comments from the surrounding visitors were incessant.

Leylin nodded his head and smiled, evidently very pleased. Such opportunities to receive free gifts without obligations were always welcomed.

"I have just been promoted to the Morning Star, and my need for astral stones is undeniable. Thank your Master on my behalf!" Leylin expressed his contentment, and the emissary was delighted. He bowed again and retreated.

"Duke Leylin! I am the emissary from the Fallor Family, and I present to you a personalized private ride— the Colossal Serpent!"

Another emissary stepped forward and presented a core controller. In the middle of it, an image of a private airship could be seen. The detailing and ornamentation of the warship structure were vivid and thorough.

"That is very considerate of you!" Leylin nodded his head.

The Fallor Family controlled the entire airship network. They also had the support of the Monarch of the Skies, and gifting every newly promoted Morning Star their very own airship was their tradition. As such, Leylin voiced, "I thank the kindness of chief Fallor and the Monarch of the Skies…"

Perceiving Leylin to have understood their intentions, the emissary respectfully bowed and retreated. Almost immediately, yet another emissary stepped forward….

The etiquette for this ceremony was complicated, but Leylin still had to receive them one by one and express his own goodwill. It would be extremely important and beneficial for the Ouroboros Clan.

Leylin was brimming with enthusiasm and was all smiles. He conversed casually with many of the emissaries with ease, showing no impatience.

At this time, a Magus with a head of brown hair who was wearing a silver robe stepped forward. Impressive undulations emitted from his body without restraint. He clearly lacked manners, and was disrespectful in front of Leylin.

"You've come with ill intentions!" Leylin's eyes narrowed and he glared at the Magus.

"Greetings, my Lord, from Collins of Jupiter's Lightning!" Collins straightened his back and looked straight into Leylin's eyes without a hint of fear.

"Collins is one of the more able ones in Jupiter's Lightning. He clearly wants to test Leylin's strength as a baseline comparison…" Paul remarked from the side, smiling at Philip with a wineglass in hand.

"Collin's abilities are not comparable to Cyril's. Shall we give him a helping hand?" Philip rubbed his fist, his eyes glistening with ambition.

"There's no need! Duke Leylin is very powerful, do not ever underestimate him!" Paul's dead-fish eyes glimmered with a smile.

The atmosphere inside the hall didn't seem right. All the emissaries' eyes were locked on the confrontation between the two Morning Stars.

Since it was a celebration, Leylin and Collins did not go overboard. On the surface, it looked like they were just staring at each other in the face. However, a ruthless cross-sword fight between the spiritual domains had already unfolded unknowingly.

A few minutes later, the colour started to drain from Collins' confident face, and beads of sweat appeared on it.

Witnessing the scene, the other Magi thought they had seen a ghost. Paul and Philip exchanged glances, and both broke out in smiles.

"Oh!" A moment later, Collins scathingly stumbled a few steps back. Although there were no differences in his expression, the imposing aura on his body had disappeared.

Leylin, on the other hand, continued to sit upright. No one could tell what he had in mind.

"This is a present from our chief!" Collins no longer dared to look Leylin in the eye as he presented the gift. Soon after, he left in haste.

All the Magi who witnessed this silent confrontation grew more fervent about Leylin.

The revelry lasted until midnight. After receiving bountiful gifts, Leylin began conversing about his experience during his advancement.

It was, in a way, his means of imparting knowledge. Many of those present were rank 3 Magi after all.

Leylin was forthcoming, pointing out mistakes made during the construction of the point mass, as well as other general tips. Many rank 3 Magi were intoxicated by this essential information, and even some Morning Stars fell into deep thought. When it was time to disperse, many felt reluctant to leave.

...

After the banquet was over, Leylin chose not to rest, and instead, headed out to meet another guest in a private room.

"Distinguished Azure Mountain King, we meet again!" Leylin smiled calmly and sat opposite the Magus.

The person here was certainly the Azure Mountain King. He possessed the same appearance as his clone, with blue hair and a pair of starry eyes.

He had not come to this ceremony representing Azure Mountain City, and instead snuck in on the pretence of a diplomatic mission. He'd felt threatened by Leylin.

"You can call me Zack!" The Azure Mountain King spoke in a deep tone, without any further intentions of undermining Leylin.

"Alright, distinguished Zack, let's talk about the compensation that you have to make with regards to my territory!"

Leylin leant back on the sofa, intertwined his hands. He was unusually relaxed. Opportunities for such extortion, where one took advantage of another's weakness, were very rare.

"Sure! Your people, your land, and any other losses, I'll pay you for it all. I'll even pay double, as long as you promise not to leak the matter of the stardust bugs!" Zack said frankly.

He only yielded to Leylin as Leylin knew his biggest secret. If this information was leaked out, the entire Oakheart Clan would be faced with imminent disaster. Even his own life would be in danger.

Leylin was well aware of this. But he also knew that the destruction of the Oakheart Clan, and the fall of the Azure Mountain King, would not net him any benefits. On the other hand, such extortion had the potential for a lot of profits.

As such he didn't mind letting Zack leave… as long as he paid his due, of course.

"Let's not talk about the territory for the time being, you destroyed my Magus Tower. Shouldn't you compensate me with another?" Leylin laughed with a hint of profoundness.

"Consider it done! I will build you one that is exactly the same!" the Azure Mountain King replied with a rich and overbearing tone.

"Oh! No, no, no! I think you misunderstood something…" Leylin swayed his finger, " What I need, is a Magus Tower that corresponds to my current status. Do you understand?"

"What…" Zack took a cold breath, and immediately blurted out, "Impossible! This is extortion!"

Although Leylin's previous Magus Tower was of considerably high quality, it was only fitting for a rank 3 Magus. In the central continent, anything that catered to the Morning Star rank would cost more, especially so for the Morning Star Magus Tower!

The construction cost of a Morning Star rated Magus Tower would be at least ten times more than that of Leylin's previous Magus Tower. Even if he were to sell his territory, it could not even cover the cost of building one level of it. Leylin's request was like a lion biting a huge chunk of meat off the Oakheart Clan's body.

Based on Zack's proposed bill of compensation, the Oakheart Clan wouldn't suffer a huge loss. But to build a Morning Star rated Magus Tower? Even if Leylin were to decline all the other compensations, this request alone would still be outrageous.

"Indeed, I am extorting you. Didn't you know?" Leylin mockingly laughed.

"Compared to the matter about the stardust bugs and the whole Oakheart Clan being erased from this world, I think it's a good deal… With the accumulated wealth of Azure Mountain City, there should be no difficulty in constructing one such Magus Tower, right?"

Being reprimanded by Leylin, Zack's face hardened as he gritted his teeth in anger, "… Fine!"

"That's the way!" Leylin smirked, obviously pleased. His expression immediately turned from one of hostility to that of friendliness, and this made Zack perplexed.

"Other that the Magus Tower, I have no other requests, so long as you assist me in building an astral gate…"

Having sensed the limits of Zack's tolerance, Leylin naturally and pursued further benefits without scruples. After all, Zack wouldn't suddenly appreciate him if he lowered his requests, so he could just as well get a hold of as many benefits as possible.