Building an Eternal Dynasty: The Eternal Legacy System

A Flame That Refuses to Die [Part 2]

Austin remained frozen where he stood.

He had heard Akeno speak of countless experts throughout the years.

Kings.

Saints.

Ancient monsters.

None of them had ever been enough to make her show fear.

Yet now...

The usually composed Purple Flame Empress sounded unusually solemn.

”...Master...”

”What exactly frightened you?”

After a brief silence, Akeno finally answered.

”Do you remember...”

”...the black-clad Imperial Pawn who appeared in Blackstone City?”

Austin immediately nodded.

”The old soldier?”

”...Yes.”

Akeno’s voice was quiet.

”But what I sensed...”

”...was far more terrifying than what any of you witnessed.”

Austin’s expression slowly became serious.

”The Imperial Pawn...”

”...even during the height of my strength...”

”...could have killed me with a single strike.”

Her words fell one after another.

Each sentence shook Austin more deeply than the last.

He had always believed Akeno stood near the peak of the cultivation world.

Yet now...

She admitted she would have been powerless before that mysterious old soldier.

Akeno continued.

”When I examined the broken sword upon his back...”

”...I saw countless lingering souls.”

”They cried without end.”

”They struggled...”

”...yet none could escape.”

Austin swallowed unconsciously.

A chill slowly crept down his spine.

”There were...”

”...no fewer than ten Grand Saint Realm experts among them.”

Her voice carried lingering disbelief.

”I recognized several remnants immediately.”

”They were once renowned figures whose names shook entire eras.”

”They all...”

”...died beneath that broken sword.”

Silence filled Austin’s mind.

His breathing gradually became heavier.

Ten...

Grand Saint Realm experts...

Killed by one person.

Even imagining such a scene made his scalp go numb.

Akeno slowly sighed.

”Even at my absolute peak...”

”...I would have become nothing more than another wandering soul upon that sword.”

Austin remained speechless.

Only now did he truly understand...

Why Akeno had remained hidden since entering the Sovereign Blessed Land.

After a long pause, he asked softly,

”Then...”

”...why have you appeared now?”

This time...

Akeno answered without hesitation.

”...Because...”

”...your Patriarch already knows I exist.”

Austin blinked.

”What?”

Akeno gently directed his attention toward the pill resting in his hand.

”The Mirror Soul Pill.”

”A flawless Heavenly-Rank supreme-grade pill.”

”Such medicine nourishes damaged souls...”

”...allowing remnant spirits to gradually recover their true forms.”

She paused briefly.

Then continued.

”When I was alive...”

”I possessed countless rare treasures.”

”I refined innumerable Heavenly-Rank pills.”

”But...”

”...even I could not guarantee producing one of this quality.”

Austin lowered his gaze toward the pill.

It quietly rested inside his palm.

Gentle spiritual light flowed across its surface.

Just holding it caused Akeno’s weakened soul to feel noticeably more stable.

Akeno smiled bitterly.

”Your Patriarch gave you this pill.”

”But...”

”It was also meant for me.”

Austin slowly understood.

”So...”

”...Patriarch already knew.”

”...Everything.”

”...Yes.”

Akeno answered softly.

”He knew someone was hiding inside your ring.”

”He knew I had awakened.”

”He even understood exactly what I needed.”

”And yet...”

”He never exposed me.”

”He simply handed you the medicine.”

Austin remained silent.

He suddenly felt even greater admiration toward Victor.

Akeno continued quietly,

”This...”

”...is his way of telling me...”

”...that he already sees everything.”

”There is no reason for me to hide.”

”Nor...”

”...would hiding have any meaning before someone like him.”

Austin slowly clenched the Mirror Soul Pill.

His heart became increasingly shaken.

He finally understood...

Why Victor had smiled so calmly.

Why he never once questioned the ring.

Because...

Nothing escaped his eyes.

Akeno’s tone gradually grew heavier.

”Austin.”

”You must never underestimate your Patriarch.”

”He is unlike anyone I have encountered throughout my entire life.”

Austin asked quietly,

”...Is he truly that powerful?”

For several breaths...

Akeno did not answer.

When she finally spoke...

Her voice carried unmistakable awe.

”When I observed him earlier...”

”I did not merely see one cultivator.”

”I witnessed countless impossible visions.”

Austin listened intently.

”Behind him...”

”I saw endless stars revolving.”

”They seemed willing to follow his command.”

”I saw magnificent phoenixes circling endlessly around his body.”

”The Great Laws of the World themselves descended around him.”

”They welcomed him...”

”...as though recognizing their sovereign.”

Akeno’s breathing unconsciously became slower.

”And surrounding his body...”

”I sensed an ancient aura.”

”It was older than time itself.”

”Older than history.”

”It was...”

”...something I cannot describe.”

Austin’s heart pounded violently.

Every sentence made Victor seem less like a cultivator...

And more like a myth walking among mortals.

Akeno slowly whispered,

”I have lived for countless years.”

”I have traveled through numerous sacred lands.”

”I have witnessed peerless geniuses rise and fall.”

”But...”

”I have never...”

”...seen someone like him.”

She fell silent.

Then finally spoke the thought that had troubled her ever since meeting Victor.

”...Could he...”

”...be an Eternal Emperor Realm existence...”

”...merely choosing to walk among ordinary people?”

Austin’s pupils shrank.

An Eternal Emperor...

That legendary realm existed only within ancient myths.

No one had reached it for countless ages.

Yet...

If anyone truly could...

Victor certainly seemed worthy of such speculation.

Far away...

Standing atop Sovereign Peak...

Victor naturally had no interest in the conversation between master and disciple.

His attention had already shifted elsewhere.

At that very moment—

The familiar voice of the Eternal Legacy System echoed once more inside his mind.

[Ding!! Congratulations, Host! Legacy Investment successful!]

[Reward obtained: 100,000 Cloud Spiritual Elixirs!]

[Reward obtained: Heavenly-rank Strange Flame: Purple Rose Celestial Flame!]

[Purple Rose Celestial Flame: A mysterious heavenly flame capable of purifying all things. It possesses the absolute purification effect. Anything touched by even the slightest trace of its flame will be cleansed into nothingness.]

[Reward obtained: Heavenly-rank treasure: Black Dragon Mysterious Robe!]

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