But as the Infernal Realm experienced the brutal reorganization of Konrad's most favored, the Celestial World didn't have it easy. Following his return, in his competence of Myriad Dreams Valley Lord and Chthonian Primogen, Konrad officially overthrew the Sea Dream Temple, making it become the branch instead of the master-force. Meanwhile, the Heaven Warding Temple aside, the entirety of the Celestial Realm was brought under his banner through the legions' irresistible military power and the dreadful name of his profane self.
With the Titans' fall serving as a fresh reminder, few dared oppose this change of things, and none did out loud. Better, the wiser sect leaders desperately sought an attachment to the Myriad Dreams Valley, either directly or with the Sea Dream Temple as proxy. Meanwhile, within the Myriad Dreams Valley's main hall, Konrad sat on his Valley Lord throne with Verena, Heide, Selene, the Valkyrie and Cacillia on either side of him. Rati, however, stood beneath the stairs, staring at the seven pills swirling above Konrad's head.
Marble white and glittering in the purest of heavenly luminescence, she didn't doubt that those seven pills would put Konrad's partiality and nepotism to a major test.
"I'm curious. What exactly are those pills and how did you refine them?"
Rati asked with her eyes narrowed at the Heaven Swallowing Pills. Of course, in reality her eyesight allowed her to grasp 80% of the truth already.
"I baptized them – Heaven Swallowing Pills – But a more accurate name would be – Realm Swallowing Pills. -"
Konrad began with an amused smile while his icy blue eyes locked Rati's magenta hues.
"Using Fate Gathering Veins, I robbed Heaven's Destiny, concentrating it solely on my Myriad Dreams Valley. Now, all fortuitous encounters throughout the Celestial Realm can only occur in my Myriad Dreams Valley.
With the Destiny as my foundation, my Profound Infiniteness as the furnace, and my Devil Bridge as the medium, I drained the core of the Celestial Realm's spiritual energies and refined eight pills out of them. Soon, Heaven's spiritual energy quantity will drop to zero. However, with those pills, an early-stage Prime Devil can undoubtedly rise to the peak."
Konrad replied in a level tone. Yet, even with those simple words, his voice was like a honeyed melody that soothed the mind and quieted unrest. For a second, Rati wished to close her eyes and enjoy the tune. However, she restrained herself.
"I can feel that your cultivation…took another step."
Rati remarked as her eyes shifted from those inconceivable pills to stare at Konrad's lounging form.
"Indeed, after draining Sakra's cultivation, I've already taken half-a-step into the Anti God Realm. Unfortunately, the energy requirements are becoming outrageous. I'm afraid I will soon have to hunt peak-stage Overgods or even Primordial Gods for fast breakthroughs."
Konrad sighed while Rati's eyes widened in disbelief, and her lips curled into an "O"
"Sakra? That man was Sakra? The Great Primal Ancestor? How can this b-?"
Rati began, but before she could finish her words, Konrad shook his head.
"Cut the act. It was funny at first but it's now getting annoying."
Konrad cut while sending his ladies a mental message. Instantly, they nodded and left the hall. Now, only Konrad and the "astounded Rati" remained behind.
"Act? What do you mean by that?"
Rati's eyes blinked and narrowed in a show of puzzlement while her lips pursed and confusion laced her tone. Konrad's smile remained unchanged.
"Moon, you were never a good actress. Stop this nonsense."
As the words echoed, Rati's blinking stopped, the confusion vanished, and her lips curled into a smirk.
"Oh. Exposed already? How frustrating."
Moon replied, and her appearance changed, going from Rati's peerless beauty to the figure of a young woman with back-length, blood-red hair and eyes. Dressed in a purple, backless dress, with luminous skin, perfect full-lips and engrossing phoenix eyes that only served to strengthen the effect of her flawless curves, that woman stood with a transcendental beauty putting the sun and moon to shame.
But that change was of minimal consequence when compared to her cultivation base which went from the early-stage of the Legendary God Rank straight to the peak of the Primordial God Rank, thereby marking that woman as one of the mightiest individuals of all Realms!
"When did you recognize me?"
Moon asked while crossing the stairs to stop before Konrad.
"Since you killed Kama, of course. But then again, it's not like you were trying to not get recognized."
Konrad leisurely replied while his eyes remained locked on Moon's crimson hues. Nodding in approval, she knelt beside his right thigh and while resting her elbows on it, held her cheeks within her cupped hands.
"Touché. The game was about how long you took to spot me, not about forever evading discovery. Thank you for humoring me, it made the whole thing more exciting."
Moon's acknowledgment was followed by a snap of her fingers, and in a twister of crimson moonlight, an unconscious Rati appeared right above the stairs. Konrad waved his left hand, and Rati vanished from the scene to land on her bed within the Sea Dream Temple.
"Though, I'm curious. Back when you arrived there was no way you could have known my position. Why did you choose her?"
Konrad inquired, causing Moon's lips to widen in a wolfish grin.
"Because she's the most beautiful, of course. Having done my homework, I could guess that as long you stayed in Heaven, you would undoubtedly target its most beautiful devi. Rati and the Sea Dream Temple would be your first stop. When your bloodline reached Quasi Firmament-level and caused the Firmament Tree to resonate, Blood Nether and I traced the link to Heaven.
After you played that trick on her, I researched the Celestial World and chose the Sea Dream Temple as my destination. To prevent suspicion, I waited for you to create your sect, the moment when you were deep in pill refinement and providing guidance to your daughter and disciple to make my move.
Using my Truth Transcendence, I took Rati's spot and trapped her in a miniature space world of mine.
She never saw it coming."
Moon explained while studying the changes in Konrad's expression. There were none. At least not that she could see.
"Setting games aside, what do you want?"
"You, of course you."
The response was instantaneous, and in that brief exchange, the intensity of their stares rose by 10,000 fold, creating palpable tension onlookers would have found unnerving.
"Regretless will die by my sword. That is inevitable. Anyone that stands on my path to becoming the Sovereign Ruler of the Omniverse, l either tame or kill. The entirety of your little family is doomed to get torn by me. Knowing that, you still wish to stand by me?
Make no mistake. I am not that Dragon Warden and have zero tolerance for indecisiveness. You can only be 300% with me."
Konrad clarified, and as if prepared for those words, Moon nodded in approval.
"How about taking my cultivation base?"
Moon offered, making the unprepared Konrad arch his eyebrows.
