Emperor's Reckoning

"Paradise? Did they know something?" the patriarch asked.

"I cannot vouch if what they say were true," Mavis shook his head, "However, they did say that one power is ruling the Paradise."

"One power?" the patriarch frowned. "Who?"

Mavis shook his head, "I have no idea. They didn't mention who reigned Paradise."

"How intriguing," the patriarch rubbed his chin. "Paradise has been very secluded as of late and hardly any news has traveled."

"Wait, not even you know?"

The patriarch shook his head, "I hardly see any men with wings roaming around, nor the espionages that I sent throughout many lands—Do you have any clue where they got the information?"

Mavis firmly shook his head, "Not a single one, however, a little bit that you should know is that they are from the Mortal World."

"What?! Impossible!" The patriarch denied his son's claim flat. "There is no such power in the Mortal World that would dare enough to destroy the First Hall of the Alchemy Union. Especially since most people there thought the Alchemy Union as a sacred place for gifted individuals in alchemy art."

"Well there is one," Mavis shrugged. "Though, maybe we can ask the seer if one of them came to visit us."

"The seer... hmm..." The patriarch furrowed his brows.

"Then again, Lyon is really amazing father, did I mention that he fought a grootslang and wasted an entire island in the process?"

"A grootslang? Do you mean that horned snakes that dwell in large caves? Wait, how did you know that he fought a grootslang?"

"That's the reason why I was coming home a bit later than the rest," Mavis laughed. "I followed them on a quest in gathering an ingredient called the Hundred-Petals Flower."

"Then, you saw him did it?"

"I saw him do it, father!" Mavis elaborate further as he raised both arms as if he was presenting the sky. "Golden curtain father! Golden shower of mighty fists! Pummeled down from the final heaven! Punishment for those that denied his victory!"

"You seem to like him a lot, but then again, you like a lot of people," the patriarch stood up before fixing his robe. "What do you think of him and Yuri."

"That's the very question that I really want to know the answer to, never thought that someone could rival Yuri's strength and attention to detail."

"Attention to detail? Why so specific?"

"I was attacked father, by the usual group, and they dare to imitate our robe and pretend to be an envoy sent by you," said Mavis as he let out a sigh, "however, not only did he quickly catch their flaws, his subordinate countered it."

"Hmm, this is becoming more difficult," the patriarch sighed.

"Maybe, but he did give me these," Mavis showed three Returning Jade Stone in his hands.

"Are they...?"

Mavis nodded, "These belonged to the three attackers that dares to try and poisoned me."

"Hmm, I doubt that they would mark them at their base," the patriarch shook his head.

"I know, but it's not about that, it's about his show of goodwill," Mavis nodded. "Though, you can order your goods to test this out."

"They are going to be your goons too, and they are not goons, they are members of our clan!" he chopped his son's head with his hand.

"Aw!" (He said goons too! Twice even!) thought Mavis as he rubbed his head.

"Now, tell me why did he destroy the First Hall," the patriarch crossed his arms. "Does he have ill-intent toward Alchemy Union, or do they share some bad blood with each other?"

"No, that's not it," Mavis shook his head. "The story goes where he met Ning."

"Ning?" the patriarch furrowed his brows. "The Red Lotus?"

"Yes, her, I have no idea how it started since I met him in the middle of it."

"He has some bad blood with her?"

"Not exactly, but there was this one cultivator that claimed to be the Red Lotus's friend, though, obviously he was not. Then..."

Mavis proceeded to share the story with his father without pausing.

"Hmm..." the patriarch nodded. "I see that is a bit complicated if you didn't tell it in such a way."

"It's hard to say if they would proceed with the matter, but Ning definitely left the place with bitterness in her tongue."

"He would go so far for someone insulting his woman... perhaps this is his reverse scale?" the patriarch muttered. "Though, that he could face the entirety of Alchemy Union's backing betokened his tremendously-shroud identity still makes me somewhat uneasy. Compiled that with highly classified information of our origin."

