Reign of Exiled

Chapter 122: Ascension of the Sovereign's Core

The hum of the Starlight Nexus was a distant murmur as Kael stood before his System Interface, the colossal sum of 5,000,000,000 Sin Points shimmering like a cosmic currency. The SSS+ quest, the looming presence of an Eternal Crown Elder, and the treacherous journey through the Whispering Vortex demanded absolute optimization of his formidable power.

"Every point counts now," Kael mused aloud, his gaze sweeping over the list of available upgrades. His wives gathered around him, their collective focus sharp and expectant. They understood the gravity of this moment.

"Focus on what empowers our Union, hubby," Selene advised, her voice calm and clear. "Our combined strength is our greatest weapon."

Kael nodded, her words echoing his own thoughts. His finger hovered over the Sovereign Union trait. "Indeed. To solidify our foundation."

[Sovereign Union [+Enhanced] — Upgrade to Sovereign Union [+Ascended]?]

[Cost: 1,500,000,000 Sin Points]

[Effect: Significantly deepens the spiritual and power link between Kael and all bonded partners, enhancing shared cultivation benefits, increasing collective power output, and granting a minor passive regeneration aura to the entire Union.]

"Accept," Kael commanded.

A wave of profound warmth washed over them all, a palpable strengthening of the invisible threads that bound them. Kael felt his wives' essences intertwine with his own, not just symbiotically, but synergistically, creating a greater whole. A faint, golden aura shimmered around them collectively, a testament to their newfound unity.

Next, Kael focused on the source of much of his unique growth. "And the engine of my growth, the very core of my being."

[Carnal Sovereign Core [+Enhanced] — Upgrade to Carnal Sovereign Core [+Primeval]?]

[Cost: 1,000,000,000 Sin Points]

[Effect: Drastically enhances the integration of life force and essence into cultivation experience. Increases vital energy regeneration, strengthens spiritual resonance, and refines control over sin-based energies. Further amplifies passive benefits from deep intimacy.]

"Accept," Kael decreed.

A powerful surge ignited within him, radiating outward. His very blood pulsed with reinvigorated power, his mana reservoirs expanded, and his connection to the fundamental concepts of desire and power deepened. He felt a profound shift, as if his physical and spiritual being had shed a layer of mundane existence, growing closer to a primordial state.

"That felt... substantial," Evelyne murmured, her starlit aura flaring in response to the surge.

"My internal energies are humming," Thalaria added, a pleased, rumbling growl in her chest. "Like a storm gathering."

Kael then considered his offensive capabilities. His Infernal Domain was powerful, but against an Eternal Crown Elder, he needed something more.

[Infernal Domain [+Max] — Evolve to Abyssal Dominion [Tier 1]?]

[Cost: 2,000,000,000 Sin Points]

[Effect: Transforms Infernal Domain into a vastly more potent Abyssal Dominion. Creates a localized reality distortion, capable of manipulating space and gravitational forces, passively draining life force and cultivation energy from all within, and empowering Kael with greater command over primordial darkness. Tiered progression for further evolution.]

"Accept," Kael affirmed, a cruel smile touching his lips.

A vast, chilling power surged from Kael, momentarily eclipsing the light of the Nexus. A miniature void seemed to open around him, sucking in ambient light and sound before collapsing back into his being. The air shimmered, thick with a palpable sense of crushing gravity and primordial darkness. This wasn't just fire; it was a fragment of the void itself, a domain capable of twisting reality.

Finally, Kael turned to a new acquisition, something crucial for navigating the unpredictable cosmic landscape.

[Unlock New Passive Trait: Void-Walker's Intuition [Tier 1]?]

[Cost: 500,000,000 Sin Points]

[Effect: Grants enhanced perception and intuition within cosmic void, unstable dimensional spaces, and uncharted realms. Provides a passive warning system for spatial anomalies, hidden threats, and navigational guidance through confusing cosmic currents. Tiered progression for further enhancement.]

"Accept."

A subtle shift occurred within Kael's mind, a new layer of awareness unfurling. He felt a connection to the vast emptiness of space, a subtle understanding of its currents and hidden pathways. The chaotic energies of the Whispering Vortex, though still dangerous, now felt less like an abyss and more like a complex, albeit perilous, road.

His Sin Points were depleted, but the raw power surging through him and resonating with his wives was undeniable. His Realm remained Worldpiercer Tier 2, but his foundational abilities had undergone a profound metamorphosis.

