Cassian’s lips curled into a smile—a smile far better than his old, broken one—only to twitch when he recalled how Kyle had once told him not to smile since it was so ugly.
"That bastard... even now, still a pain..."
He muttered a curse or two, resolving to face Kyle in a duel once he found him. He knew he would lose badly, knowing Kyle’s strength, but he still wanted to battle him.
Suddenly, noticing Osko and the elders in the Golden Hall of Light, his mood soured.
Grimacing, he turned to leave.
After Kyle vanished, the realm had largely returned to its usual state. Even the closed Bridge of Divinity had been reactivated six years ago. The same people still presided over the Golden Hall of Light, recording the identities of newly arriving Celestials. Even the ancient temple Kyle had destroyed was rebuilt—now more magnificent than ever.
Even the area where the Layer of Ancients had opened—where the ice sword remained embedded, unable to be removed from the recovering land—had finally been reopened after previously being sealed by the Rulers.
Two years ago, Cassian had heard rumors that Mirabel had unexpectedly established a new clan under Yizhe’s faction, overseen by the Rulers, turning the once-sealed cold region into a well organized testing ground to identify and gather the most promising talents from the Realm, as well as newly arriving Celestials eager to join their clan.
Cassian scoffed slightly, knowing full well that Mirabel and Yizhe aimed to strengthen their own forces after seeing how Zami and the clans assisting the Golden Guardians clan were preparing for war against them.
He could tell the elders overseeing the Bridge of Divinity had a big hand in this.
"They have all been enjoying themselves. Even Zami had only urged them to gather more power. Let them play, then, because when he’s back, their faction will fall even before having the time to beg for mercy."
As Cassian left, whispering chillingly, he failed to notice a striking sight among the countless newly arriving Celestials on the Bridge of Divinity: a large group of people, all confidently stepping out from the same portal linked to a very small universe, their eyes sharp and flickering with curiosity.
The moment they all appeared, they drew immediate attention. Everyone around the group instantly turned eerily silent. Unlike every other newly arriving Celestial, their presence was impossible to ignore—both the men and women were breathtakingly beautiful, their features sharp and refined, their figures taller and more commanding.
Simple yet exquisite garments adorned all of them—well-fitted and comfortable rather than overly large robes—crafted with subtle, intricate designs that shimmered, catching the bridge light like flowing gold and silver.
Many eyes followed them, yet the group barely spared a glance for anyone else.
They were busy in their own conversation and laughter, with a few declaring how they were going to teach a certain heartless jerk—who had come to the higher realm years before them and forgotten them—a lesson.
It had been fifty-five years.
Fifty-five long years since they last saw him. After all, unlike the Celestial Realm, where only eleven years had gone by, time in the lower universes moved differently.
And still, not even once had that man returned to see them. That bastard.
At the front of the group were three youths: a sweet-looking girl with cascading golden hair and sea-blue eyes, and two boys—one with dark blue hair, the other with silver hair. The blue-haired boy chattered away, looking as excited as the girl, while the silver-haired one looked cold, only occasionally nodding.
The three of them had awakened fifteen years ago, after their parents had sealed their bodies—too fragile as newborns to contain the immense natural energy they were born with. Thus, they were still young and inexperienced. As for the silver-haired boy, the one born first among the three, his body had sealed itself on its own inside a cocoon of ice immediately after his birth.
His mother had panicked, only to realize that his essence was protecting his body from exploding. So, she calmed down.
The situation became an example for the other two, who were on the brink of death instantly after birth. Although their powers hadn’t confined their bodies, their parents were strong enough to save them in time.
So, although the three had been born in different years, they all awakened at the same time—when the cocoon around the silver-haired boy melted, stirring nature.
Directly behind the three were two tall figures, as if they were their guardians.
A tall woman with piercing, sharp eyes—blue slits at their center, encircled by a deep molten golden hue. The woman radiated a cold aura as her eyes scanned the area, as if searching for someone she wanted to kill. Beside her, a tall man with two horns on his head and deep blue eyes fanned her quietly, seemingly fearful she might turn on him.
As the group crossed the Bridge of Divinity and entered the Golden Hall of Light, their eyes subtly swept over the winged warriors and armored giants stationed at every exit of the hall. It seemed as if leaving the hall without permission had big consequences.
Celestials from various clans, stationed in the hall to recruit new talent, all turned their eyes toward the group, surprised to see so many Celestials arriving together—clearly from the same universe. It was a rare sight.
They wanted to approach the group, eager to probe, but it was as if an invisible shield surrounded all the newcomers. A few of the older members of the group even cast them disdainful glances, leaving them hesitant to approach and seething with intense anger.
Who do these old foggies think they are?! Barely first- or second-stage Celestials, and already this arrogant! If only they all knew—the elders’ pride came from knowing that the younger generation walking with them was more than enough to protect them.
Not to mention, they were confident that the powerful man who had arrived before them would have already made his name.
Ignoring everything around them, the group seamlessly joined the long lines maintained within the vast Hall. Taking in the enormity of the space, they were certain it could hold numerous big planets without any trouble.
Just as they crossed the threshold, an old, emotionless voice echoed near their ears.
"Welcome, Celestial. Please proceed directly to the counters at the end of the Golden Hall of Light to register your name and greet the elderly Celestials. They will provide you with your identity card."
Everyone was surprised. Instantly, their eyes narrowed as they looked around for the source of the voice, only to discover it was coming from the round, white artifact floating mid-air in the center of the hall.
At the front of the group, the silver-haired youth among the three, already annoyed, whispered words that a certain someone had once spoken upon hearing the voice.
"Why do we have to go through so much just to enter the Celestial Realm? I thought it would be simple. Can’t we just go in?"
With hurried steps, he curbed his irritation as he slowly moved along the line he had joined in front of the counters. To obtain their identity cards as quickly as possible, the group had split to join different lines.