Immortal Kingdoms

"The Gods are the ultimate truth! We have sinned far too much, people! Millions of our brothers! Sisters! Sons and daughters have died to repent for what you and I have done of misdeeds my brothers and sisters!"

This was one of the countless slogans luring the masses into the Arcadian Doctrine Faith. Valdmor had always been quite the bustling ancient town. However, this was the first time since ages that the hustle and bustle were actually in the form of religious reformations and irrigation of faith.

On this day, a party dressed in all white, speckless clothes entered through Valdmor's main gates.

Leonardo, Wendy, Pandora, Juvia, Leona, and Kieran stepped down from an ordinary carriage and slowly made their way inside through the crowded streets. Looking at this ancient town now, Leonardo realized that what he saw during his last visit wasn't the actual Valdmor, as he could sense at least two High Saints residing within this small town.

Far from the inns and taverns, many people began setting up tens and camps right outside the borders of this now-packed city.

Forget the ordinary people, even the supposedly devout seekers of divine wisdom couldn't help but turn their necks and ogle at the delicate lineup of beauties, stunned.

A petite Pandora in a tight-fitting white combat suit and a long silver custom-made bow strapped on her back, its outline visible through her long white cape that linked to a hoodie concealing the upper half of her face. From the shade of the hood, a pair of vigilant silver eyes glittered ominously. However, her delicate and fair chin, rosy plump lips, and steady pace… All together contributed to her beauty.

A nine-part dignified one-part wild Wendy with a sense of exotic beauty to her tan skin and multicolored hair, eyes, and sharp yet clear-cut nails took everyone's breath away, and perhaps even their senses as most had attributed the lack of an aura on her body made her out to be some non-cultivating beauty. In fact, they assumed the same for Pandora and Leonardo as well.

The only one with apparent cultivation fluctuations of the second-cycle sainthood was Juvia, as her cultivation had progressed greatly, arriving at the cusp of achieving level 59 throughout the past few months of solitary confinement in the palace, or so she liked to think of it.

Whenever she thought about how she would have been able to take pride in her level if it wasn't for the sudden introduction of Wendy who was but a few steps away from advancing past level 65, Juvia felt bitter in her heart.

Both Pandora and Leonardo spent these months running around Arcadia, leaving her behind between cultivation and handling the affairs of the palace.

However, she knew that this ultimately was a matter of talent and inherent karma, and the day would come when Leonardo and Wendy picked up their pace and left people like her and Pandora in the dust, lest they became burdens to this man. Nonetheless, Juvia had no regrets in her heart, only bliss.

As for Leona and Kieran, the moment their seals were undone by Eternus, their accumulated energy was mysteriously sucked away into depths unknown within their bodies, most likely automatically disposed of as their physiques deemed the quality of the energy as being too low.

Leona ran ahead and held onto Leonardo's right hand, and he accepted the gesture with a faint smile while the corner of his eyes observed the people who split like an ocean, allowing them unhindered passage.

As for Kieran, he walked by Leonardo's other side while holding onto Aria, his expression as indifferent as Leonardo's would usually be. Apparently, the child enjoyed this silent indifference the most about his Godfather.

"You there!"

Suddenly, a group of cultivators approached Leonardo's entourage, their leader a man of a considerably frightsome build flanked by lackeys exuding the aura of cultivators on par with the current Juvia.

Apparently, these people were scouting the waters and waiting to see whether someone else would leave the carriage and join this clean group, but it seemed like their worries were superfluous. Obviously, the elf dressed in a long palace dress should be the strongest of the group, as to why this woman who dressed like a woman descending from a high palace was walking quietly in the rear of the group, this wild man didn't give the matter one lick of contemplation.

In fact, his eyes were drawn to Wendy's exotic temperament the moment she stepped off the carriage. However, Valdmor became a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers as recently, and no one would dare act out of line to anyone who presented themselves with sufficient martial might and elegant decorum.

As for this group? A young man accompanied by a fleet of beauties and two children, probably his younger siblings.

A third-cycle saint and lackeys with second-cycle cultivation, now this is quite rare. No, perhaps Leonardo's cultivation back then wasn't at a level where he would be able to tell a saint from an ordinary beggar even if he came across one.

