"Across those 1,500 years, neither of us are authorized to conduct covert or overt attacks – or infringe on the benefits of the other party. Borders can't be crossed, pressured or threatened in any shape or form.
Of course, I believe that for individuals of our standing, all those petty details are unnecessary."
Celestial Slaughter reminded as the treaty's ratification ended. It then turned into a dazzling light beam, leaving the new Chthonian Verse to stand in the Omniverse's center, splitting it into three halves and setting the new borders. Meanwhile, Regretless finally took the time to sweep the surroundings and digest the world's changes.
If before, seeing a Supreme Konrad backed by 60 broken Forbidden Locks filled him with no small surprise, the sight of Night's Nothingness Supremacy made his eyes widen in disbelief. With a step, he vanished to reappear before him…
*SLAP*
…and slapped him right in the face.
"Disobedient bastard, how dare you?! Is it possible that you too so desperately yearn for power that you're willing to forsake relatives and kin in its pursuits?!"
Regretless snarled as his heart teemed with soaring waves of fury. Alas, even as his rotating body stabilized in the sky, Night gave no reply, merely keeping his eyes closed, and his head lowered. Seeing this, Cloud intervened.
"Elder brother, the situation demanded drastic measures. Night had no other choice."
If the echo of Cloud's mediating voice failed to soothe Regretless' wrath, when he glanced at the eldest of his siblings and registered his All-Transcendent Supreme Will, it somehow reduced.
Alas, his eyes then sought Moon and Blood Nether's. Moon he found, Blood Nether, he didn't. And if the sight of Moon standing among the Chthonian Devils with a cultivation base similar to theirs didn't tell enough tales, her refusal to meet his gaze narrated an insufferable succession of events.
Alarmed, Regretless used his quasi-Omniscience to get a full picture of the events following his curse. What he saw made him stagger.
"Bastards! Bastards! Bastards!"
*Slap* *Slap*
Two slaps followed, this time for both Night and Cloud. Although the two of them were now Supremes, with the immeasurable strength gap between them, in Regretless' hands, they were nothing more than children.
"You–you know that Blood Nether's temper is only more unstable than mine. But not only did you not stop her, you even went as far as staying idle. Waiting until the situation had reached an unredeemable point to make your move!
Damnable bastard!"
Regretless snarled at Cloud before sending him rolling with a violent kick!
He then turned back toward Night!
"You–you have always been the most sensible of the group. Cloud is full of petty compassion and can't handle important matters so I've always relied on you! When the situation proved uncertain, when it became clear the enemy's growth pace surpassed all expectations, why didn't you destroy Heaven and Hell?!
So what if it delayed other plans? At least the enemy would have been forced back into his Realm, unable to make more maneuvers! At least you could have bought yourselves enough time to await my return, and restrain your sister-in-law!
Now good! GOOD! MY WIFE IS GONE!"
Regretless' hysteric roar thundered in the gathered folks' ears, nearly splitting their eardrums. Seeing this, Konrad almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
"Elder brother, the situation wasn't that simple. Blood Nether's intervention was always part of Dragon Warden's equation. By the time she landed in Heaven, she was destined to fall to his ploys. It didn't take five minutes for her Dao Heart to succumb to his tricks. Afterward, she was driven into a contract. Even if we bombed Heaven and Hell, what would that change?
Or were we supposed to sacrifice the safety of Blood Nether's soul for Konrad's? Night only did the best he could with the situation at hand! If you want to blame someone, blame her for being irrational! Blame yourself for falling into torpor! But don't blame him for events he could not control!"
Cloud retorted, and as if nailed by the words, Regretless trembled. Indeed, even in his wildest dreams, he didn't expect that Konrad's growth pace would reach such a horrifying rate. As far as he was concerned, only Celestial Slaughter could harm his relatives. Without tens of thousands of years, Konrad simply couldn't have the strength.
How wrong was he proven!
With a sigh, Regretless turned, sweeping the scene to lock eyes on Moon. Now it was her turn to face her brother's outburst. But as he spun to face her, Regretless' explosive wrath vanished, morphing into bitter disappointment.
"And you, you. Out of all people, you? Have you forgotten our time in the Immortal Blood World? How we toiled day and night, all the hardships we endured to carve open a new path for ourselves?
The mutual reliance, the mutual thrust, the kinship! All go to the gutter because of one man? One man?!"
Even as his tone rose, it was bitterness that laced Regretless' words. In their first lives, Night, Moon and Cloud were blood siblings, with Regretless becoming their sworn brother after rescuing their world from an immortal's assault.
In the second, however, while Night and Cloud still were blood brothers, Moon no longer had any blood tie to them. From that point on, she was Regretless' blood sister. The two not only had the sworn sibling ties of their first life but the blood ties of the second. Calling her his most beloved relative was no exaggeration.
What did he loathe the most? Betrayal. And to him, this was the worst possible betrayal, making Peerless' past sword thrust seem not worth mentioning.
However, oddly, Regretless didn't realize that by uttering those words alone, he had no qualifications to condemn his past love. But as Regretless' bitter, inquisitive gaze nailed her, Moon first lowered her head and clenched her trembling fists.
"Big brother, I'm sorry, but for the sake of the trillions of years spent with you, I hope you can allow me to become selfish. For even if you won't, I will."
Moon replied, further shredding Regretless' heart.
"That being the case, henceforth, you're no longer my sister."
Those were the last words Regretless and Moon would ever tell one another. And when in the future Regretless drew his last breath, among other things, he reminisced them with bitter regret.
His eyes then spun toward Konrad who stood in the sky alongside Celestial Slaughter. Seeing the two standing by side, staring at the scene of his collapsing house, Regretless' face twisted into a grimace.
"Such a good pair of father and son. One is more atrocious than the other! In what life did I commit the grave sin that made me your kin?!"
Regretless couldn't help but snap. But hearing this, Konrad's lips curled into a smile.
"Don't worry, I will send you pictures."
Konrad chided. Though, none on the scene doubted he would be true to his words. And picturing the images of Blood Nether groaning under Konrad, Regretless' eyes went bloodshot.
"What do you want? As long as the cost is mine alone to bear, I will give it to you."
Regretless directly asked. And in his eyes, Konrad sensed an opportunity. Although not a match for Peerless, perhaps Blood Nether's worth in Regretless' heart wasn't as little as she believed.
Though a long shot, there was nothing wrong with trying.
But as Konrad readied to make his offer, Celestial Slaughter's lips curled into a smile, and his gaze peered deep into Regretless'. Instantly, Regretless shook, his bloodshot eyes expanded further, and he bit his lower lip.
"I wan-"
Konrad hadn't even formed two words that Regretless waved his hand, taking Night and Cloud alongside him to rush back to the Firmament!
Now, it was Konrad's turn to see his eyes widening. But in the split of a second, he regained his composure and spun toward Celestial Slaughter.
"What the hell did you tell him?"
It didn't take a genius to figure out the inscrutable father had just sent Regretless a critical mental message.
"Naturally, something he wants to hear."
Celestial Slaughter replied as he rubbed his beardless chin. And even without further explanation, Konrad could guess the gist of it.
"With that said, I have an Empyrean to rebuild. I'd invite you to pay me a visit but…treaties and all that."
Leaving behind no further words, Celestial Slaughter vanished alongside his forces to take official control of his new domain. And with the army at his back, that wouldn't take much time.
