Carter Landford stood as the pinnacle of the Langford family, an Adept Greater Sovereign whose very presence commanded reverence. Even Lawson Langford, the family patriarch, had to bow before him.
He was the true emblem of the Langford family’s power, the backbone of their dominance in Slatin, and the continuation of their century-long legacy. The guardian of the Langford family.
A recluse who only emerged when absolutely necessary, Carter was the ultimate protector of the Langford name.
“Uncle Carter, my father died so tragically!” Chase Langford clung to Carter’s leg, his tears and snot staining the elder’s robes. “You have to seek justice for him! You must kill Lord Valerian Nox!”
“Lord Valerian Nox? What an arrogant name,” Carter’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
For decades, Carter had secluded himself in the mountains, focusing solely on cultivation, seeking to ascend to greater realms. He remained ignorant of worldly affairs for over forty years, detached from the mundane struggles of the Langford family. If not for his retreat, the position of family head would never have fallen to Lawson Langford.
“There are surveillance cameras in the courtyard, aren’t there? Bring me the footage. I need to see who’s responsible!”
The Langford family, in their quest to secure their throne in Slatin, had made countless enemies. Their estate was monitored by hundreds of cameras, ensuring the highest level of security and protection against assassins.
Chase hurried to provide the footage.
Carter turned on the tablet. Barely three seconds passed before his entire body froze. His brain felt like it had exploded, his face drained of color, and sweat poured in heavy droplets, splattering onto the floor. His eyes were filled with pure terror.
“Uncle Carter, you saw it, didn’t you?” Chase exclaimed, misinterpreting Carter’s reaction. “That man is an Earthly Sovereign! He nearly obliterated our security and crushed my father’s skull with a single blow!”
“He’s Flynn, Clark family’s outcast! He came here seeking revenge!” Chase explained, believing Carter was stunned by Lord Valerian Nox’s overwhelming power.
But before Chase could finish, the tablet slipped from Carter’s trembling hands and shattered on the ground. Carter fell to his knees, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.
“Uncle Carter! What’s wrong with you?” Chase and the others were utterly confused.
“This… this can’t be… He’s not just an Earthly Sovereign. Calling him that is an insult!” Carter stammered, his voice weak and trembling like a dying man’s final whispers.
“Uncle Carter, what are you mumbling about? Hurry up and tell us! Wait… what did you just say? Calling him an Earthly Sovereign is an insult? Who are you talking about? Lord Valerian Nox? Do you know him? What level is he?” Chase’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“He’s the King of the Underworld!” Carter’s voice broke as he spoke, his expression filled with despair. “The invincible ruler, the weapon of humanity, the Emperor of Emperors! A being above all, who controls the very rules of the world!”
Carter’s words were like a death knell echoing through the room. His voice was barely audible, as if even speaking the name was a forbidden act.
It wasn’t until he saw Flynn’s face in the footage that Carter realized Lord Valerian Nox was the same King of the Underworld he had once pleaded with for guidance. Years ago, Carter had spent six months on the outskirts of Demon Island, begging for instruction. The King of the Underworld had eventually granted him a single technique, but Carter never dared to inquire further or even look him in the eyes.
The true identity of Lord Valerian Nox was a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few: Maxwell Grey, Nate Black, the eight Heavenly Kings who had stayed on Demon Island, and Lyra. Beyond those on the island, fewer than thirty people worldwide knew that Lord Valerian Nox and the King of the Underworld were one and the same.
Even the most powerful families, like the Eahta clans, waited respectfully outside Demon Island, their heads bowed. They feared both the monstrous dangers within and the King’s unfathomable power.
“W-what?” Chase stammered, his voice trembling.
Suddenly, it felt as though a hundred thunderbolts had struck the Langford estate. Everyone froze, their faces pale as their souls seemed to leave their bodies.
Terror.
Shock.
An icy despair crept into their hearts.
Who could have imagined that the outcast of the Clark family was, in fact, an invincible god-like figure?
Calling Flynn an Earthly Sovereign was an insult? He was the Emperor of Emperors, the one who held the rules of creation in his grasp?
The Clark family was doomed. Completely and utterly doomed.
The irony was unbearable. The Clark family had celebrated the emergence of their own Greater Sovereign as though it were the dawn of a new era. Yet, they had cast aside the man who surpassed all of their achievements by leagues.
“Paxton, do you even realize what you’ve done? You’ve personally pushed the Clark family into an abyss from which it can never return!”
“Uncle Carter, if I’d known you knew Lord Valerian Nox, I would have mentioned your name earlier!” Chase lamented. “Didn’t Lord Valerian Nox promise to help the Langford family? If he recognizes you, he might spare my father…”
“Enough!” Carter spat blood, his face pale as death.
“Chase, Lord Valerian Nox is here in Slatin. Do you want to get me killed with your nonsense? Do you think I have the power to command someone like him? I survived Demon Island by sheer luck! Do you understand? Luck!”
Carter collapsed into a chair, his body trembling.
The Langford family members exchanged nervous glances.
“So, what do we do now?” Chase asked hesitantly.
Carter took a deep breath and slowly stood. His voice, now firm and commanding, reverberated through the room.
“Gather everyone-every Langford family member, every relative, no matter their age or condition. Infants, the elderly, even those bedridden. By tomorrow morning, everyone must assemble at the Langford estate.”
“We will go together to beg Lord Valerian Nox for forgiveness!”
“Lawson Langford is guilty. There will be no grand funeral. Wrap him in a straw mat and bury him. He is not to be interred in the family tomb!”