Rise of the Cosmic_Emperor

Hal left the Baron's residence and boarded a carriage that took him straight to the Departing teleportation circle.

It had been fun to be in this city but it was about time he went off to his true destination, the Silva Duchy capital. Also, it was better he went there now before it became filled with dignitaries returning to their homes.

He had only just arrived at the circle with the attending Runemaster's head bowed as he studied the holographic Rune screen when the portal to the Harem space opened and out if it came Emily with her mask in hand.

The Runemaster made to look up but Emily snapped her fingers and it was as though he was punched because swayed and fell unconscious on top of the Rune screen.

Hal smiled,

"Emily. What brings you here?" He asked.

Emily looked conflicted as she held her Saint rank mask in her hands and Hal did not like the look on her eyes.

It was a pained look he would rather not see on his woman.

He moved closer to her and brushed back her hair while looking directly into her eyes,

"What is it?" He asked.

Emily took a deep breath,

"I can't go with you to the Capital. I... I'm going back to Doxon" She told him.

After which she spoke of her father's most recent message which she had received before they had even left Sapphire city.

It was not that the message was threatening or particularly urgent. In fact, Emily had received Messages like that all through her twenty years away from home. However, it was different this time because what held her back from returning was gone.

Thanks to Hal, she had now experienced Dual cultivation for real and had even experienced it at the hands of the word's best lover.

The stigma she used to feel was gone and she could return home with no misgivings.

Well, almost no misgivings.

Emily did not want to be away from him. This last month with him had been the best of her life and the idea that it would take a while, even if just a few weeks before she sees him again was quite frankly disheartening.

Hal's smile was light and it was a sure sign of how much he did not want the separation as well.

But he also knew to keep his emotions in check. What he cherished the most about his five main ladies, especially Emily and Melinda was how they had a life of their own.

They had families.

Melinda might be estranged from the majority of that family but she was not estranged from her grandmother.

And Emily's relationship with her family was normal. More or less. There were no grudges she wished to correct.

She had been away for twenty years. It was high time she returned.

He understood that.

Now was just not the time for them all to be clamped together.

Hal lowered his face to hers and kissed her lips. Lightly at first but she let her emotions take control and grabbed onto him while increasing the intensity of the kiss.

When they separated, Hal was grinning,

"You should go. But trust me on this, it won't be two weeks before you see me at your doorstep." He said.

"I won't have it any other way." Emily smiled as the portal opened up again and this time, Amelia walked out of it.

Words could not accurately express what she was feeling at the moment so she did not bother attempting to articulate, instead choosing to let her actions speak for her in the ardent kiss she pulled Hal into.

Emily retrieved her spatial ring from her spatial pouch and placed it on her finger, before retrieving incandescent Blue gems from the ring which she fitted to the Teleportation circle.

The number of Blue Gems was quite large as a representation of sorts for the distance to be traveled.

After all, the Doxon Fuchy capital was out of this territory entirely and the Teleportation circle was not particularly high ranked.

It was the reason their journey to Doxon while seeming quick, would actually be over a span of six days.

The Teleportation circles in the Duchy capitals could however complete the same long-distance journey in an hour.

It all depends on the Teleportation circle rank.

Take their journey to the Barony center, for example, considering the distance, high-ranked circles would only require minutes while theirs took an hour.

Anyway,

As soon as the Blue gems were fitted in place, Emily put on her mask and stepped into the circle and after one last look at Hal, so did Amelia before all went black and they were sucked into the void.

Hal watched them leave and sighed.

He was about to retrieve gems for his own transportation when the unconscious attending Runemaster opened his eyes blearily and squinted at Hal who stood in front of the Teleportation circle with a forlorn expression.

"You. Hold it right there!" He said and leaped up from his seat to run towards Hal who rolled his eyes.

What was with him and attending Runemasters?

This was the second one who would have an issue with him after just three days in the Barony center.

"What is it?" Hal said with a slight frown.

"Where is that Lady?" Asked the attending Runemaster.

Hal shrugged and decided to play dumb or else, should there be proof that Emily had indeed made use of the Teleportation circle without paying Ten percent of the number of gems required for her travel, he would have to foot the bill for being 'obviously connected to her'.

"What lady?"

"Don't play dumb. I meant the sexy lady that was just here. I saw her" the Runemaster said and moved closer to Hal to stare directly into his face.

At that time, carriages began to arrive at the building as the Dignitaries were ready to depart.

"I really don't know what you're talking about. I'm sure there are ways to know if I'm telling the truth right?" Hal said in the tone of a law-abiding citizen.

The Runemaster's eyes narrowed and he walked away to check in the holographic screen just as one snobby-looking dude came down from one of the carriages and strut towards the circle.

"Pay him, and let me get out of this town of a city." He said and the guard walking behind hurried to give the Runemaster the ten percent.

"Hold on please." Said the Runemaster still focussed on the holographic rune screen.

"This is urgent" said the guard as he thrust the pouch of Blue gems at the runemaster who pushed it away.

"Please hold on, I am trying to catch a thief." He said.

The ears of the snobby young man perked at those words,

"Thief?" He repeated.

The runemaster was so caught by surprise at the sudden change in the air that he paused and looked up at the snobby young man who had now shed his cloak and only had on a Martial attire.

Not to mention that there was a sheathed sword belted to his hips which he unsheathed with a *Shinng* sound.

The sword blade was Bronze colored and glinted in a dull manner.

"Where is the scoundrel? I shall reap his life right this instant!" Said the young man in a menacing tone before he released the pressure of his cultivation base.

*Boomm*

Hal's eyes widened,

'Is it just me or is every man in this city a little insane?: