Meanwhile, as the flames of war roasted the Infernal Cult's doors, Konrad sat crossed-legged within the Northern Khan's royal chambers to anchor his soul to the Ancient Crystal World. Icy-blue nether force swirled around him as his dark soul rose in black fog and hovered above his body.
Shockingly, even in that state, his body remained fully conscious, thereby showcasing its ability to exist without a soul. Konrad's hands flashed in incantation gestures and fueled by the overflowing nether force, his soul descended into the ground and stretched throughout the Ancient Crystal World.
From the Barbarian Continent to the Hidden Forest, from the Hidden Forest to the Holy Continent, every piece of land within the Ancient Crystal World was corrupted and possessed by Konrad's soul.
In the instant his soul melded with the ground, all deaths within the world became fuel for his growth. His eyes opened and looked beyond the Khan's palace to lock on the distant battlefield of Serkar vs. Zenith Ants.
At first, the might of his maternal house's experts failed to startle him. After all, with the ninth elder in his hands, Konrad had already determined the nature and limits of their growth. Such strength was necessary to achieve a "mutually wounded result" with the Zenith Ants.
However, when Berken unleashed the illusory shadow, even Konrad couldn't contain his surprise.
"Astounding. He's using his burning blood to make an Ancestral Call and imitate the Devas' Ancestral Glories by summoning the might of his distant ancestor. Although this is nothing more than an infinitesimal part of the ancestor's strength, this still is…astounding."
Konrad appraised while rising from his seat.
Within the room, Else, who successfully reached the third layer of Seer's Vision, also observed the scene with rapt attention. The disproportionate might of humanity's blood burning was something she'd recently become aware of. And still, she couldn't comprehend its origin.
Demon and Deva bloodlines were divided into six ranks:
Half-Blood, Pureblood, Noble Blood, Greater Blood, Royal Blood, and Race Primogen.
On typical days, just like the Ancient Crystal World's sun, moon, and dream spirits, golden-blooded humans were one step below pureblooded demons and devas in terms of bloodline strength. But once their lineage ignited, it was more than a match for Greater Demon or Deva Blood. Konrad's previous Phantasm Lord Bloodline was no better. Clearly, someone or something played tricks to suppress all human lineages beneath the titan level.
But who possessed such a monstrous ability?
"Could it be…the Realm Wills?"
Konrad wondered in silence while stepping toward Else.
"Who knows? You should ask your sworn brother. Hehe…"
Selene replied with her usual pinch of sass. Naturally, following Konrad's awakening, she'd found the time to enlighten him on all the events that occurred. Although Konrad already knew that a certain force suppressed his rebelling souls to allow him enough time to complete his Death Conversion, he'd neither expected it to be Qehreman nor predicted his strength to be that profound.
Without a shred of doubt, the Primogens weren't his match. As for the Overlord and the Warden, perhaps they were qualified to trade blows, but nothing more. This was Selene's conservative assessment. And her words allowed Konrad to realize that the road ahead still was long.
"If you keep this up, I will have to revoke your reserved harem rank."
"Bah, who wants to be part of your harem? Don't flater yourself. In the future, it will be great if you don't beg me to take you!"
"Right…we all know how this is going to end."
As the two carried on with one of their usual exchange, the battle before the Infernal Cult still raged, but half-an-hour afterward, even with the Ant Goddess's avatar, the Zenith Ants failed to take the advantage.
With the stalemate unbroken, both sides eyed one another with caution. However, the Serkars were on a clock. The Zenith Ants were not. Berken, therefore, switched tactics and let go of the Ant Goddess to specifically target her troops while using his Ancestral Shadow to shoulder the brunt of her moves.
In an instant, the situation again changed. And though Berken suffered increasingly major injuries, the ant queens, elders, and Sages were much worse!
Three lesser queens perished while the others sustained major injuries. Of the one-hundred initial ant elders, only thirty remained. As for the thousands of Sages, hundreds had lost their lives.
In that moment, the Ant Goddess realized that she only had two choices. Either bring the entirety of their forces or obtain a pyrrhic victory! Without delay, she chose retreat, and carried her armies back to the Hidden Forest!
The first battle thus ended with house Serkar's victory. And though the world stood in awe, none could smile. Of their twelve experts, not one got away without critical injuries. In the coming clashes, they could only coordinate with the Blood Barrier to maintain an impregnable position.
But with their prestige now established, this was a result they were willing to accept.
Little did they know that the deaths created with sweat and blood, directly fueled a certain Death Embodiment's strength, magnifying his chthonian energies while strengthening his fleshly body.
"My darling goddess must be fuming with rage. This won't be good for her tribulation."
Konrad sighed, causing both Else and Selene to roll their eyes.
However, Konrad had underestimated the Ant Goddess. Though she oftentimes gave the impression of an unpredictable bomb, ready to explode at all times, she was, after all, an ancient and proven leader.
This bit of setback could never shake her. And it was still with supreme confidence that she stepped closer toward her tribulation.
"Zamira, bring me the ninth elder."
Konrad declared in a mental message that marked his imminent departure for his maternal house, and predecessor's birthplace. Without a word, Else turned into a black Egyptian Cat and leaped onto Konrad's right shoulder.
"Miaou…"
She purred as he rubbed her nose.
In a twister of white light, Zamira appeared with the ninth Serkar Elder by her side. Following his capture, his abilities had been placed under a potent seal preventing him from revolting.
And when his eyes rose to lock on the white-haired young man whose striking icy-blue eyes grazed the cat perched on his shoulder, although the features somewhat differed, the ninth elder knew who he was dealing with.
"Konrad."
He stated before releasing a despondent sigh.
"When Gulistan claimed your strength to at least be a match for mine, I didn't believe it. Little did I expect you to build such a mighty force. But why bother? Although you mother and child have cultivated many grievances, lord Berken is a man of clear priorities and would undoubtedly support you.
There is no need to maintain an antagonistic stance."
The ninth elder reasoned while Konrad still brushed his cat's nose.
"Support is shifting. Changeable and untrustworthy. I don't need -grandfather- to support me.
I need him to serve me."
Konrad replied without shifting his attention back to the ninth elder, who, upon hearing those words, let his eyes widen in disbelief.
"You're delusion…"
The ninth elder began. But before he could finish his words, Konrad glanced toward him, and as his sclera turned black, his icy-blue eyes shone with chthonian energies.
Struck by that glance, the ninth elder perished, dropping on the ground with neither pulse nor soul!
But three seconds afterward, chthonian energies laced his body, and he rose from the ground to again stand before Konrad.
"Greetings, master!"
The ninth elder hailed and dropped on his knees.
