131 Sharing Secrets Part 2 (1/2)
Even if Konrad didn't know the origin of the beverage, its effect alone was enough for him to realize that it carried extraordinary secrets. That Yvonne was willing to offer it to him showed that she'd let her guard down.
”Yvonne, since you're this straightforward, I won't be polite.”
Konrad took the liquor bottle back into his hands to resume drinking alongside his new partner.
This time, knowing what he was dealing with, he steeled himself. Channeling his cultivation to refine the beverage as it slid down his throat. And indeed, he could feel the iron taste of blood concealed within. Blood that carried alongside it tremendous power, and could shred the bodies of those too feeble to endure it.
The blood of a high-level Sage!
Recalling the Flame-Mark's words, Konrad deduced that this blood belonged to the Infernal Cult Founder.
One of the few true demons to have descended onto the Ancient Crystal World.
And as he refined it, his cultivation skyrocketed. Like cabbage, Supreme Meridians upon Supreme Meridians condensed within his body. And by the time he emptied the bottle, five new meridians had formed within him, giving him a total of three God Meridians and eight Supreme Meridians.
However, although there still was substantial power within him, he couldn't condense the twelfth. It was as if some superior force barred him from that threshold, suppressing him at the eleven count.
But how could Konrad willingly accept such a fate? How dared anything bar his road to supremacy? He couldn't tolerate, and wouldn't allow it!
Revolving his Hundred Flowers Scripture, his eyes shone with purple light while similarly colored mist swirled around his form.
The scenery around him changed, turning into a vast wasteland where fire and brimstone ran amok.
Konrad's eyes rose to the sky, and there, the shadow of an indiscernible face appeared. Though no cultivation emanated from it, its presence alone was enough to make him feel like a tiny, not worth mentioning ant.
He despised that feeling, but the irresistible suppression came from his very bloodline. He couldn't fight it.
”Who are you?”
He asked the indiscernible figure whose pressure weighed down on him.
”I am the Overlord, the ruler of the Infernal Realm, sovereign of all demons within the multiverse.
Your suzerain!”
A hoarse, authoritative and booming voice echoed within Konrad's ears, piercing his eardrums.
From the Flame-Mark and system, Konrad learned that four kings ruled the Infernal Realm. Each, governing his own Domain.
Dolgron, the northern king of hell.
Talroth, the southern king.
Ashara, the eastern king.
And finally, Urzul, the western king.
On the surface, those four kings were independent and in times of peace with the Celestial Realm, they fought for dominion, ruling their realms as they pleased without having to answer to anyone. However, in truth, they did answer to someone:
The Overlord.
The Overlord had no name, his house known as the Overlord's house, and his power infinite. Although he didn't interfere in the political clashes of the Infernal Realm, his absolute domination of hell's lives was unquestionable.
But now, that Overlord stood before Konrad, and he couldn't understand why.
”Twelve is perfection, perfection is forbidden. If you insist on congealing the twelfth meridian, you must cross my tribulation.
Even a son of Talroth is no exception.”
Konrad's heart was full of discomfort. It was as if the Overlord saw right through him, preventing any trickery from his side while effortlessly peering into his secrets.
”But if you choose to back off, I will let you return to your world and carry on with your life. Henceforth, within each Transcendent level, you won't be able to condense more than eleven meridians. What is your choice?”