[Sin Points: 0 / 100,000,000,000]

"Feel it?" Kael's voice was deeper, resonating with newfound authority. "Our Union is stronger. My power, sharper. The Abyss calls."

"This power... it's intoxicating, darling," Aelisa purred, her eyes gleaming. "Even the static of this place feels alive now."

"We are ready, dear husband," Valeria declared, her green aura pulsing, fortified by the new Union benefits. "The Whispering Vortex awaits."

With their collective strength amplified and their purpose firmly set, Kael led his wives towards the notorious Whispering Vortex. It was not a grand, stable portal, but a swirling, chaotic maelstrom of flickering energies, barely contained by ancient, humming runes. It stretched between known and unknown, a gateway of desperate chances and profound risks.

"This is it," Kael stated, his hand reaching for the swirling vortex. "The passage back to the Veridian Expanse. It will be turbulent. But our destination, and our vengeance, is worth every risk."

He stepped into the swirling chaos, his wives following without hesitation, their forms consumed by the roiling energies of the unstable portal, their combined power a beacon against the cosmic maelstrom.

STATUS WINDOW: KAEL VIREN

System Level: 49

EXP: 35,000,000,000/80,000,000,000

Realm: Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 2/9

HP: 105,000/105,000

Mana: 118,000/118,000

Stats (with buffs applied):

Strength: 980×2.8×2=5,488

Endurance: 950×2.8=2,660

Willpower: 970×2.8=2,716

Charm: 1080×2.8=3,024

Intellect: 870×2.8=2,436

Dexterity: 980×2.8×2=5,488

Sin Points: 0/100,000,000,000

Sin Tier: Warlord Rank

SKILL WINDOW

Active Sin Skills:

Sovereign Flame Crush [+Max]

Wrathflare Lance [+Max]

Flamebind Chains [+Max]

Infernal Domain → Abyssal Dominion [Tier 1]

Passive Traits:

Crown of Dominion → Throne of Ascendancy [+Mythic]

Sovereign Union → Sovereign Union [+Ascended]

Nullfire Core [+Enhanced]

Phoenix Mantle [+Enhanced]

Worldpiercer's Will [+New]

Vision Beyond the Veil [+New]

Verdant Sovereign's Heart [+NEW — Mythic Trait] (Passive regeneration aura for all party members within 500 meters)

Shared Bloom [+NEW — Passive Trait] (Increases Charm and Intellect of bonded partners by 8%)

Void-Walker's Intuition [Tier 1] [+NEW]

Bloodline / Physique Traits:

Carnal Sovereign Core → Carnal Sovereign Core [+Primeval]

Sin Catalyst Matrix [+Enhanced]

[Skill Upgrade Available — Spend Sin Points to enhance or evolve active/passive/bloodline skills]

[Bonded Partner Skills Eligible for Sin Point Upgrade]

Bonded Wives (Mythic Bloodlines/Physiques Active):

Selene — Skyshatter 9/9 → Worldpiercer 2/9 (Mythic Eclipse Matron)

Evelyne — Skyshatter 9/9 → Worldpiercer 2/9 (Starlit Ember Empress)

Thalaria — Skyshatter 8/9 → Worldpiercer 2/9 (Stormheart Valkyrie — Advanced 11 tiers)

Nysera — Skyshatter 9/9 → Worldpiercer 2/9 (Scarlet Hexmistress)

Valeria — Skyshatter 8/9 → Worldpiercer 2/9 (Verdant Windborne Queen)

Aelisa — Heaven's Echo (Peak Rank) (Succubus Duskkissed Queen)

Pet Panel:

Emberfang — Infernal Flamebeast Cub (Tier 5)

Vira — Sky Serpent Hatchling (Tier 2)

Cultivation Realms:

Initiate → Essence Drawn → Veinwoven → Soulroot → Starforged → Sunbound → Moonglade → Skyshatter → Worldpiercer ← Current (2/9) → Heaven's Echo → Celestiaflame → Worldbreaker → Eternal Crown → Primordial Ascendant

Next: Heaven's Echo (Unlocks at Worldpiercer Tier 9/9)

Now powered by a significantly upgraded skill set, Kael and his Union dive into the unpredictable chaos of the Whispering Vortex. What will be the immediate consequences of traversing such an unstable portal, and where will they emerge within the Veridian Expanse?