1546 Knock, Knock~

After everything was over, they gathered by the side of a light pink pond. Dressed in light one pieces, the women dipped their feet in the water, kicking it gently from time to time.

Varian, on the other hand, sat in the middle of the lake on top of large lotus leaves with an enlightened expression, as if he had seen through life and death, transcending the joys and sorrows of this mundane world.

"Amitabha." He recited the mantra of an ancient practice and brought his hands together. "Why do we lust for a body that'll perish? There is no sorrow, no joy, no pleasure, no pain. Everything is an illusion."

"Is this what they call…?" Sia rolled her eyes in contempt.

"Yeah. Sage time." Sarah nodded, crossing her arms.

Both of them were tired from the relentless intensity that never stopped. But hey, why was he alone activing like he's been through some torture?

"Shouldn't it be for a few minutes after the act? Why is he like this for so long? It's been three hours already!" Enigma voiced her concern.

"N-Normal people…" Isadora closed her lips and bit her lip, giving him a resentful glare. "Don't do it for days."

"Aye! Aye!" Sia tipped her invisible hat. "There is a beast behind that innocent face. This is why I say we should raise him in a basement to protect him from being seduced by those vixens!"

"Instead of basement, we can raise him in the palace or a seperate planet." Sarah clapped her hands. "He must be protected at all costs! My sweet rank 9 husband!"

"I…" Enigma looked at Varian blabbering 'illusion', 'physical world', 'enlightenment' before nodding "…don't really mind."

"Affirmative!" Isadora showed a malicious smile, already planning to get back on him for the disastrous loss.

"Seconded!" Sia showed no hesitation.

"Flesh is just a product of carbon from a materialistic view, a product of vitality from an energy view. It's nothing to be attached to…"

When Varian was in the middle of becoming the second buddha, he was surrounded by four women.

Without their feet touching the lake, they all floated around him, looking down at him with a predatory expression.

"Err, yes, ladies?" Varian shrunk. "I have achieved enlightenment and saw through the truth of this world. I shall no longer partake in vulgar carnal activities."

With a swipe of Sarah's finger, a glowing golden rope tied Varian up.

"Hey! Hey! It's negotiable! Totally negotiable!" Varian yelled.

Isadora gave him a malicious grin and brought her hands together. A mass of darkness twisted and formed a 'room' around him, a mobile jail with space-blocking features.

"Come on!" Varian sighed. "I don't really want to live in a basement, even if it's a palace basement. I can't live without seeing you!"

"Then what about lust for a body that'll perish? Everything is an illusion?" Sia mocked.

"Lies! Absolute lies! If you don't have lust for a body, will you have it for a tree? If everything is an illusion, nothing is!" Varian said with an indignant expression, as if he had some personal feud with the guy who made those points…which was himself.

"Yeah, he's fine now." Enigma waved her hand.

The powers dispersed, letting Varian heave a sigh of relief.

"Will you at least tell what happened now?" Sarah asked, her sharp gaze fixated on his eyes.

"Well…"

In a much better mental condition compared to earlier, Varian spilled the beans.

"Something convincing?"

"It should be an unprecedented feat."

"Can't cheat…I think it means he can't take our help."

"Ugh, but we can help him through synergy! That shouldn't count as cheating!"

The discussions amongst the womenfolk proceeded at full pace.

Varian, happy that he wasn't being kidnapped to basement, watched them rack their brains to come up with a solution and smiled.

'I…didn't want to die if I could help it. Leaving behind a family like this, it's not right.'

"Alright, we decided on the plan!" Isadora clapped to grab his attention.

"Huh?"

"Satellite galaxy." Sarah looked into his eyes and said with a serious expression.

"Yes, what?" Varian blinked in confusion.

"You're conquering a satellite galaxy." Sarah said with solmen gaze.

"Okay, no pro—whaaat?! Are you crazy?" Varian nearly jumped into the river.

"Exactly." Sarah nodded. "This should cut it."

"Wait, oh…I see, it does sound like it," Varian nodded in agreement before swiftly raising his head. "But how the hell am I supposed to conquer a fricking galaxy? Even if it's a satellite galaxy, it should have at least a few kingdoms!"

"It has no divine rankers. Expect a pseudo divine or two." Isadora explained. "Don't worry, I will take help from Aurora and pick a suitable one for you."

"Haah, phew~" Varian calmed his nervous heart and shook his head with a disbelieving smile. The face of Aphosis flashed in his mind and he clenched his teeth.

"You know what? Pick a harder one. As long as there isn't a divine ranker to confront, there are no limits."

"Are you sure?"

"A 101%."

Varian grinned. "Finalize it before I finish my errands."

With a twist of space, he vanished.

*** *** ***

'Heaven' was in a state of worship and celebration as Martial Saint Kong had emerged from the battlefield alive.

Even though Palarians didn't win, they didn't lose. At least, that's what the common people believed.

Only Kong and the actual powerhouses knew that they had to use a special treasure prematurely to control the chaotic situation.

The treasure was supposed to be a trump card for their victory but they ended up using it for survival.

It's a dire situation but lamenting what passed was useless. So, they returned to recuperate.

'Heaven', a special realm of mystical clouds and holy gardens, remained as serene as ever.

But there was a storm going on inside the main garden called 'Little Eden'.

"Do you hear what you're saying? A brat who is a rank 7 the last time we saw crushed Micheal and Seraphina?" Kong's authoritative voice wasn't loud but it was certainly heavy.

Heavy enough to hunch the backs of Kriad and Corinthian. Heavy enough to droop their shoulders. Heavy enough to hang their heads down.

"We know how it sounds but…" Kriad raised his head, the one eye without the eyepatch looked straight at the Martial Saint with a pleading gaze. "He is out for blood, our blood…your blood."

"Hmph!" Kong shook his head with a dismissive smile. "Have you forgotten already, Kriad? My career is built on mountains of corpses, not charity programs.

Even today, the Undead of the bordering kingdom shiver when they hear my name. Monsters, dead or alive, big or small, young or old, it doesn't matter.

As long as it is I who face them, even the fiercest of dragon will have to bend its tail and offer its head."

A suffocating aura poured out of Kong, announcing the strength of a peak rank 9.

"M-My Lord…" Corinthian spoke up this time, not caring about his plantim-blonde hair that's almost flattened by the aura.

"T-The boy is not a monster. Monsters can be hunted down and killed. He is a disaster, an apocalypse which descended in the form of a man."

Boom!

"Knock, knock! Is this Heaven?"

A thunderous voice reverberated across Heaven.

"Then I'm at the right place. Open the door~"