Though Talcott had visited the Celestial Palace before, each visit had filled him with dread, his heart racing in awe and fear.
The guards stationed at the entrance of the grand hall were cultivators at the Ultimate Realm. Along the sides of the hall stood cultivators at Ultimate Realm Levels Six and Seven, their expressions unreadable as they maintained a silent vigil. They weren’t even permitted to sit.
This was just the Tenth Hall, the weakest of the ten halls that made up the Celestial Palace. Talcott had heard of its ranking, and even here, the sheer strength on display was overwhelming. It was difficult to fathom how immense the power of the entire palace must be.
“Father.” As they entered the grand hall, Decanus hurriedly called out, his voice tinged with both reverence and urgency. At the center of the hall, seated on a magnificent throne, was a middle-aged man dressed in a long yellow robe, his posture regal and commanding. A crown sat atop his head, his expression cold and aloof, exuding an air of absolute authority.
This was none other than Tennyson Velazquez, Decanus’ father.
In the Tenth Hall, Tennyson Velazquez was an unchallenged authority, the supreme presence that commanded respect and fear. Talcott dared not lift his gaze to meet Tennyson’s eyes, nor those of the formidable cultivators seated beside him.
The cultivators standing aside were of Ultimate Realm Levels Six and Seven, and those sitting, undoubtedly, were far more powerful.
Talcott kneeled in the center of the grand hall, his head bowed so low that it almost touched the floor. His usual commanding demeanor as a leader had completely vanished.
“Are you defeated?” Tennyson’s voice echoed slowly.
Decanus remained silent, his eyes briefly shifting toward Talcott.
“My Lord,” Talcott spoke, his voice trembling, “We merely withdrew for the moment.
Allardland now exists only in name. However, at the very last moment, an ancient priest appeared, obstructing Decanus’ path.” Talcott’s words faltered, his body shaking with the intensity of the moment.
“Are you talking about that old fart, Infinides?” said Tennyson.
“Yes, it’s him.” Talcott nodded.
“Father, that old fool…” Decanus began to explain, but before he could finish, Tennyson’s sharp voice cut through the air. “Silence!” he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Go to the corner and reflect on your actions. You are a disgrace to us.”
Decanus recoiled at the rebuke, fear flickering in his eyes. He cast a meaningful glance at Talcott before turning on his heel, his shoulders hunched in shame. As he left, he shot one last, warning look at Talcott, as if to remind him not to speak out of turn in his absence.
Tennyson’s gaze then shifted to Talcott, his voice heavy with disappointment. “I remember you promised me you’d reign over the entire Ethereal Realm. Now, you can’t even handle Allardland. How do you expect to rule the Ethereal Realm?”
Talcott shuddered under the weight of his words, but he quickly composed himself and answered with respect. “My Lord, indeed, the Demon Seal Alliance has the power to achieve that. We only need a bit more time. However, the emergence of a man named Jared has thrown the entire plan into chaos. Furthermore, there was Abbott Infinides, who secretly saved many of our demonic cultivators. This intervention has significantly impacted the strength and strategy of our Demon Seal Alliance.”
Talcott knew he had to craft a solid excuse for his failure; otherwise, he risked being replaced as the leader of the Demon Seal Alliance.
“Are you making excuses?” Tennyson’s voice was icy, cutting through the silence like a blade.
“I wouldn’t dare, my Lord,” Talcott replied hastily, his tone deferential. “However, the presence of Abbot Infinides dealt us a severe blow. Even Prince Decanus was injured by him. Worse yet, he dared to insult Prince Decanus…” Talcott’s voice trailed off into a hushed tone as he kept his gaze firmly on the floor.
He understood all too well how much the celestials valued their reputation. Any insult directed at them was tantamount to blasphemy, and it would inevitably provoke their wrath.
As expected, the moment Talcott’s words registered, Tennyson’s expression darkened, and a surge of anger radiated from him.
A burly man standing to the left of Tennyson rose and roared, “Hmph, I can’t believe someone dared to insult us. They’re practically asking for death. I don’t care who he is. I’m going to kill him!”
“Tavon, you can kill that old fart?” asked Tennyson.
Tavon Lorthan declared, swinging his massive fist. “Yes, My Lord. I will avenge Prince Decanus. I don’t care how strong that old geezer is. All I need is one punch to shatter him into pieces.”
“All right, go handle it. But try not to provoke anyone from the Twilight Imperial City. That old fart is currently a distinguished guest there!” Tennyson reminded.
Talcott was puzzled, wondering what was the Twilight Imperial City that Tennyson mentioned.
He had spent countless years in the Ethereal Realm, where the influence of the Demon Seal Alliance extended across every corner of the realm. Yet, despite his extensive knowledge, he couldn’t recall ever encountering a place called Twilight Imperial City. Among the five major regions of the Ethereal Realm, not a single city bore that name.
“Understood!” Tavon bowed deeply before effortlessly hoisting Talcott with one hand. In the blink of an eye, the two vanished without a trace.