So, is this the true Valdmor?

Leonardo ignored the man who was blocking the road and continued forward, though his lips silently moved to utter a warning out of good intentions, "Don't be the flimsy pants scapegoat that will inevitably die just to scout the depths of our power,"

There was a mysterious persuasive force to Leonardo's voice paired with his lifeless eyes. In fact, an incomparable will and majesty akin to a king bestowing a vassal with mercy filled the man's brain, overtook his irrational lust, and made him aware of the fact that Leonardo's party was already well and past his group, who were now looking at him with odd expressions.

The man felt utterly humiliated after falling for such a simple intimidation tactic, but the people in the shadows were even more displeased.

The man also knew that those people would be displeased, and he was simply waiting for them to act. Suddenly, however, he noticed that something was wrong, as the petite girl that was in the group just a moment ago was already gone.

Then, shrill cries of panic and surprise filled the tightly jammed streets as over sixteen heads rolled out from the alleyways and plopped down from the balconies overhead, and not a single head of them was less than a third-cycle saint with its fluctuations.

After gulping, the man noticed that the petite girl was already back in formation, following silently behind Leonardo.

Such godlike assassination skills were practically unheard of throughout the entirety of Arcadia, scaring the man and his gang witless.

In the chaos, another group of people dressed in a luxurious fabric, the emblem of Tesla's Dine and Shine pinned to their chest pockets approached Leonardo and company, their expressions amiable.

"Your Highness Prince Leonardo, please allow us the honor of providing you with meals and shelter,"

The middle-aged man who took the lead bowed respectfully, showing his utmost sincerity and respect.

"Oh? Seems like Adeline hadn't made my matters public yet, huh?" Leonardo raised an eyebrow, curiously inspecting the flock of beautiful women that came to receive him behind this man.

"If you would care to enlighten me, Your Highness, I would be forever grateful," the man responded humbly, his tone pleasing to the ear.

"I am no longer a Foreign Prince, Grace Imperial City is no more, replaced by the Great Grace Republic and overseen by the Grace Blood Parliament," Leonardo also didn't mince words, "So you don't need to be overly polite to me; I no longer enjoy any exalted status."

Leonardo chuckled lightly, though his chuckle didn't sound the least bit humble.

"Ah…" The man was caught in an awkward position for a moment as his thoughts whirled.

Would having an official status even matter at this point in time? Everyone who should be aware of Leonardo's actual status was already aware of it, it could be said that the title of a Foreign Prince was no more than icing on the cake.

'You even dare to call the Queen of House Sylvia by her name, yet you don't wish for us to be polite with you? Are you kidding me?'

Although the man had this in his heart, his eyes quickly sparkled. "Then, please allow me to invite you into becoming the Esteemed Guest of my Tesla's, I'm sure the masters would be quite happy!"

"Are you sure? I am quite short on money recently, and my people are very hungry."

Leonardo emphasized the word 'hungry' with clear implications, testing the attitude of Tesla's. After all, his next course of action would rely on how they currently viewed him.

"You jest, Esteemed Guest," a soft, almost hypnotizing voice filled Valdmor's skies, its source undoubtedly the core regions of this ancient town, "Rosamond, escort the guests of my humble abode to meet me."

Rosamond's body quivered from head to toe as he bowed at a sharp 90 toward the voice, his voice shaking with delight and pride for having that person call out his name. Leonardo's eyes flashed as he could sense a familiar aura to that of the High Saint swordsman from the domain which transmitted the voice, igniting his curiosity.

Rosamond quickly got his act together and smiled brightly, "You heard the will of the higher-ups, Esteemed Guest, please!"

Rsamond's steps were light as though he was stepping on clouds while leading Leonardo and company toward the core region of Valdmor, not the least bit apprehensive that someone might ambush them on their way.

No one is stupid, only one person would dare proclaim Tesla's headquarters as their humble abode, it's the goddamn owner.

Nobody wanted to pick a bone with existence on that level, not even Leonardo would find it wise to antagonize someone on that level for no good reason or an irreconcilable grudge.