The Halvane family was a supernatural family, and one of the strongest in Aurora.
Their power could be traced back to their ancestor, a formidable woman who had lived long before the apocalypse that reshaped Aurora.
If one considered only her years within Aurora, she was just over three hundred years old. But if they included the ti she had spent outside Aurora, wandering the endless void, her true age easily surpassed nine hundred.
Just as Awakeners had the Land of Origin to rely on for advancent, filled with powerful beings and abundant resources, other
supernaturals had their own paths. For those who were not Awakeners, and whose ho realms could no longer support their growth, the only path forward was the void.
The void was a mysterious realm of its own.
Before the apocalypse, humans of Aurora had thought of it rely as space, a vast emptiness beyond their reach.
But after they beca supernaturals and broke the limits of mortal understanding, they discovered the truth-what they once called space was, in fact, the void.
What they discovered within the void changed everything they knew about existence.
There were other civilizations out there.
Aurora was fortunate.
The galaxy they occupied was empty. No other intelligent life had taken root within it before the apocalypse. Had it been otherwise, had even a single higher civilization existed nearby, Aurora might have been enslaved long before it gained the chance to rise. Before they
could awaken their own supernatural system, they would have been conquered and "introduced" to the greater cosmos under another's control.
Because their galaxy was barren, Aurora's inhabitants were able to grow without interference. They reached the threshold of power on their own terms and eventually gained recognition as an independent realm within the void.
The void itself was filled with strange wonders and perilous opportunities.
Natural resources unlike anything in Aurora floated there-crystalized mana storms, void iron, essence stones that pulsed with law energy, and so on. To the strong, all these were treasures.
But venturing too deep ca with a heavy price.
Ti did not flow equally in the void. A single day in Aurora could equal a month in one sector of the void, and a year could stretch into five. The deeper one traveled, the more unstable and distorted the flow beca. Many explorers vanished into the deeper layers, only to return centuries later-or never at all.
Despite the danger, the void was invaluable. It connected countless realms, serving as the pathway for powerful beings to cross between worlds. For those strong enough, it was both a battlefield and a bridge to greater opportunity.
It was in this unfathomable realm that the Halvane ancestor had once walked.
Her power there was the foundation of the Halvane family's power- and the reason their bloodline still stood among the strongest in Aurora today.She was an Emperor Stage cultivator.
In Awakener terms, this was equivalent to a Rank 4 Awakener.
Unfortunately, since she was the only person at this stage within her family, the reputation of the Halvane clan rested entirely on her shoulders.
At the mont, the said Emperor sat before a middle-aged man, her gaze calm and unreadable.
A few months ago, this man had co to her seeking help to avenge a debt that had lasted nearly a century. Out of respect for the favor he had done her in the past-back when their strengths had been closer -she had lent him one of her treasured artifacts.
"You're stronger now," she said quietly.
The man gave a humble smile. "It's nothing"
"You've only just advanced to the King Stage, and yet your comprehension is already deep enough to reach the mid stage. You call that nothing?"
"It's not like that, Empress," he replied, shaking his head. "My progress is fast only because my foundation was solid. Once that runs out, my speed will slow down."
The Empress remained silent, her expression unchanging, though inwardly she couldn't help but sigh.
Mad Phoenix Brian.
A prodigy. If not for the setback he suffered years ago, he might
already stand at the sa level as her. Even so, what he had achieved
at his current age was beyond anything she herself had done.
With a half-ford law seed, he could already contend with mid-grade King level cultivators and still erge victorious. That alone spoke volus about his strength.
Now he was a genuine mid-stage King level cultivator. Although she agreed that his rapid pace would eventually slow, she doubted it would happen anyti soon. His foundation was simply too firm.
"What do you plan to do now?" she asked at last, her tone even but carrying quiet curiosity.
After hearing her question, Brian didn't respond right away. He paused, his gaze dropping to the ornate floor beneath them as he
gathered his thoughts. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady
but thoughtful.
"With my current realm, I don't have any equipnt suited for ," he said. "The treasures I used before can't withstand my output anymore. I'm waiting for the new set to be forged."
The Empress nodded slightly. "And after that?"
Brian lifted his head, his expression firm. "After that, I'll explore the
world. If I'm lucky, I might find an opportunity that can push
closer to the next level."
The Empress's gaze softened faintly, though her tone remained calm.
"You seek greater power."
"That's the only way forward," Brian replied, his eyes burning with
quiet determination.
The Empress sighed lightly but didn't speak further. Her eyes drifted toward the distant horizon, where the sky shimred faintly with a golden hue. Though she was back in Aurora for now, her heart wasn't rooted here.
She, too, was waiting-preparing for the right ti to return to the
void.
Even if she couldn't find opportunities for herself anymore, the void
was still filled with resources and legacies that could help her family rise. Her presence there could secure their future for centuries to
co.
It was then she noticed a slightly blank look on Brian's face.
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