NOVEL WEB Chapter 633: Partial Unlock
— ??? —
Within the dark and damp basement, the only light came from a flimsy bulb hanging precariously from the ceiling. A young man—the young master of the Peng clan, who had been beaten to a pulp by an enraged Empress—sat tied to an adamantine folding chair. His cultivation had been sealed by the Empress herself, rendering him powerless.
Russo Veneziale slowly approached the young man, his footsteps echoing ominously in the confined space. He gave a subtle nod to one of his men, who held a bucket of cold water mixed with a bag full of salt.
The lackey nodded in acknowledgment before splashing the icy, saline water over the young man's battered body.
"Hissss! Arrgghhhhhh!" the young master cried out, jolting awake as the stinging liquid seeped into the cracks and wounds on his flesh, amplifying his agony.
"Wake up, young master. Let's talk," Russo said, dragging a folding chair nearby. He unfolded it, set it up in front of the young master, and sat down. His swaggering demeanor was a stark contrast to the submissive attitude he displayed toward Tian Xingyun—it was as if he were dealing with a mere nuisance.
"You… the butler… what do you want?" The young master shook his head, trying to dispel the lingering grogginess. Then he corrected himself, "No… what does Her Majesty want?"
As he regained clarity, his mind began to work. The young master wasn't unintelligent—far from it. His brain, dulled by the constant praise and flattery of his yes-men and servants, simply hadn't been put to proper use. Deprived of these excesses, his thoughts were surprisingly sharp.
He couldn't fathom why he was still alive or why the Empress would resort to such tactics to lure him here. It had to involve his clan. Though his family wasn't among the upper echelons of the noble clans, they weren't insignificant either. They had a few secret treasures—artifacts of value. But the question is still there… What could his clan possibly possess that the Heavenly Palace doesn't already have?
Then, another thought struck him. His mission in the mortal realm. Though primarily an excuse to indulge in worldly pleasures, if he stumbled upon even the faintest clue about the whereabouts of the Heavenly Palace or any information about its mysterious disappearance, he was obligated to report it to his clan.
"You're not as bad as we thought, young master. You remind me of myself a few years ago," Russo remarked with a faint smile, reminiscing fondly. He didn't often reflect, but the memory of his turning point came back to him. What would happen to him if he didn't meet Lord Emberweave? Will he still be an aimless leech, draining his father's patience and resources?
"Since you've already pieced together some of it, this will be easier." Russo pulled a small memo from his inner pocket and skimmed through its contents before continuing. "Lady Tian has requested a meeting with your ancestor, the one in seclusion. If he absolutely cannot attend, then your father will suffice. But she strongly prefers the ancestor. Failing to comply will result in the extermination of your clan." He tucked the note back into his pocket. "That's what she said."
The young master's rusty mind raced into overdrive. Now it was clear why he was still alive and why the Empress had lured him here. She didn't want him running or using any hidden treasures to escape. Instead, she tricked him into lowering his guard, making him drunk so his qi would become sluggish.
But now that he thought about it, a strange detail came to mind. Why did mortal wine even intoxicate him? His body should have been far superior to a mortal's. Even drinking large quantities shouldn't have affected him. He shouldn't have let his lower head think more instead of his actual head.
As for the Empress's intentions, he couldn't be sure. Assassinate the ancestor? No, that can't be right. With her strength at the peak of the Immortal Realm, she wouldn't need to bother with that. A single palm strike from her could annihilate the entire Peng clan ancestral ground. He mulled it over, but no answers came. For now, it was best to go with the flow.
"Yes… I will obey the Empress's decree," he said, bowing as was proper—not to Russo, but to the command itself. Explore more stories with empire
— Immortal Realm - A few days later —
Within the grand ancestral hall of the Peng clan, a middle-aged man was reading a spiritual communication slate in his hand. The contents made him want to explode in anger.
