Chapter 1036: Meeting the old saintess
The lady leaned back in her chair, her shadow stretching across the floor as the moonlight poured through the window. Her voice was calm, dismissive even. "Just let him be. You don’t need to concern yourself with such things."
Her fingers tapped gently against the desk as she spoke, each word steady, unwavering. "You should know what it means for a person to have bloomed the ninth-petal lotus during their first Divine Path Lotus Phenomenon. That isn’t mere talent—that is fate itself. A fate larger than this world. He is not shackled by the same chains as we are."
She turned her head ever so slightly, and though Aden still couldn’t see her face, the faint outline of a smile curled against the moonlight.
"Max Voidwalker is a man who walks a path that drowns all others. The more you try to stand in it, the more certain it is you’ll be swallowed whole."
Her words lingered like a prophecy, chilling and undeniable.
Aden’s fiery eyes flickered, but he lowered his head respectfully. "...Understood."
The lady reached for another slice of apple, biting into it slowly, as if the fate of the world were no heavier than her late-night snack.
"One more thing I must address," Aden said slowly. "I have only stood before the Immortal Devil a handful of times in my entire life... but I can say this with absolute certainty: the aura Max is releasing right now—it feels the same. When I stand before him, it’s as though I am standing once again in front of that evil devil."
The young lady behind the desk paused in the act of biting into her apple. For a moment the silence was thick, broken only by the crunch of the fruit. Then she sneered, her voice cutting sharp. "That evil devil?" she echoed, a faint mockery lacing her tone. "It seems you all never truly understood your so-called devil at all."
Her black hair shimmered faintly as moonlight streamed through the window, her face still hidden from Aden. "Whatever happens from now on," she said coldly, "do not interfere with Max’s path. Let him do what he wills. The more you attempt to bind him, the more certain it is that you will only break yourselves upon him."
Aden lowered his head, the weight of her words pressing down. "Understood." With a flicker of fiery aura, his figure vanished, leaving the room in silence once again.
The young lady leaned back in her chair, her lips curling faintly as she gazed at the stars outside. "Max Voidwalker..." she murmured softly, almost like a prophecy. "...whether salvation or ruin, you will decide this world’s fate."
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Far away, under the shadow of a vast mountain in the Balerog Region, a scarlet streak split the sky before halting. Max descended slowly, crimson wings folding against his back. His infernal aura surged faintly, pressing against the world itself as his gaze fell upon the figures waiting for him.
Standing there was an old lady draped in simple robes, her aged face filled with calm wisdom yet shadowed by grief. Beside her was a middle-aged man with cold, resolute eyes, and not far behind stood a figure Max recognized instantly—Elder Owen, the first elder of the Black Lotus Guild.
"Old Saintess..." Max’s crimson eyes widened faintly. "When did you come here?"
The old woman smiled gently, though sorrow lingered in her gaze. "After you ascended to the Middle Domain, I returned as well. The Lower Domain had settled somewhat, and there was no longer a need for me to remain there."
"Lower Domain..." The words tore from Max’s throat like broken glass. His hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles cracked audibly. His aura pulsed violently, red flames licking the air. "They—" his voice trembled, raw grief spilling into rage, "they are all dead!"
The Old Saintess’s expression faltered, her wrinkled face tightening with pain. "I heard," she said softly, her voice laced with mourning. "It was tragic beyond words. But, Max, know this—it is not your fault."
Her eyes grew sharp, her tone gaining weight. "The demons are always like this. They descend from the outside, invaders with no heart for our world. They don’t see us as people. To them, we are cattle, no different than livestock to be culled. For centuries, we humans have lived in fear—fear of the nulls, fear of the Ascendants, worrying they might wage war against us. But in that fear... we forgot the demons."
Max’s crimson eyes glowed with seething fire, his voice rumbling with unyielding hatred. "I will kill them all," he growled, teeth gritted, his aura flaring like a storm. "Every last one of them—I will slaughter them until none remain."
The Old Saintess sighed quietly, her aged eyes misting as she studied him. Once, Max had been radiant—youthful, bright, carrying a joy and vigor that lit up everyone around him. That memory rose unbidden in her heart, clashing painfully with the man who now stood before her. His body was wreathed in infernal fire, his eyes glowed crimson, and from him poured nothing but hatred, death, and the unending intent to kill.
In this moment, he reminded her not of the boy she had once known—but of Mark. That same suffocating aura, that same death-stained presence she once felt in the Middle Domain.
Max broke her thoughts, his tone solemn as he glanced briefly at Elder Owen, then back at the old woman and the man beside her. "I am here to fulfill the promise I made to Elder Owen." His eyes then flicked toward the current leader of the Black Lotus Guild.
The middle-aged man, Razel, stepped forward. His aura was steady, like a blade hidden in a scabbard—sharp, restrained, but deadly. "Then come with me," he said calmly, nodding.
He turned, his cloak fluttering behind him as he led the way. "To the hidden city of the Black Lotus Guild."
Max followed without hesitation.
Even with his Three Dimensional Body scanning outward, he had never found this city despite having the coordinates from the Obsidian Tower. It was hidden too well—buried beneath layers of concealment and illusions that cloaked it from even the sharpest senses.
It was because of this, that he had to release all his aura to force the people of the Black Lotus Guild to come out to meet him.