Reign of Exiled

Chapter 123: Return to a Fractured Home

The Whispering Vortex was a maelstrom of raw, untamed dimensional energy. As Kael and his Union plunged into its heart, the gentle hum of the Starlight Nexus was replaced by a deafening roar, a cacophony of tearing fabric and screaming light. Their senses were assaulted by a dizzying kaleidoscope of colors, shifting realities, and the terrifying sensation of their very atoms being stretched thin, then violently compressed.

Kael's Worldpiercer's Will flared, a steadfast anchor in the swirling chaos, battling the disorientation that threatened to consume them. His newly acquired Void-Walker's Intuition [Tier 1] hummed like a compass in a storm, guiding them through the most volatile currents, sensing the nearest, albeit precarious, path to stability. Without it, he knew, they would have been shredded or flung into an uncharted void.

The Sovereign Union [+Ascended] proved its worth immediately. Instead of being ripped apart by the discordant forces, the powerful bond between Kael and his wives acted as a living, pulsating shield. Their intertwined essences created a pocket of stability, their shared consciousness a unified front against the multiverse's fury.

Selene's silver eyes remained focused on Kael, channeling her lunar energies to reinforce their collective shield. Evelyne's starlit aura burned bright, actively burning away intrusive energies. Thalaria's gritted teeth were visible as she rode the turbulence like a storm rider, her powerful physique resisting the tearing forces. Nysera, though visibly strained, maintained an unyielding concentration, her hex-infused senses searching for any weakness in the vortex's chaotic flow. Valeria's verdant essence flowed, subtly mending any minute tears in their collective form, a grounding balm against the cosmic violence. Aelisa, surprisingly, seemed to revel in the intensity, a wicked grin on her face as the raw energies of the void stimulated her Succubus Duskkissed Queen core.

The journey felt like an eternity, a brutal, unforgiving gauntlet that tested every fiber of their being. Then, with a sudden, jarring lurch that threatened to dislocate their souls, they were spat out.

The chaotic roar died abruptly, replaced by the rush of wind and the distant rustling of leaves. Kael and his wives landed hard, stumbling slightly but remaining upright, their combined momentum carrying them a few steps forward before they regained balance. The air was thick, heavy, carrying the scent of damp earth and distant, decaying forests.

They stood in what appeared to be a vast, overgrown wilderness. Ancient trees, gnarled and scarred, stretched towards a muted sky. The land was rugged, untouched by direct civilization, yet there was a subtle, oppressive aura in the atmosphere, a feeling of imbalance in the natural flow of mana.

"We're here," Kael announced, his voice raspy, his eyes sweeping the desolate landscape. This was it. The Veridian Expanse. But not as he remembered it.

He recognized hints of the land he knew, but it was corrupted, distorted. The very essence of the realm felt... different. Denser, perhaps, or choked. His Verdant Sovereign's Heart trait, attuned to nature, pulsed with discomfort.

"This is on the fringes of the old borders," Kael stated, a grim certainty in his tone. "The Whisper Vortex's unpredictability served us well. We've bypassed any main entry points."

"The mana here feels... strained, darling," Valeria observed, her brow furrowed. "Like a beautiful song played off-key."

"There's a subtle coercion in the very air," Nysera added, her eyes darting, sensing unseen influences. "A pervasive hex, designed to subtly wear down resistance, or perhaps to funnel energy elsewhere."

Suddenly, Kael's Void-Walker's Intuition flared. Not a warning of spatial anomaly, but of an approaching presence. His senses, sharpened by his recent upgrades, picked up on vibrations far beyond normal hearing.

"Down," Kael commanded, his voice low and urgent. He pulled his wives into the cover of a dense thicket of ancient, thorny bushes. Their forms were instantly concealed by the shadows and foliage.

Moments later, the heavy thud of footsteps grew louder. A patrol emerged into a small clearing about a hundred meters from their position. They were not the familiar gold-armored guards of the old Radiant Empire. These were figures clad in dark, angular armor that seemed to absorb light, their helms faceless visors. Their movements were precise, militaristic, and chillingly uniform. Each bore a long, black polearm that pulsed with a faint, oppressive energy.

"These aren't my father's soldiers," Kael whispered, a dangerous edge to his voice. "These are the 'Aetherial Dominion's' enforcers. And their power... they're not just local recruits. Some of them feel like they've been enhanced, cultivated using unnatural means."

The patrol leader, a towering figure whose armor seemed even darker and more imposing, stopped dead center in the clearing. Kael's Vision Beyond the Veil, now more potent, allowed him to perceive the faint, almost imperceptible Eternal Crown Elder signature clinging to the leader's armor, a residual aura of patronage. The Elder's influence was not just political; it was ingrained into the very fabric of his new regime's fighting force.

This was his home, but it was occupied, enslaved by a power he now understood far more intimately. The first objective of the SSS+ quest – Return to the Veridian Expanse – was complete. The others now loomed, vast and terrifying.

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]

Abyssal Dominion [Tier 1]

Passive Traits:

Crown of Dominion → Throne of Ascendancy [+Mythic]

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 [+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)

Kael and his Union have successfully returned to the Veridian Expanse (Lower Realm Plane), now under the oppressive rule of the Elder's Aetherial Dominion. With their presence undetected for now, what will be their first strategic move to gather more information, evade capture, and begin the arduous process of reclaiming Kael's birthright?