Immortal Kingdoms

After brewing over the matter, Queen Adeline also shared that although the little white fox gave off the fluctuations of a saint, even she couldn't see through which layer in which cycle it had reached. Perhaps, it was a high saint on their level.

The difference between high saints and regular saints is quite complex. For now, just keep in mind that every high saint is a third-cycle saint, but not every third-cycle saint is a high saint. For instance, Queen Adeline's twelve Sky Angels are third-cycle saints, but not one of them is a high saint.

Any disciple with superb talent can change their way through the mortal cycles by simply accumulating energy. However, once they make it into sainthood, simply accumulating energy wouldn't cut it, as they need to comprehend their own essence and blend it into said energy, like a process of filtering the good and bad, and proceeding to accumulate the good essence on their path of cultivation.

This precise process of filtering requires a deep understanding of worldly energy. The more finite the accumulated energy is, the harder it is to balance and filter out the deficiencies. Subsequently, as a cultivator advances layer after layer, one level after another level, it becomes even harder to filter out the worldly essence unique to their cultivation from the ambiance all around.

Especially at the later stages of the saint realm, if they couldn't find attributed treasures or natural environments that complement their essence, further comprehension and cultivation is but an impossibility. Thus, without sufficient talent, comprehension abilities, luck, and fortune, it's nigh impossible to reach the realms of a high saint, let alone achieve divinity on a planet like Arcadia in the middle realms.

Even with the blessing of Arcadia as a whole, this place could only produce three half-step divinities, which reflects on the difference between the higher and middle realms, let alone planet Earth which couldn't produce a single cultivator.

The reason why Leonardo couldn't progress in the saint realm is simple, Arcadia's will is forcibly separating him from the essence of worldly energy, not allowing him to comprehend their profundities. The downside to mastering a mystical martial intent is the sparsity of corresponding treasures and natural environments, for the lack thereof limits the growth of these powerful cultivators.

"So you mean to say that the little fox isn't a pet, but the strongest expert on Leonardo's side?" King Austin asked while rubbing his sharp stubble.

"I believe so, yes."

"If that's the case, it's no wonder he can act so brazenly. Unless the three of us make a move simultaneously, it's impossible to take his life under that fox's protection." King Ivar said.

King Austin seemed to realize something as he exclaimed, "You don't mean…"

The words barely left his mouth when a sharp wave of dense killing intent enveloped the three of them, making them feel as if they had been dropped from the mountain peak into an isolated ice cellar. That was a predatory killing intent that transcended space-time, pricking at their sense of danger like steel needles. However, the sensation was distant and illusory, impossible to pinpoint accurately, albeit it was simultaneously as real as it could get.

Austin swallowed back his words, his imperial robes drenched in cold sweat with the image of two crimson eyes engraved in his mind. He gulped, seeing the shock evident in his companion's eyes.

"Did you two see it?" He asked in a voice far from calm and stable.

King Ivar spoke in a tone he believed to be as calm as possible, overlooking his clenched fists that deformed the armrest of his throne, "Let's leave the matters of the young to themselves, we old people should focus on our game of chess instead."

King Ivar tacitly admitted to his mistake in a dignified manner. However, he was also glad that this slip of the tongue allowed them to inspect the depths of that spirit guardian's power, while also testing its bottom line.

As it seems, as long as Leonardo's life wasn't under any direct danger, the spirit guardian wouldn't act out.

King Ivar spared Queen Adeline who was shivering on her throne a sideways glance, thinking that she'd been lucky to be let off with a slap to the face.

…

Thousands of miles away in the heart of the Grace Imperial Palace, Aria was lying lazily on Leona's lap, her narrow eyes halfway open into thin slits as a crimson flare resided within.

Leona was peacefully stroking Aria's smooth silver fur while watching Kieran running across a track field as he held two custom-made energy guns and shooting away at static, moving, and shifting targets a few hundred feet away.

Paying close attention, noticeable fluctuations of energy were radiating from within his body, specifically his pupils.

Aria opened her eyes slightly for a moment before closing them once more, her thoughts unknown.

…

Leonardo practically swallowed Juvia's tongue and lips with the impassioned kiss whilst he ignored the fervent yet negative atmosphere all around. Eventually, one of the saints couldn't bear this farce

He took a deep breath before his cultivation base exploded, his domain expanded, and his voice echoed far into the clouds, "Prince Leonardo!"

His voice boomed like an explosive detonation, and as the sound wave hurtled toward the kissing pair, Juvia's eyes flashed coldly as she broke free from the kiss and unwrapped her left arm from Leonardo's neck.

With a wave of her hand, a domain of absolute death unfurled, submerging the mountain peak in an eerie wave of silence void of the elements. Even the lively soundwave died down, suppressed by the laws derived from a higher concept.

"Insolent, die!"

Juvia then clenched her elegant fist. Following that, her domain contracted onto the insolent saint who dared endanger Leonardo. Of course, this pitiful sound wave wouldn't endanger Leonardo, but they had to carry out the act regardless.

The saint's eyes flashed with horror as he erupted with full power. Sadly, when two people are within the same cultivation realm, it falls down to the essence and quality of their martial intent which supplements their respective domains.

In this case, Juvia enjoys an overwhelming advantage.

With little to no suspense whatsoever, the unfortunate saint from a third-rate power was locked and bound by the invisible domain of death, only to wither away into a decrepit corpse within seconds as everyone watched in horror.

A few seconds after that, a breeze blew by, scattering his corpse into specks of dust down the mountain.

Juvia snorted coldly, habitually fixing up her rectangular glasses before bashfulness overcame her once again. Looking back at Leonardo, she spoke expectantly, "Where were we?"

Leonardo waved it off, picking a few stray strands of silver hair and tucking them behind Juvia's pointed ear as he spoke flatly, "I'm not in the mood anymore. Since all five agendas are basically about me, I won't even bother with whatever they have in store for me."

"I'll make my stance clear for them all to hear. As for whether they agree or not, I'm not particularly averse to warfare, I rather welcome it wholeheartedly."

Leonardo stroked Juvia's pale cheek lightly, his tone flat, eyes an abyss of murky nothingness, and posture quite domineering. With the sprinkled remains of a saint in his background, the image was soul-stirring for the young ladies in the crowd, Princess Veronica being no exception.

Everyone had yet to wake up from the shock that Leonardo's elven subordinate actually dared kill someone in open court, let alone the bombshell that Leonardo was yet to deliver their way.

As for Lexus, King Ivar, King Austin, and Queen Adeline, they were shocked by the law and martial intent within Juvia's domain.

The death of a saint meant little to nothing in their eyes, what shocked them was the method Juvia used as this was a martial intent never before seen on the face of Arcadia.

Each of the four is clear on Juvia's origins as Leonardo didn't bother concealing the fact about her royal lineage, and precisely because they're clear on that point that the implications involved are frightening to contemplate.

They thought Bloodthirsty and his domain were something to be feared, but now they couldn't even tell which was scarier between Bloodthirsty and Juvia.

The fifth segment was an organized trap to get rid of Bloodthirsty due to his potential. Now however, an equal if not greater menace appeared in the form of Juvia.

While the five of them were reeling from the realization, Leonardo proceeded with his judgment on the five agendas without a care…