Immortal Kingdoms

Other than high mountains with signs of artificial cave dwellings deep within them, the territory of the energy vein had deep valleys and cracked landscapes. These were the scars of endless war and slaughter for the forceful occupation of this land, at least that was until Xavier and company invaded Arcadia.

To cope with the ruthless intervention, each faction involved decided to back down, save for the Elven and Beastkin Domains, who were led to continue fighting under the presence of either a debt of blood or in the name of honor and grace.

Soon enough, the beastkin forces pulled back while the stronger tribes didn't offer any hints of preparations for future retaliation. Of course, they didn't think a retaliation was necessary since the beastkin who involved themselves with the struggles of the world without enough power had no one but themselves to blame.

If Xavier and company descended on the Beastkin Domain, it would have been an entirely different story. Of course, if the Forbidden Domain also had a Sovereign watching over it, then entering this planet might have proved a bit too difficult.

On this scorched landscape of mountain chains, crimson dried blood, and the thick odor of death, Leonardo entered with Wendy following behind him.

In this venture, the teacher-student pair would be more than enough, especially since only a few High Saints could threaten the current Wendy.

"A few of them should try to assassinate me now that we left Valdmor," Leonardo tucked his palms away into his pants pockets, his long coat rustling with the wind, much like his long silver hair.

"Will they really dare to do that, Teacher?" Wendy, clad in a skin-tight white combat uniform with a short cape just above beneath her rear shoulder bones, currently pressed down by her long multicolored hair, had her brows creased while following behind Leonardo.

"Your cultivation increased too quickly so you didn't have the time necessary to explore the full capabilities of having a martial intent, a domain, and spiritual strength. Try to keep your martial intent to a minimum, instead of supplementing your domain with your martial intent, try doing it with your spiritual strength." Leonardo looked back at this student of his whom he hadn't really taught or guided through anything of substance. Still, she continued to respect him as her teacher even after obtaining such a powerful helper, making him feel embarrassed.

He continued in a low voice, "That's the correct way to scan your surroundings with your consciousness, at least until you are strong enough to detect laws and actively avoid making contact with them, as these laws will confuse your senses. Anyone can sense these gaps in the law, thus they could occupy the regions with the most active natural laws, preferably if they correspond to their martial intents be it acquired or innate, avoiding your perception."

"I'll try this immediately!"

Wendy called back her chaotic spiritual strength and its obvious fluctuations. Then, she silently dispatched her domain first to sense for the faults in law.

She realized that they were spots of high elemental density such as locations that perhaps served as a point of collision between very powerful saints in the past, leaving space unstable and the elements in chaos. Whenever her spiritual strength swept past that area earlier, it would distort her perception without her being aware of it.

Now though, she could sense the discrepancy in the fabric of spatial laws and the various elements, and this was the case for plenty more regions where the eye couldn't see. Since the laws of her domain were of a higher tier, she could easily pick up on these deficiencies, mend them, and allow her spiritual strength to flow unhindered.

Suddenly, she began to notice the presence of people in stealth, though their figures didn't sell out their age and gender, it was obvious that they were cultivators with a base minimum of level 45 and at most of the base level 58.

"I found them!"

Wendy's eyes snapped open, joy rippling within their depths at how easily she found a few hidden assassins.

"Alright then, what are you waiting for?"

Leonardo chuckled lightly, giving this young woman a weird look.

Wendy stared blankly for a moment, responding, "They haven't made a move yet, what if we're not their targets?"

Leonardo's eyes grew sharp, "Just because they haven't made a move yet, we can't take the initiative? What logic is that? In a competition involving riches and cultivators, if they're not your allies then they're definitely your enemies. In a battle to the death, in any battle at all, always grasp the initiative."

Leonardo then looked into the distance.

"I don't have the time to play by the rules of the textbook, I won't wait for them to slowly expose their cards of psychological warfare, power is the most direct thing. If I'm not mistaken, those people are only here to scout, while the true forces are being rallied up outside Valdmor to be sent over with plans to occupy the distributed territory."

Wendy blinked, tilting her head, "Then, why didn't you bring your army? I don't think we had the time and resources to organize a troop…"

Leonardo gave Wendy a weird, silent look.

Wendy stared back blankly for a moment before gasping, "Teacher, you don't mean… Isn't that a bit too much?"

To have her, a level 64 saint who merged with the remnant incarnation of a celestial core, fight an army composed entirely of mortals with a few vanguard saints…

Although her level is technically two levels short of becoming a certified High Saint, killing your ordinary third-cycle saints wasn't particularly difficult for Wendy, especially with her ridiculous physical index of abilities.

Her lack of experience using domains and martial techniques is compensated by her close-quarters combat experience, augmented by her physical body which is the equivalent of a divine, only a Sovereign has the chance to make her stay behind if she wished to leave.

"Don't be naive; you're not bullying the weak. Their strength lies in their numbers and connections, while my strength lies in you and my followers. Although those people haven't personally attacked us, they most likely reported our whereabouts and destination." Leonardo then began to curiously inspect the terrain.

"If I'm not wrong, we should be flooded by a sea of cultivators anytime soon. However, they should be limited to the forces under the influence of House Erudite, I don't believe House Exodia would dare act against me with Aria present."

King Austin, King Ivar, and Queen Adeline are the only outsiders aware of Aria's presence in Arcadia, not even the realm king or the Sovereigns are capable of detecting her whereabouts.

The celestial incarnations and Aria aren't particularly cautious about the realm king, but they can't ignore the behemoth behind him; Interstellar Supreme Court. Thus, while everyone might think that this is a three-way fight, it has always been a fight between Leonardo and Lexus.

Whether King Ivar made a move or not will depend on the outcome of this upcoming confrontation.

"Do you understand now? Although they may look like they have yet to make a move against me, I can guarantee that they've already sent out reports to Valdmor about my current whereabouts, and those sanctimonious men of faith are most likely rushing to put their troops in order with their filthy, low life propaganda." After reaching the epicenter of the region, Leonardo sat down near a crack so deep he could see the energy veins below.

He smiled.

"This should be a good spot for cultivation, you handle the stray dogs that rush here. However many come, just kill them all. Sigh, if you killed those rats behind the mountains earlier, perhaps it wouldn't escalate to the point where you'd need to massacre an entire deluded army."