The gates of the Emperor's Palace opened slowly.
The guards standing on either side stiffened the moment they sensed his presence. Their hands tightened around their weapons—but they did not move. No one dared to block his path.
Keil Voss walked forward.
His steps echoed softly across the polished stone floor.
In the past, this scene would have been different.
Every time he entered the palace before, he wore a faint smile. He greeted the guards, exchanged polite words, and acknowledged their loyalty. Many of them admired him. Some even respected him more than they respected the elders.
But today—
He did not even look at them.
It was as if they did not exist.
His face was expressionless. His eyes were sharp, cold, and distant, like a blade that had already decided where it would cut. The warmth he once carried was gone, erased by time, betrayal, and death.
The guards felt it clearly.
This Keil Voss was not the man they knew.
Something had changed.
As he walked deeper into the palace, the pressure in the air subtly increased. Immortal formations hidden within the walls responded faintly, reacting to his presence. Even the palace itself seemed to acknowledge him.
At the far end of the grand hall sat a figure upon a towering throne.
The Emperor of the Voss Family.
Castrophin Voss.
He sat calmly, his posture relaxed yet dignified, as if the throne were an extension of his existence. His aura was vast and steady, the unmistakable presence of a true immortal. On his chest, visible even beneath his robe, was the mark of a Spiritual Tiger—a scar he had carried since birth.
That mark was proof of his destiny.
From the moment he was born, Castrophin Voss had been declared a prodigy.
Not once in a hundred years.
Not once in a thousand.
But once in a million years.
His name alone carried weight across regions.
As Keil Voss stopped before the throne, Castrophin's eyes narrowed slightly. He looked down at the young man standing fearlespsly in front of him.
Too fearless.
There was no hesitation.
No respect.
No emotion.
Keil Voss met his gaze without lowering his head.
"Greetings, Emperor Castrophin Voss," Keil said calmly.
"I require cultivation resources from the clan treasury."
His voice was cold and direct.
"I will be participating in the Chosen Enlightenment."
The hall fell silent.
For a brief moment, Capstrophin studied him carefully. This Keil Voss felt… unfamiliar. Gone was the polite genius who smiled easily and spoke with warmth. What stood before him now felt closer to an ancient sovereign awakening from a long sleep.
After a pause, the Emperor shook his head lightly.
"Resources?" he said.
"You may request them from your sister."
He gestured calmly behind Keil Voss.
Keil Voss did not turn immediately.
He was not surprised.
In fact, he had expected this.
Although no one had ever told him he had a sister in this life, he already knew her.
He had met her before.
In his previous life.
Slowly, Keil Voss turned around.
Behind him stood a young woman.
Her posture was straight, her expression composed, but her eyes revealed hidden tension. She carried a noble aura, refined and sharp, yet inexperienced compared to the storms Keil had already endured.
Her name surfaced clearly in his mind.
"Seraphine Voss," Keil said coldly.
"If I am not mistaken."
The words struck like thunder.
Castrophin Voss's expression changed for the first time.
Seraphine herself froze.
"How…?" the Emperor thought sharply.
No one had introduced her.
No record of her identity was public.
Yet Keil Voss spoke her name with certainty, without hesitation.
Seraphine felt a chill run down her spine.
The man before her did not match the stories she had heard. He was not the friendly, smiling genius spoken of in whispers. The aura surrounding him was oppressive, ancient, and terrifyingly calm.
Still, she bowed her head.
Not out of respect.
But instinct.
"Greetings, Brother," she said carefully.
"I am surprised that you know my name. I am… glad."
Her words were polite.
Her tone respectful.
But Keil Voss felt no warmth from them.
And he did not respond in kind.
"I do not have time for unnecessary conversation," he said flatly.
"Take me to the clan resource room."
Seraphine's eyes widened slightly.
She was shocked.
Yet she could not refuse.
The pressure he carried made refusal feel impossible.
"…Yes," she replied quietly.
She turned and led the way.
The clan resource room was located deep within the palace, protected by multiple layers of formations and seals. As the doors opened, a brilliant light spilled outward.
The room was vast.
Beautiful.
Shelves upon shelves filled the space, each containing ancient books, jade scrolls, sealed boxes, and rare treasures. Spiritual energy was so dense that the air itself felt heavy.
Some items radiated the aura of sixth-rank treasures.
Others reached seventh-rank—objects that could cause wars outside the clan.
Keil Voss walked in without hesitation.
He did not marvel.
He did not pause.
His eyes scanned the room with precision, as if he had already memorized its contents.
Then he reached out.
Without thinking, he took a book.
Its cover was dark and worn, its title engraved in ancient script.
The Sovereignty.
Below the title, a single line was carved:
"The heavens are benevolent—
until their roots reach beneath hell."
Seraphine's heart skipped a beat.
That book…
It was not ordinary.
It contained ancient formations, forbidden techniques, and insights into dominion over laws themselves. Even elders hesitated to study it.
Keil Voss opened it briefly, scanned a few pages, then closed it.
"This will do," he said calmly.
Next, he moved toward a sealed jade container.
Inside rested a medicinal grass.
Its roots were deep red, almost black, twisting unnaturally.
Red-Rooted Poison.
A second-rank medicinal herb.
Extremely dangerous.
If used incorrectly, it could tear apart one's cultivation foundation or cause fatal ripples within the Drieverend Heart.
Most cultivators avoided it entirely.
But Keil Voss picked it up without hesitation.
He had used it before.
He knew exactly how to refine it.
"How reckless…" Seraphine thought.
But she did not dare speak.
"These are sufficient," Keil Voss said calmly.
"With this, reaching the Soul Transcend Realm will not be difficult."
He paused slightly.
"Considering my current foundation… third rank."
Seraphine's breath caught.
He spoke as if advancement were guaranteed.
As if realms were merely steps.
Keil Voss turned and walked past her.
She felt a chill as he passed, as if death itself had brushed her shoulder.
They moved deeper into the palace.
Eventually, they reached a quiet cultivation room.
Inside, spiritual herbs were arranged carefully, forming a natural gathering array. At the center of the room sat a young woman, her eyes closed as she cultivated.
Her aura was gentle.
Focused.
Pure.
Keil Voss did not look at her.
He walked in and sat down calmly.
His gaze was sharp.
His focus absolute.
He opened The Sovereignty and began to cultivate.
At first, nothing happened.
Then—
The air trembled.
Spiritual energy surged violently toward him, drawn in like a collapsing star. Ancient formations within the book activated, resonating with his soul.
An immense aura erupted.
The young woman's eyes snapped open.
Her pupils shrank in shock.
"That presence—" she whispered.
"Isn't that… Keil Voss of the Voss Family?"
The terrifying demon from the previous life—
Had already begun to rise again.