"Well, that's the entirety of my visit to Alchemy Union, can't say I'm bored," Mavis laughed. "To think that someone would be able to exert much presence in the face of giants!"

The patriarch walked past him before looking at his son's vomit, "Don't forget to clean your room." He left the place and closed the door.

Mavis sighed before putting his hands on his waist as he looked at the clear blue sky through the window he had just come in. (If I were to hear about this stuff, I wouldn't believe it either, thankfully, fates let me experience it).

"Now, then where is Yuri?" he jumped out of the window and left his stain on the floor.

...

"We are nearing Afurnae!!" shouted Renduval.

"No need to shout!" Lyon slapped the back of his head, "You want me to be deaf or something?!"

"S-Sorry, I didn't see you beside me."

"Well that's good, keep your eyes on the road," said Lyon as he nodded.

The giant shadow of the beast soon crashed against the city that was still recovering from the damages done prior. Every cultivator looked up with their mouth gaped open.

"That's!"

"That's Them!"

"They're back!"

Everyone looked over before rushing toward the square where the griffin seemed to be heading. The surrounded sounds of the screech were heard as the beast hovered before landing with a few flaps of its giant wings.

A figure immediately stepped down before taking a huge breath, "I have returned!"

"Lyon!"

"It's Lyon!"

Everyone instantly recognized him, how could they not? He was the one that spitted the word miracle with his hands and feet.

"Eh, where is the other?"

"Yeah, I thought they were much bigger in numbers before."

"Have I gone senile or are they really fewer than before?"

Everyone was confused about their missing members. The winner from the Mortal World was Lyon, but there were others as well. Though they were not as popular as him, they were still his friends.

"Everyone, I hope that the rebuilding is going as intended?" asked Princess Cherie.

"Ah, yes, certainly Princess Cherie, we are going as scheduled," said one of the builders.

"Good, if you need more materials please don't hesitate to ask," Cherie smiled. "Is my mother here?"

"Ah, Queen Wanda has gone back to the Sverine Kingdom after you left."

"I take it that my parents are also not present?" asked Hilde.

"I-Indeed."

Cecile smiled. "They probably have to settle over the other two kingless kingdoms. Perhaps this is where your friendships between each other end."

Hilde and Cherie furrowed their brows, but they didn't deny her words. They knew that First Heaven was entering a new balance of power with just two giant kingdoms and their lesser kingdoms.

"I will leave you here, Lyon," said Renduval from above.

Lyon looked up before letting out a smirk. "Don't get a kunpeng to bite your ass."

Renduval raised his brows before he straightened his back and try to feel the power that he had hidden under his clothes.

"Catch!"

"Huh? What?" Renduval was not prepared and the little pouch hit his forehead before sliding down and fell to his hands. "Grr! You!"

"Hahaha! Graham!"

"En!" Graham nodded before slapping the giant beast's butt.

*Screech!

The giant beast quickly leaped to the sky with its eyes tearing up. It's giant wings unfurled in the dismay of Renduval whom tried to regain his balance. Then, just like that, they went to the horizon.

"Well, that's that," Lyon dusted his hands.

Everyone gawked at the scene. The enormous beast that could run havoc against their town was flapping between its tail with a single smack to its butt.

"Alright, prepare me a carriage, we are going back!" said Lyon as he nodded. "Assid!"

"Very well, young master," Assid vanished from the place.

Lyon turned before looking at the two princesses. "I guess this is farewell for now."

"It was so bizarre meeting you, young master Lyon," said Hilde before she sighed. "Sorry but, calling you young master is a bit not right rolling out of my tongue."

"Just call me Lyon, I don't really mind," said Lyon.

"Will you come visit us?" asked Cherie.

"Maybe," Lyon smiled. "I've got a lot of princesses waiting for me though, hahaha!"

"No doubt," Cherie smiled before she stepped forward and approached him. Her supple lips slightly opened as Lyon raised his brows.

"Hold it right there," Hilde pulled her collar.