"That's right, it's truly god-tier. Even I didn't expect the Netherworld to have such a powerful enemy—honestly, it's pretty terrifying when you think about it." Evan Cole laughed lightly.
"Now that the Old Ancestors from the two Hidden Clans have been wiped out, the Netherworld is basically unified. So, Evan, what's your plan next?" King Victor Zhao asked.
"I'm heading out to find the Heart of Frostflame and then get the Sunstones. That's when I'll leave the Netherworld. But after killing those two Old Ancestors, what are you guys going to do if the Demonic Realm attacks next time?" Evan Cole asked.
"Don't worry about that. Every time the Demonic Realm attacks, their troops aren't that strong. The Old Ancestors rarely ever step in—only twice, as far as I remember—and the enemy was just demigod-level. If a real war breaks out, I believe the Beast King and I can handle it." King Victor Zhao replied.
"King Victor Zhao's right, sir. You can relax. It may look like the Netherworld lost a lot of top experts, but the real main force is untouched. In a major war, it's the soldiers and generals who matter—one or two powerhouses alone can't decide the outcome." Beast King chimed in.
Evan Cole wanted to say that, actually, it's the strongest experts who decide the outcome of a war. The recent Immortal Beast battle was proof—a single powerhouse can destroy tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of troops with one move. No matter how many soldiers you have, they're just cannon fodder against true strength.
But just as he was about to say it, he swallowed the words. If he spoke like that, the other two would definitely feel bad. His arrival in the Netherworld had already hurt its vitality more than he'd realized.
"Let's head back. Ivy and Chase and the others must be worried. After this big battle, you both have a lot to deal with, so let's not waste any more time," Evan said.
The three of them quickly returned to Serene Nether City. Now, a third of the city's buildings were destroyed—a result Evan hadn't expected. Who would've thought that even from thousands of miles away, the battle could cause such devastation? Fighting between true powerhouses really is too destructive.
Back at the City Lord's Mansion, Princess Ivy, Jade, Chase, and Princess Serene all came out to greet them. Seeing Evan safe, everyone finally relaxed.
"Dad, I heard from Father that you fought against two Old Ancestors from the Hidden Clans. Did you really defeat them?" Princess Serene asked Evan Cole respectfully.
"I killed both of them. Surprised?" Evan Cole laughed lightly, feeling quite satisfied with his daughter-in-law.
Princess Serene stared at Evan Cole in shock. "Dad, I heard Father say those two were demigod-rank experts—the strongest in the Netherworld! You actually managed to kill them? So what realm are you at now?"
"Me? I'm just at late Nether Emperor stage, not as high as your father's realm. But in terms of real strength, he can't compare. Sorry your wedding with Chase got so chaotic." Evan Cole laughed.
"No, not at all! Being able to marry Chase is the greatest blessing for me. And with a peerless powerhouse like you as my father-in-law, who in the Netherworld would dare disrespect me? I feel so lucky!" Princess Serene smiled.
"Alright, let's not just stand here! Someone set up a banquet—let's celebrate properly!" Evan Cole said.
Everyone went into the side hall. During the banquet, Evan Cole briefly recounted his fierce battle with the two Old Ancestors, leaving everyone stunned and nervous—even Jade was shocked.
"Sir, was that Old Ancestor really a Heavenly God-rank expert? How is that possible? I thought all the Heavenly Gods had already ascended. How could they still be in the Netherworld?" Jade asked, incredulous.
"I'm not entirely sure either. From what those two old guys said, the upper realm deliberately left them here to guard the Netherworld. But now that I've killed them, the Netherworld has lost its guardians—it's dangerous!" Evan Cole said.
"Danger? With Dad in the Netherworld, who would dare cause trouble? Even if someone from the Demonic Realm comes, I'll kill them one by one, or two at a time!" Princess Serene smiled boldly.
"Haha, Dad won't be staying in the Netherworld much longer. So the responsibility for protecting it will fall to you and Chase. I believe you two can handle it," Evan Cole said, encouragingly.
"Dad, you're leaving? Are you taking Mom with you?" Chase asked directly.
"That's right. It's one of the reasons I came to the Netherworld. Tomorrow, I'm heading to the Extreme Frostlands to look for the Heart of Frostflame. If you want to come, get ready!" Evan Cole laughed.
Evan Cole was still confused about the Heart of Frostflame. He remembered he had an Iceflame Crystal in his storage ring—he'd prepared it to remove Roxanne's Vermilion Bird Mark. He wondered what the difference was between the Iceflame Crystal and the Heart of Frostflame.
If the Iceflame Crystal was actually the Heart of Frostflame, there'd be no need to go searching. Thinking this, Evan took out the Iceflame Crystal. Now, holding it in his hand, he felt perfectly fine—proof that his strength had grown.
Seeing the Iceflame Crystal in Evan Cole's hand, everyone was puzzled. "Evan, what is that thing in your hand? It seems to have some energy," King Victor Zhao asked, confused.
Evan Cole glanced at King Victor Zhao and said, "This is an Iceflame Crystal. I thought you all might recognize it. I took it out to see if it's the Heart of Frostflame you mentioned."
"Hahaha! You're joking, right? The Heart of Frostflame is so cold that if there were one in this room, the whole place would be an ice world. What you have doesn't even compare," King Victor Zhao laughed.
"The Heart of Frostflame is extremely rare and hard to get. It takes luck, and you'll face danger. Be prepared," King Victor Zhao warned.
Evan Cole felt a bit embarrassed. He really had made a joke of himself. The Iceflame Crystal might have been powerful in the lower realm, but here it was worthless. Even the weakest here were at the Golden Immortal Realm, so no one cared about the crystal's energy.
"Alright, we'll set out tomorrow. Everyone, get ready!" Evan Cole laughed.
"Evan, I think Chase, Princess Serene, and I should stay. Where you're going will be dangerous, and I don't want to be a burden. Besides, Chase and Princess Serene just got married—they shouldn't be risking their lives right now," Princess Ivy said gently.
Evan Cole thought it over and found Princess Ivy's reasoning sound. He smiled and said, "You're right. Then Jade will stay to protect you all. If any remnants of King Warren Lin or King Grant Gu show up, Jade can keep you safe."
"That sounds perfect. I hope you find the Heart of Frostflame soon—we'll be waiting for your return!" Princess Ivy smiled.
Afterwards, everyone left the side hall. Evan Cole and Princess Ivy returned to their room, sharing a private moment together. After their passionate night, Princess Ivy fell into a deep sleep while Evan quietly slipped out...