In a gray light beam, Olrich reappeared in Verena's quarters, hovering in the air with his aura unconstrained. Shivering in fright, the eunuchs and maids all dropped on the ground, unable to utter a word. And as the clattering of their teeth echoed, in a gray beam, Verena arrived.
Mid-air, she stopped before Olrich, her silver eyes staring directly into his.
"Your majesty, to what do I owe such an…overbearing visit?"
She asked, her tone showcasing a mild confusion.
"My beloved holy empress, where were you when my traitorous son rebelled?"
Olrich asked, his lips still flashing the same smile he'd given Konrad.
"Oh? Here, of course. Could the son you personally raised possibly threaten you? Impossible. And I know your majesty wouldn't want me to get hurt in the crossfire so, I could only wait for the good news."
Verena began. However, feeling the fate power rippling from Olrich's form, she gave a congratulatory bow.
"Congratulations, your majesty, for breaking through the Fate Wrestling Saint Rank."
"You're not wondering why my cultivation has reached this level?"
"Why should I care?"
Verena replied to Olrich's inquiry, causing him to burst into laughter.
"Good, very good. You truly are my good wife. All these years, I've not loved you in vain.
Alas, today, for the sake of the imperial family's growth and prosperity, I must ask you to forsake yourself and sacrifice your life.
Verena, are you willing?"
Hearing this, Verena's lips curled into a smile.
"So…my time has come?"
She asked, undisturbed. Her words allowing Olrich to realize she was now aware of the entirety of his ploy.
"Indeed. But don't worry, you are not vanishing from this world, you're joining me…throughout eternity. Our union shall outlast heaven and earth, for you will…always be within me!"
Olrich proclaimed and activated the Soul Worm. Instantly, Verena's false soul world collapsed to reveal the awakened worm that now crawled within the real soul world.
As soon as it rose, Verena lost all control of her body, limply dropping onto the ground like a lifeless puppet.
Seeing this, the eunuchs and maids were all alarmed.
"Your majesty!"
They roared, and many tried to rush to her aid. But with a wave of his hand, Olrich turned them all into ashes, then landed before Verena who knelt with glazed eyes on the ground.
"387 years of conjugal bonds. You were but a girl when we got married, and at that time, deep within your eyes, genuine affection existed.
But although I knew that you've long since stopped loving me, that deep down, you even scorned me, I have never mistreated you.
Do you think I don't know that three-hundred years ago, you started taking fertility medicines to make sure you wouldn't bear me children?
Still, I never said anything, even removing all the spies and threats by your side to grant you true freedom.
Wenzel's mother tried to poison you, so I killed her.
For those 387 years, Verena, I loved you the best I could, and dare say that no empress has ever been more cherished than you."
Olrich muttered with his eyes shut. He then extended his hand toward Verena, causing her body to fly toward him, and clasped her forehead within his palm.
"A pity that what I love, I must destroy.
A shame that your death is a necessity for my rise. So please, my beloved, die, and join me in true union…for eternity."
Olrich's eyes opened, and within, dementia clearly blazed!
But at that time, a limpid river bloated the sky and descended upon him. Pushing Verena aside, Olrich aimed his hands at the transparent river, causing dozens of massive lightning bolts to hammer it from above.
*BOOOM*
The river collapsed, revealing a crimson dressed, unparalleled beauty who leisurely hovered within the air while her ink-like hairs cascaded at her back.
If not Else, who could it be?
And within her right hand, she held a cracked silver mirror that rippled with the power of time.
Else waved her hand, and Verena vanished to appear by her side. Without delay, she shoved one of Gulistan's pills into her mouth.
The pill's effect immediately kicked in, trapping the soul worm in a golden cage.
Awareness returned to Verena's eyes, and she regained her balance, standing by Else's side with a complicated look.
"I didn't expect that at this juncture, you'd show up."
"Don't misunderstand. I don't care about your life and death. However, someone is bound to care. For that someone, I must show up."
Else emotionlessly replied, causing Verena's lips to curl into a smile. Their eyes then returned onto Olrich who remained undisturbed.
"Why you choose to stand up for Verena, I don't know. But since you appear at this juncture, you must know my aim.
Do you really think that relying on an incomplete Divine Artifact, you can stop me? Let's not even mention the toll it will take on you. Even if it brought you no harm, you'd still fail to contend with me."
Olrich declared, and though she wished to disagree, Else was forced to admit that his words were facts.
Having inherited Adelar's foundation and net worth, Olrich no longer feared anyone within the secular world.
This was a hopeless battle.
But at that time, though the sun still hanged high in the heavens, the sky darkened, overtaken by a massive wave of darkness that spread throughout the Holy Flame city!
And alongside it, bringing a vast, terrible aura that many ancient cultivators could recognize at a glance!
Feeling it, Olrich shivered, and his eyes widened in stupor.
"No…it can't be. Why would she…and the aura…the intensity…no!"
But alas, heaven disagreed with Olrich, and within the sky, a figure dropped.
Unmatched sex appeal, tyrannical martial air and killing intent swirled around the hessonite-eyed beauty that landed before Verena and Else.
"They can't contend with you, but what about me?"
Although the eyes had changed color, the voice always echoed within Olrich's mind with one name:
Yvonne Voight!
"How could this be? Your cultivation is…restored?"
Olrich frowned, but then, he realized the mistake.
"No. It is in the process of being restored. Right now, you're just at the peak of the Profound Saint Rank. Even if your strength goes against heaven's will, you cannot oppose me!"
Olrich roared while rising into the air to face the female trio. In the past, the peak-stage True Origin Saint Yvonne was evenly matched with the peak Crossed Tribulation Saint Adalwin.
Today's Olrich didn't lose out to the Adalwin of that time. Therefore, he was unafraid.
However, rage flared in his eyes! Who was it? Who played tricks against him and managed to free Yvonne of her poison?
Who tampered with his possession?!
Why were three women without connections suddenly standing side by side? Who was to blame?!
Answer, he needed an answer!
And as if reading through his mind, Verena replied:
"A man, of course. The most outstanding man under the heavens, with bedchamber skills you can only dream of. I've lost counts of how many times he filled me with his delightful spunk."
Following Verena's shameless words, Yvonne nodded.
"Well-said. Indeed, an outstanding man binds us. As for whether I can oppose you or not, let's find out!
Awaken, and drown my enemies in inferno!
Hell's Reach!"
In a shocking storm of black flames and dark sand, a pitch-black spear around which a serpent coiled appeared and fell into Yvonne's hand.
This was her lineage weapon, Hell's Reach!
Wielding it, the intensity of Yvonne's aura skyrocketed, and with her windblown hairs dancing at her back, she looked like the incarnation of a war goddess!
And feeling this earthshaking might, Olrich trembled.
Still, it wasn't enough for him to back off! And following their words, how could he ever retreat?
Cheated! Cuckolded! Robbed blind! He'd been robbed blind!
But as his rage, rancor and indignation reached a breaking point, a foreign male voice boomed within his head.
"Olrich von Jurgen, I have taken all your children captive. If you don't back off, I will kill them all! Forever barring you from the supremacy you seek!
Try me if you dare!"
