Lord of the Truth

Chapter 2352 Throne of Dreams

Bzzzzzt

A space portal activated with a low hum, and Morval stepped out from within its distorted currents. He appeared to be a man in his thirties, with sleepy eyes beneath light brows and pale hair that gently rested upon his shoulders. He wore a long white robe adorned with scattered pieces of decorative armor whose elegant craftsmanship suggested they existed more as symbols of status than as equipment intended for actual combat.

”Open the arrays!” Morval waved his hand the very instant he emerged from the portal, issuing the command without pausing even long enough to observe his surroundings.

He left the soldiers to move before him like a swarm of frantic ants carrying out their assigned duties with flawless coordination while he simply lifted his gaze toward the structure ahead. He had traveled nearly half the planet just to reach this place, crossing distances that few individuals in existence would ever have the privilege of witnessing.

Before him stood a fantastical stone castle beyond the limits of ordinary imagination, one so magnificent that it could not even be properly described to someone possessing nothing more than a mortal sense of fantasy, for every part of its existence seemed to reject conventional standards of scale and architecture.

Its walls were built from smooth white stone threaded with faint orange veins that slowly pulsed as though they were living arteries carrying the heartbeat of the castle itself. Whenever light reflected across those immaculate surfaces, fleeting images of ancient cities, towering mountain ranges, endless seas, and civilizations long forgotten briefly manifested before fading away once more long before anyone could focus upon them or determine whether they had truly existed at all.

Its towering spires pierced directly into the clouds as though they had no intention of ever stopping their ascent. Every single window was the size of an entire house, while each balcony was vast enough to serve as a public square for one of the universeʼs densely populated nations without feeling crowded.

The castle was surrounded by extraordinary vegetation and immense gardens stretching as far as the eye could see, filled with gentle beasts wandering peacefully among magnificent statues carved with impossible precision. Its entrance gate alone stood as tall as the castles belonging to other Behemoths, its enormous surface engraved with graceful fairies, mythical beasts, and legendary creatures whose expressions appeared almost lifelike under the changing light.

Krrrrrrr

A wall of blue energy materialized before Morvalʼs eyes, its surface covered with countless flowing runes that continuously shifted across its face.

Then it collapsed.

Next came a crimson wall that radiated overwhelming pressure before likewise crumbling away, followed by a violet barrier, then a golden one, and countless others in succession... until all twelve energy walls had been completely dismantled one after another, each representing one of the castleʼs defensive layers.

A voice then echoed calmly through the air.

”You may proceed, Lord Morval. No standing defenses remain except the long-range arrays and the Fate Observation Array.”

Morval immediately bowed respectfully toward his elder brother without the slightest hesitation. Then, with both hands resting neatly beside his thighs in the utmost display of discipline and respect, he slowly advanced, carefully maintaining every movement expected of someone entering this place.

Krrr...

The moment Lord Morval entered, the defensive walls began emerging from beneath the ground once again, reconstructing the strongest anti-detection barrier in the universe layer after layer before, in the very next instant, disappearing back into the folds of the air itself as though they had never existed, leaving behind no visible trace whatsoever.

Hummmmm

Morval stood before the colossal gate in silent awe as it slowly opened with a deep, resonating vibration that echoed throughout the surrounding halls. He made no attempt to move forward until it had opened completely and its massive doors slammed heavily against the walls behind them with enough force to shake the surrounding stone.

Bang.

Only then did Morval swallow.

Gulp.

He remained frozen for another two full seconds, quietly gathering himself before finally stepping forward with unmistakable reverence, as though every step carried tremendous weight.

A moment later—

Bang.

The enormous gate closed behind him once again, sealing the entrance with absolute finality.

”.....”

”...Can we talk now?” One of the soldiers stationed outside finally spoke after the silence had lingered for some time. He was a Seven-Star Royal Soul Master whose expression clearly showed both curiosity and lingering tension.

”What exactly do you intend to talk about?” another replied without even opening his eyes. His aura belonged to a Ten-Star Royal Soul Master. ”Relax like everyone else and prepare yourself. Weʼll have to repeat this entire process again when he comes back out, and thatʼs hardly an easy task.”

”I know...” The young man sat down among a group of other young men and women, all of whom looked thoroughly exhausted after everything that had just taken place. Several of them were still regulating their breathing while others silently recovered their spiritual energy. ”...This is the first time Iʼve participated in opening the gate since I was assigned here a thousand years ago. Itʼs exciting... and nerve-racking.” He frowned thoughtfully. ”I wonder what happened for the First Brother to personally come here.”

”To you, his name is Lord Morval.” A completely different person spoke before turning toward the enormous gate with unconcealed envy visible across his face. ”Even among the First Row Scions, heʼs the only one permitted to pass through that door...” He then slowly closed his eyes once more. ”Whatever happens inside has nothing to do with us anyway. Just wait for orders and carry out your responsibilities.”

”...”

The young man nodded after a brief moment of hesitation, silently accepting the reminder before returning his attention toward the massive gate.

Step Step

Morval continued walking through the castle with slow, heavy footsteps that echoed gently through the silent corridors.

So much time had passed since his previous visit that he could no longer remember when it had been. Ever since that day, not a single pair of footsteps had echoed through these halls, nor had even a single speck of dust found its way inside despite the unimaginable passage of time.

