After listening to Josephine's account, Aurek finally understood.

Why were there so many empires in the Eastern Domain? Why could those so-called supreme factions stand above even the royal houses? This was how the extraordinary manipulated worldly power to climb the ladder of status—a method by which transcendents used secular authority to achieve their own ascent.

Aurek wasn't interested in so-called heritage accumulation, but one point caught his attention.

"Stellar Rank and Sage Rank experts hide themselves because of the Heavens?"

Josephine nodded.

"The calamity of the Heavens isn't as simple as ordinary divine punishment. It descends in many different forms and annihilates everything. So Stellar Rank and Sage Rank powerhouses aren't merely reclusive—they're in hiding. Only when they are absolutely certain can they make a move; otherwise, the accumulation of endless ages could be wiped out in an instant."

The two old men secluding themselves in Crimson Hills, the elder guarding Oracle Mountain, and the ancient monster of the Ordon Theocracy who dared not step outside—this was the reason for them all. It followed that the hand of rules that had appeared earlier should belong to those old monsters who dared not emerge.

Granted, a quasi–Overlord Rank power that had沉淀 (settled) tens of millennia of heritage might be close to a true Overlord Rank, with numerous Peak-Master-Rank subordinates and a great many Grandmasters. But among those quasi-Overlord forces capable of preserving an Overlord-level foundation across tens of thousands of years or even longer—how many could there be? As for true Overlord Rank powers, they were rarer still.

"In my empire, there will be no soil for them to live in," Aurek said. "No matter how high above they stand now, they will fall. No matter how magnificent they seem, they will collapse."

His tone allowed no doubt.

At present he could nurture 1,800 summoned units a day. With an ample reserve of Emperor Points, he could upgrade the summoning authority to Level 7; then he would be able to nurture two to three thousand soldiers each day with power on par with Peak Master Rank.

Tens of thousands of years of accumulation? He would need only a couple of weeks—half a month would suffice.

Josephine spoke with concern. "Your Majesty truly intends to move against those giants?"

Aurek did not answer. He intended not only to act, but to erase them completely.

After the empire finished dealing with the remaining kingdoms, the Crossbridge Empire would be facing the Eastern Domain's top empires head-on—Filo, Selene, Goldflow, Pud, and others. Without moving against those giants, there would never be enough Emperor Points. Cleaning up a force like the Morningstar Order was a drop in the bucket.

Those giants wished to carve up the empire's national fortune; Aurek wished to swallow them whole. Only, before devouring them, he would first feed them a little sweetness and keep them growing.

…

Back at the palace.

The queen's residence, Roseries Palace, had already been prepared. Josephine took up residence there, and Aurek headed for the grand hall.

Today's summoning cycle produced another 1,800 new soldiers. Aurek then chose to redeem the newly refreshed summoning unit from the store.

Before long, another summoning authority appeared within the Emperor's Scepter. Unlike the previous ones, the scepter now reflected a space vortex like a swirl of stars.

[Summoning Unit: Spatial Attribute / Level 1]

[Void Warlock Count: 0]

[Initial Level: 1]

[Emperor Points Required to Upgrade: 1,500]

[Skills: Transdimensional Leap, Spatial Fracture, Nether Cage]

[Note: A Level 1 Void Warlock authority can nurture 10 Void Warlocks per day. Void Warlocks command the power of space and possess Transdimensional Leap, Spatial Fracture, and Nether Cage.]

[Additional Reward: Spatial Attribute granted, with the same skills attached.]

Lines of introduction appeared in succession. Aurek's eyes lit up.

The spatial attribute—this was what he had always anticipated. Time and space grant existence to the world; it is one of the strongest attributes under heaven.

Transdimensional Leap could construct a void passage for teleportation. Though superficially similar to a teleportation array, the two were worlds apart. As long as a Void Warlock was strong enough, it could teleport across worlds. No matter how far Eura Continent lay, it could construct a Transdimensional Leap to reach any place— even the starry sky and the endless sea of stars. The higher the level, the broader the range. This was the Void Warlock's absolute authority over space.

For the future—troop delivery, material transport, resource collection—this skill would be invaluable.

In addition, Spatial Fracture let a Void Warlock manipulate space within a given area, rending it into deadly dimensional shreds that minced enemies caught inside.

Aurek also received the spatial attribute and the same set of skills. He focused quietly for a long while. With a wave of his hand, the space in the hall solidified like glass, isolating the four directions. As his mind power stirred, spatial force transformed into frost-spike-like spears that instantly filled the sealed zone—then into innumerable dimensional blades that carved it to pieces. The power was terrifying.

Of course, Aurek understood this was only the most basic display of the spatial attribute. Space is among the mightiest attributes in existence: with sufficient power one could create worlds at a whim, teleport to another realm in an instant, imprison dimensional space, or collapse a starfield. For now, however, even the Void Warlock's simple control of space was frightening enough.

Aurek did not hesitate—he resolved to raise the Void Warlock's level.

Upgrading the Elemental Assassin authority to Level 7 required 11 million Emperor Points; Mountain Shieldbearer, 10 million; Life Sorcerer, 11.4 million. Directly raising the Void Warlock authority, however, demanded 26 million.

He currently held over a hundred million Emperor Points—more than enough.

[Void Warlock authority upgraded to Level 7; can nurture 800 Void Warlocks per day.]

[Emperor Points required for the next upgrade: 540 million.]

[Skill Unlocked: Space Domain.]

[Note: Level 7 Void Warlocks can perform Transdimensional Leap over a radius encompassing two hundred city-states.]

Aurek studied the information panel. Though the Emperor Point cost was far higher than for other attributes, it was absolutely worth it. At Level 7, Void Warlock teleportation could cover the entire empire, achieving pinpoint delivery over any distance. One more level, and he could perform targeted teleportation and strikes across the Eastern Domain.

Moreover, the newly unlocked Space Domain was even more terrifying, and the effects of Spatial Fracture and Nether Cage were both enhanced.

Pleased, Aurek upgraded the other summoning authorities as well.

[Elemental Assassin authority raised to Level 7; can nurture 800 Elemental Assassins per day.]

[Emperor Points required for the next upgrade: 230 million.]

[Skills Unlocked: Light of Elements, Darkness Element.]

[Life Sorcerer authority raised to Level 7; can nurture 800 Life Sorcerers per day.]

[Emperor Points required for the next upgrade: 200 million.]

[Mountain Shieldbearer authority raised to Level 7; can nurture 800 Mountain Shieldbearers per day.]

[Note: Level 7 Mountain Shieldbearers possess 4,000 layers of Holy Light Shield.]

[Emperor Points required for the next upgrade: 230 million.]

A full round of upgrades—each day he could now nurture four thousand Level 7 units; except for the Life Sorcerers, all could enter battle immediately. And the Elemental Assassins had unlocked new skills as well.

"Compete in heritage, is it?" Aurek's gaze turned cold. "Then let's compete."

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