Chapter 4576: I’ll Just Watch

Werdlem Empire, Werdlem Universe, the Dimensional Realm where the Emperor’s Palace was located...

Soza Werdlem had been dealing with a great many problems ever since the twins’ group escaped. Even after hundreds of thousands of years had passed, the fact that the Werdlem Empire was no longer isolated only brought more and more trouble.

The Empire had already been attacked three times during that period, although it had easily fended off every invasion. At the end of the day, the Werdlem Empire was still the most powerful force in the Vinx Great Void, and its ability to control the cultivation of its own experts through the Werdlem Divine Stones remained one of its greatest advantages.

The threat of having their cultivation destroyed through the stones was constantly used to warn everyone against betraying the Empire.

The problem with that approach was that it only worked as long as those experts remained within the Werdlem Empire’s Network. If they managed to leave it, even the Werdlem Empire could no longer remotely destroy their cultivation. That possibility had naturally encouraged many experts to attempt escaping without alerting anyone, although most were discovered before they could get far.

Their actions also created another problem: having such a powerful grip over their own experts certainly didn’t make the so-called ’hostages’ happy. Still, the Werdlem Empire now needed every expert it could get its hands on, so those who were caught attempting to escape were usually pardoned as long as they were strong enough to be worth keeping.

They were only given one chance, though.

If the same expert attempted to escape again, and many inevitably did, the Werdlem Empire would destroy their cultivation immediately. It was a harsh measure, but Soza couldn’t afford to show weakness at a time when the entire Great Void was watching the Empire’s every move.

Soza knew the truth behind the attacks as well. The other major powers weren’t simply trying to conquer the Werdlem Empire right away. They were testing its defenses, probing its strength, and trying to determine just how much power it still possessed. No one was particularly interested in seeing the Werdlem Empire return to its former position and once again dominate the entire Vinx Great Void.

That was precisely why Soza had also requested assistance from the Werdlem Empire in the Celestial Plane. The Empire possessed enough power there to send experts down to Vinx, and Soza had indeed received such reinforcements. Those Celestial Plane Experts were another reason why the Werdlem Empire’s position, although far less secure than before, was still not something the other powers could simply crush.

In any case, Soza expected many more years of problems to come. The only way he could imagine escaping this situation was if he were relieved of his position as Emperor and allowed to return to the Celestial Plane. Unfortunately, judging from the current circumstances, that didn’t seem likely to happen anytime soon.

—

Inside the palace, Soza could be seen sitting on the throne with three experts on each side of him, six in total. All six were Celestial Plane Experts sent down to ensure that the Werdlem Empire’s footing in the Vinx Great Void remained secure.

The Werdlem Empire in the Celestial Plane needed experts like them, after all. Ascenders were always considered exceptionally talented cultivators, and finding suitable experts to send up was easier than waiting for them to be born up there.

"So you’re saying the Garisan Empire joined forces with Soumei and Klafausk?" Soza asked with a dark expression.

The subordinate standing before him immediately confirmed it. "That’s what our spies are reporting. As Senior Soza knows, various alliances are beginning to take form, all of them expecting to get a cut of the pie once our Werdlem Empire falls. This is simply the latest one we’ve discovered. It’s just..."

The subordinate hesitated, and Soza immediately understood what he was about to say.

Soza narrowed his eyes. "The Garisan Empire has the Lisan Universe as a vassal, the same universe those guys came from... and the same place where the Primordial Demon Beasts fled to."

Soza obviously remembered that very well. It was the twins’ group’s universe, after all. Not only that, but it was also the universe where his daughter now lived after fleeing there to marry Soul Gem. He hadn’t contacted his daughter ever since the day the twins’ group released all the Primordial Demon Beasts.

"Exactly," the subordinate confirmed. "Perhaps the Primordial Demon Beasts might get involved with the alliance Garisan joined."

"What about those four?" Soza asked, referring to the twins’ group. "They were already annoying enough back then. Any news about them?"

The subordinate shook his head. "We have a few spies in Lisan, but all information regarding them has been completely locked down. No one knows where they went or what they are doing."

Soza leaned back against his throne and sighed. "Everything happened because of them, so it would be idiotic not to consider the possibility that they will get involved again. Tell our spies to keep their eyes open for any information about them. I want to know what they’re doing, especially since the Primordial Demon Beasts will probably follow whatever they say. They owe those twins for freeing them."

He paused before adding, "Also... see if you can find anything about my daughter. This is not a priority, though."

The subordinate nodded. "Understo—"

Before he could finish the word, another voice suddenly echoed through the throne room.

"Father, if you wish to speak to me, you could have come to Lisan yourself. No, maybe that would have been too reckless. Oh well, that’s not a problem. I’m here now."

*Zush! Zush! Zush! Zush! Zush! Zush! Zush!*

Several figures suddenly appeared out of thin air in the middle of the throne room, right in the midst of the meeting between the Werdlem Empire’s various top experts and high-ranking personnel.

Soza immediately shot to his feet, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Fila!!!"

It was obviously his daughter. However, she wasn’t alone.

The moment the figures appeared, the six Celestial Plane Experts beside Soza immediately released their cultivation. The atmosphere in the throne room became heavy as their pressure spread through the area, and every expert present instinctively raised their guard.

They were right to do so.

Standing beside Fila was a certain white-haired man who was smiling brightly at everyone in the room.

Who else could it be if not Rean?

"Yo! Long time no see, Senior Soza!" Rean greeted cheerfully. "Fila here said she wanted to talk to you, so I brought her along. Now, come! Show me that long and emotional hug between father and daughter I was promised!"

Soza’s mouth twitched.

Rean then paused as though he had only just remembered something.

"Oh, by the way..." He pointed toward the three other figures who had accompanied him. "These are your grandkids. You can have your sweet family reunion together. I’ll just watch on the sidelines. I even brought coffee!"

The entire throne room fell silent.

Soza stared at his daughter.

Then at Rean.

Then at the three figures standing behind them.

For perhaps the first time in a very long while, the Emperor of the Werdlem Empire had absolutely no idea what to say.

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