A place that had remained sealed for millions of years was still utterly spotless, as though it had been cleaned only moments ago. It was incomparably magnificent, bathed at first in brilliant radiance that gradually faded into softer and softer light the deeper Morval ventured into its seemingly endless interior.

He could have flown or employed accelerated movement techniques capable of crossing the distance within moments, yet he continued forward slowly, respectfully, and with unmistakable hesitation, choosing to advance one ordinary step after another as though anything faster would itself be considered disrespectful.

Deep within the castle, the corridors branched endlessly in every direction. Some led toward libraries whose shelves stretched beyond sight, filled with books whose existence alone could shake civilizations. Others opened into indoor gardens where trees with crystalline leaves quietly flourished beneath artificial skies, while still others reached lofty balconies overlooking an endless sea of clouds drifting peacefully beneath them. The castle itself seemed to obey no conventional laws of space, its corridors and chambers subtly shifting according to the person walking through them, making every journey uniquely its own.

At last, he arrived before an enormous hall so vast that its ceiling disappeared completely beyond the limits of sight, leaving only endless darkness high above despite the countless sources of illumination scattered throughout the chamber.

Then, after walking for another full hour through that immense hall whose sheer scale distorted oneʼs perception of distance, Morval finally came to a stop before a majestic crystal throne whose flawless surface reflected countless layers of shimmering light.

An empty throne.

He then lowered himself onto one knee before continuing to bow until both of his hands rested upon the floor. His spiritual energy surged throughout the vast hall as he spoke in a clear, resonant voice that carried naturally through the seemingly endless chamber.

”My Lady and Mistress, O Bestower, this servant humbly requests an audience with you.”

Silence—

The absolute silence that followed Morvalʼs words did not prompt him to rise, repeat his request, or circulate his spiritual energy a second time in an attempt to draw attention to himself. Instead, he simply held his breath, emptied his mind of unnecessary thoughts, and remained perfectly still, patiently waiting for whatever answer might come.

Minutes slowly drifted by following his invocation, each one seeming far longer than the last within the motionless hall where not even the faintest sound disturbed the air.

Then those minutes became hours.

Yet throughout all that time, Morval did not move so much as an inch. His posture remained exactly as it had been from the beginning, as though even the slightest movement before receiving permission would itself constitute an act of disrespect.

Until, finally—

Hummmmm

A radiant orange sphere slowly emerged from the center of Morvalʼs forehead, separating itself from his body with an indescribably ancient aura. Within moments, the sphere expanded before the throne before gradually assuming the form of a woman. The outline of her luminous body became increasingly distinct, yet it was equally apparent that she was clothed in a legendary robe woven entirely from brilliant orange light whose flowing radiance concealed as much as it revealed.

The woman calmly seated herself upon the crystal throne with the composure of someone returning to a familiar seat after only a brief absence before lowering her gaze toward Morval with quiet indifference.

”What is it?”

”Something new has happened, My Lady. A new development is shaking Universe B-14, and I require direct instructions from Your Grace.” Morval barely managed to suppress the sweat forming upon his forehead, forcing himself to maintain a steady voice despite the pressure filling the hall. ”It concerns the Seerʼs candidate for this generation.”

”The title of Seer has become active once again? Then his current candidate is the Chosen of Truth... How ironic.” The woman frowned ever so slightly, as though the very title carried memories she found unpleasant. ”What has the Chosen of Truth done to warrant requesting my personal presence rather than handling the matter yourselves?”

”He declared war today against two Behemoths simultaneously and requested a live broadcast to the entire universe using the mechanisms Your Grace personally taught us to construct,” Morval answered rapidly, unwilling to waste even the smallest amount of her time. ”The problem is that the commanders leading both armies are Unbound.”

”....?!” The woman slowly rose from the throne, the calmness in her expression disappearing for the first time since her arrival. ”What did you say?” Her voice rose slightly as disbelief crept into it. ”Do you mean soldiers... or Executioners? Those who were only partially liberated? The Seer has started playing such an openly aggressive game? Since when has that man interfered in worldly affairs so directly? That contradicts everything he has always represented...”

”My Lady, I mean Unbound in the literal sense.” Morval looked as though he were on the verge of tears, struggling to convince even himself that what he had witnessed was real. ”I personally watched Renara—a girl who was nothing more than a trivial Nexus State cultivator only a few decades ago—slice an Eight-Star Royal Soul Master into eight separate pieces. She didnʼt even exchange one or two blows with him before ending the battle!”

”...” The woman slowly lowered herself back onto the throne once more, her movements far slower than before. ”True Unbound... Two of them?” She lowered her gaze, speaking almost to herself. ”Why... why would he carve away a portion of his own strength merely to create Unbound... and why choose this particular moment? His reputation and standing would suffer an enormous blow because of such a decision as well...”

She then raised her eyes once again until they met Morvalʼs directly.

”Has something major occurred during the past few years? Something significant enough to provoke the Seer into abandoning his usual methods?”

”The entire last millennium has been nothing but one major event after another. The pace of change has accelerated beyond anything recorded before. The evolution of governance, the way major powers interact with one another, the redistribution of influence throughout the universe, even the manner in which ordinary cultivators think out in the streets has changed more dramatically than everything we witnessed throughout the previous ten million years combined,” Morval replied without the slightest hesitation. ”Ever since the current candidate appeared, he hasnʼt stopped overturning the state of the universe through every method imaginable... including methods we had long concluded were fundamentally impossible.”