Chapter 576: Side Chapter I: Spatio-Temporal Celebration
Following the Chthonian Devils" final battle, the omniverse experienced drastic changes. Konrad turned the Ancient Crystal World into the new Firmament, making it a place of extraordinary spiritual energies and endless wonders. The weakest of mortals rose to become Semi-Saints, while many G.o.ds experienced cultivation breakthroughs.
All Verses surrendered to the absolute dominion of the Profane Prince, with many of the Verses under Celestial Slaughter"s jurisdiction dispatching tributes to placate the new Omniarch. Meanwhile, in the comfort of the imperial palace, the Chthonian Devils gathered for a banquet of unprecedented proportions. All the Chthonian Devils that took part in the battle held a spot in the festivities.
However, those beneath the Anti-G.o.d realm stood in the outer banquet court. Only those at the Anti-G.o.d realm or above directly feasted with the imperial family. Red wine littered the ground; its streaming sounds merging with songs of debauchery as the devils reveled with reckless abandon.
The celebration was in full swing.
Two trembling heads stood on Konrad"s table, Celestial Slaughter on the right and Dragon Dark on the left. Sipping a cup of blood wine, Konrad gave the two gentle pats, and they only trembled harder. His icy-blue eyes swept the scene, and with a finger snap, he summoned the attention of the legions of gathered devils.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let the award ceremony begin.
First, Grand Commandant Krann, for centuries of loyal service, I bestow upon you…" Konrad began in a diabolically cheerful tone, and waved his right hand, causing a twister of black light to appear on the scene. The twister dispersed, revealing the riveting form of a silver-haired beauty, "...a wife! Congratulations, Grand Commandant!"
Konrad exclaimed, and motioned for Krann to claim his prize. Of distinct paragon spirit lineage, within Konrad"s sea of beauties, the woman shouldn"t have stood out. But in her traits, the Jade Dynasty"s old-timers found uncanny similarities. Nils, especially, couldn"t believe her eyes.
"Wait, could this be A…" But she"d not finished her words that the beauty snapped out of her confusion and processed both the scene and her new appearance.
With a skeptical gaze, she cupped her large b.r.e.a.s.t.s, rump, and cheeks. Instantly, her eyes widened in pure fright!
"What is the meaning of this?! What have you done to my body?!" She snarled in outrage while aiming a wobbling index at Konrad, whose position at the most honorable seat made his status evident.
But the longer she stared at his face, the more the lady believed something amiss. Memories flooded her mind, and from frightened, she went to terror-stricken.
"K-konrad?"
She stammered and swept the scene with a new sense of gravity. Undisturbed, Konrad motioned toward the paragon spirit.
"Allow me to make the introductions. Krann, Adele. Adele, Krann. From now on, you are husband and wife, united in holy matrimony. Krann, I have modified your bodily functions to ensure you can pup her with a litter of mini-Kranns.
Do not disappoint my expectations," Konrad declared, and instantly Krann nodded in vigorous approval.
"Master, have no fear, I will now go into seclusion to pound at least ten brats into her within ten years!" Krann pledged, and with a step, reappeared before the stunned Adele. Without a word, he yanked her onto his shoulder, rose into the sky, and took his haul back to a cave for a decade of pounding.
"You can"t be serious! Konrad! I didn"t sign up for this! Stop this travesty and give me back my body! AAAAAAARGH!" Adelar squealed in rage and indignation. Alas, his pleas fell on profane ears, and only Nils made one final prayer for the soul of her soon to be destroyed brother.
Before such a scene, both Dragon Dark and Celestial Slaughter wondered why they previously resented their talking head fate. Obviously, this was the life!
"Round two, bring in the new dowager," Konrad ordered and, instantly, a group of imperial maids left to return with Asmodeus. Though still dressed in the silver dragon gown of an empyrean empress, her slit, silver eyes no longer bore that cold distance triggered by the loss of her free will. Instead, her eyes now shone with a gripping, ensnaring l.u.s.ter. But though captivated by Asmodeus" eyes, the devils dared not stare at her figure.
What a joke, to leer at the Chthonian Jade Emperor"s ancestral mother? Throughout the omniverse, who had that courage? But as Asmodeus reached the stairs leading to Konrad"s table, her eyes swept the imperial jade family, moving between Konrad, Cacillia, and Yvonne with peculiar interest.
As for Dragon Dark and Celestial Slaughter, she ignored them entirely. Dragon Dark, however, saw in his mother"s appearance a glimmer of hope.
"Mom, please save me! As long as you speak up for me, Dragon Warden will let me off!" Dragon Dark pleaded, thinking that Asmodeus couldn"t bear seeing her most cherished son suffer such indignations.
In the past Empyrean, Dragon Dark indeed was his mother"s most favored. Their exemplary mother-son ties, the envy of many divine clans scions. Little did they know that Asmodeus" extra care for her youngest stemmed from nothing but pity. From birth, Dragon Warden had it all—destined to a life of splendor. Dragon Dark, however, could only live in his shadow.
To ensure he"d grow up and live in that truth, Celestial Slaughter gave him the name of Dragon Dark. Though he dared not resent his father or challenge his brother"s position, Asmodeus knew that deep down, Dragon Dark struggled to accept his fate. But now? With past and present betrayals etched in her soul, she couldn"t care less.
Strangely, more than Konrad, Yvonne, and Cacillia gripped Asmodeus" attention—a frown contorted her face.
"Up here," Konrad beckoned, and Asmodeus vanished to reappear on his lap. In that instant, Asmodeus recalled that this wasn"t her crown prince but the one before whom omnipotence itself held no meaning, the ent.i.ty that made all verses quiver on bended knees—Konrad, the Profane Prince!
With a casual hand wave, Konrad sealed Dragon Dark"s pleading lips and graced Asmodeus with a wolfish grin.
"Greetings, imperial mother, long time no see. Missed me?" Konrad began in a jesting tone. His icy-blue eyes nailed Asmodeus" with an intensity that almost threw her body into chaos. However, with a great show of willpower, she maintained her composure and met Konrad"s grin with an equally wolfish one.
"I wasn"t given the opportunity. Why don"t you create it?" Asmodeus challenged, obviously undisturbed by her controversial position on Konrad"s lap.
"Oh, gusty, I like!" Konrad gleefully replied and held up Asmodeus" chin, "Since we"ve been kept apart for so long, I will grant you a wish of your choosing. Pleading, saving, anything as long as you like it. But choose carefully," Konrad pursued.
Though his eyes betrayed no secret intent, Asmodeus couldn"t help but feel a test hiding therein. Thinking that his opportunity had arrived, Dragon Dark rattled off words the world would never hear and arched his eyebrows for attention. Alas, Asmodeus" following words crushed his heart—or well, his lone head, in this case.
"If I must plead, it should be for Peerless. I wish we could go back in time, go back to before the wedding, and alter all that followed," Asmodeus replied without hesitation. Hearing this, Konrad nodded in approval.
"Very well, I was about to do it, anyways. Yvonne, want to tag along?" Konrad turned to face Yvonne, who as always sat at his right, and asked with a jovial smile.
"Sure thing, but to make it more entertaining, why not seal our memories?" She offered, making Konrad nod in approval. His eyes then swept the gathered devils.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be back," Konrad declared, and snapped his fingers, causing black winds to embroil Celestial Slaughter, Dragon Dark, Asmodeus, Yvonne and he, to fly back in time, across trillions of years, and rematerialize in the past Empyrean!
Konrad"s eyes awoke to a glorious sky akin to the Celestial Realm"s. But here, ma.s.sive cranes flew in ordered pairs, dancing alongside swans and great rocs.
But Konrad had no time to enjoy the sight, that a silver-haired figure barrelled into him with a sword cleave.
*CLANG*
Effortlessly, Konrad raised his sword to parry the blow, making the ringing sound of colliding blades echo across the deserted platform.
A silver-haired dragoness mixing matchless s.e.x appeal with an oppressive martial air stood before him, staring into his now golden eyes with glaring desire. With a masterful spin, Konrad let go of his sword and whirled alongside the lady—controlling both their bodies so that they"d drop on the ground with the lady straddling him.
Their weapons now stood beyond reach.
"Dragon Warden, you"re getting sloppy," White Dragon Heart whispered as she lowered her face onto Konrad"s, restraining the urge of seizing his lips. Konrad, however, didn"t have any misgivings and rose to take her lips—embroiling her in an impromptu, ardent kiss.
Her eyes widened in a stupor, but as his tongue snuck past her lips and entangled with hers, she let go of the surprise to indulge in his embrace. When the smoldering heat cooled, their lips parted, and White Dragon Heart stared into Konrad"s eyes with a new wave of confusion.
"Don"t overthink it. I just wanted to give it a try," Konrad jested, and while the voices appeared the same, White Dragon Heart felt as if in one breath, an entirely different person replaced her cousin. Not that she"d argue against the change.
"Spoken like a true philanderer. You"re finally progressing, I like," White Dragon Heart replied in a tone 99% similar to Yvonne"s.