'Father,
I've offended Empress Xi Wangmu. She's currently living in the mortal world, in a place called New Atlantis. Right now, I'm being held captive by her. She wants to speak with our Ancestor. Please get Ancestor to help and bail me out!
With love and respect,
Your lovely son, Peng Xiao
P.S. I've attached the details about where I am and why this happened here. Please come respectfully, or the Empress might actually rip my head off.'
"That damn scoundrel!" the middle-aged man roared as he hurled the spiritual slate to the ground, shattering it into pieces. "Out of all the people in the mortal and Immortal realms, you chose to offend her!? Do you think your life is too dull, and you need some excitement by courting death!?" He stomped on the shattered remnants of the slate, venting his anger.
In his rage, he roared and rampaged through the room, destroying furniture, porcelain, and lacquerware until he finally calmed himself. Taking a deep breath, he descended into the secret passage leading to the Peng clan ancestor's secluded chamber.
Inside the chamber, a black silhouette sat cross-legged on a spiritual qi gathering formation. The air was thick with energy as the ancestor cultivated, suppressing the heavenly tribulation looming over him.
"Ancestor… please hear me out." The man knelt and relayed the message he had received from his son to the meditating figure.
The Ancestor listened patiently, his calm demeanor unwavering despite the absurdity of the situation. Finally, he nodded.
"I see. If the Empress is involved, then it can't be helped. I'll go there myself. You may accompany me," the Ancestor said, his voice deep and resolute.
— Meanwhile - Sultanate of Aqaba —
In the weapon research center in the Sultanate of Aqaba was an extensive underground facility. It covered a vast area and was equipped with all the amenities one could need—hospitals, shopping malls, entertainment districts, and even recreational spaces like an underground lake and a public park designed to mimic natural settings.
These features were specifically built to ensure that researchers could work here for extended periods without succumbing to depression or cabin fever. The center's layout bore a striking resemblance to the Atlanteus Base, though this facility placed a heavier emphasis on weapons research and prototyping.
Daniel was nearly finished testing the God Slayer Cannon. The process had reached 80% completion but was now stalled because he needed to wait for Old Yuan to recover from his injuries. Initially, Daniel had intended to stuff Old Yuan with every healing potion and spell in his arsenal to shorten the old man's healing process, but the old man protested vehemently, calling him all sorts of names—demon, slave driver, and the like.
Reluctantly, Daniel decided to let Old Yuan recover at his own pace. However, he resolved that if the old man didn't finish healing himself within the next few days, he would force-feed him potions and healing spells to get him back to work. Daniel had already spent too much time here and was eager to return home.
As he sat in his private room within the research center, sketching new designs on his drawing board, his tablet—a gift from the Keeper—suddenly pinged. A notification popped up, showing that he had received an unexpected 50,000 points to spend.
"Huh? Why all of a sudden?" Daniel muttered, momentarily stunned as he paused mid-drawing.
He noticed that the points had accumulated to 80,000 from everything he and his team had accomplished. Daniel decided it was time to visit the card shop. Summoning the door, he stepped inside, pondering which set he should unlock next.
"Good evening, Lord Emberweave. Would you care for some tea?" The Keeper greeted him with the polite demeanor of a seasoned butler, offering a cup of tea.
"Thank you, Mr. Keeper. I'll have a cup," Daniel replied, not refusing the Keeper's hospitality. He was curious to taste tea brewed personally by the enigmatic Keeper.
"Certainly, sir. Here you go." The Keeper poured a cup of royal-grade English tea into a fine white porcelain cup before handing it to Daniel.
"I've got around 80,000 points. Does that mean I can unlock a set? If so, I'd like to unlock The Ragnarok Tales of the Rebel God set," Daniel said with a smile. This set, focused on Norse mythology and lore, intrigued him. Moreover, it was one of the completed sets, not a prototype, which meant it likely included many cards he could put to good use.
"Ah, that set," the Keeper said with a sigh, his polite smile tinged with hesitation. "It comes with quite a few complications. I'm afraid 'partially unlocked' would be the more accurate term."