1737 Preparation Begins

Everyone around Alex gave him a curious look when they saw the sword in his hands. Their haze intensified especially when they realized what was going on.

"I found this sword back when I had just started my cultivation journey in the Western Continent," Alex said. "Your father must have told you that it was lost when your mother died during her breakthrough to the Immortal realm, didn't he?"

Long Huan frowned. He slowly nodded, trying to make sense of where the conversation was going.

"By now you should know that the Azure Dragon is dead and his death happens to be on the same day as your mother's," Alex said. "You should have some thoughts about that."

Long Huan remained silent, saying nothing. Still, his thought went through all the possibilities, and some he simply did not like.

"Pearl's mother was brought to the Azure Dragon's realm as a servant from the Beast Paradise," Alex said for everyone to hear. "There she had Pearl, but she happened to get caught in the crossfire between the Azure Dragon and whatever it was that the Dragon Emperor was trying to do."

"She was attacked there, and it was this sword that attacked her. I don't know why, but this sword must have somehow activated, sending her to the Western Continent, where she died while saving Pearl."

Alex lifted the sword in his hands. "For years, I have wondered who the owner of this sword is, and the only hint I had to go with was the emblem on the sword. I knew only that it belonged to the royal family of the Eastern Continent."

"That was why I accepted the request regarding the Alchemy exchange. That, and to find Sister, if I could. I found sister, of course, but I believe I also found the person who killed Pearl's mother."

"No…" Long Huan spoke in a hoarse voice. "My mother, she…"

"She was the last person to hold the sword. And she went into the Azure Dragon's domain with this sword. I do not know what happened inside, or who killed who, but this much is obvious."

"Pearl's mother died, and it's your parents that are to blame."

Long Huan felt his throat go dry. He was simply incapable of forming any words to speak.

"I…"

"This has been a symbol of my search for Justice for Pearl's mother, and I have yet to find it. And still, I am handing this to you in exchange for the Ivory sword. Because that is how much my Alchemists mean to me."

"Pearl's mother, while I care for her very much, is dead. But the Alchemists are alive. If there is a chance I can get them back, or a chance to not risk their death, then I will do it."

"So, will you trade this sword with me or not?" Alex asked.

Long Huan stared at the black sword for a long time, thinking about something, and finally spoke, only to ask a simple question.

"If my father gets his hands on the sword, he will get what he wants," Long Huan said. "How will you or anyone stop that?"

"I plan on saving my Alchemists, but I also plan on not letting the Dragon Emperor have all that he wants," Alex said. "Don't worry, brother Huan. I will only do what is right. Your father will not get what he wants. I will do my best to make that happen."

After a long consideration, the young prince finally pulled out the white sword and handed it over to Alex.

Alex took the Ivory sword and handed back the Ebony sword.

Long Huan stroked the side of the Ebony sword, feeling its slickness. "My brother was supposed to keep this with him until he became the Emperor and then he would give it to his children. I was supposed to hand the Ivory sword over to his next son too."

Alex patted the man on the shoulder. "Don't worry, everything will be alright," he said and looked back at the now-closed chest sitting on the sandy beach.

"Let us return."

The Southern Continent boiled into chaos and panic following the declaration of war against the Eastern Continent. The regular civilians feared war, while the soldiers prepared for it.

The military that Alex had prepared after his succession to the throne had now grown to be nearly 30 thousand soldiers large, with 1 in every 5 soldiers being in the Saint realm.

Most of them were newly ascended to the Saint realm, but the older ones had still made steady progress. However, this much would not be enough at all for the war.

Alex knew he too needed to go train, but he didn't have the time for it. There were things that he needed to put into motion before he got back to training again.

He started making pills all day long after returning, leaving the capital in a constant thunderstorm that never rained.

He passed along the pills to all who needed them so they could become stronger faster. He made all sorts of pills, from Healing pills to spirit pills.

He even made a pill using the Fire Coral that he had found in the ocean. He had been very worried when making that pill, but thankfully, it had come out with 9-veins as well.

Of course, Alex alone could not do everything either, so his family started helping as well.

Helen had grown to become a capable alchemist in the time that Alex had been gone and was now capable of making pills with Pill Veins as well.

She was the perfect person for Alex to transfer his skills to as not only did she have the highest talent out of anybody he knew, but she also had the Five Elemental Yin-Yang spiritual root, making her the only person who was capable of learning Supreme Elemental Accord technique.

At the same time, Liz helped him slow down time so he could recover faster.

Graham trained in the Mountain Crushing artifact, showing tens of times better results with the same amount of time put back into the artifact compared to everyone else.

Hannah cultivated on her own, improving rapidly, despite her foundations requiring her to spend time developing it.She had skipped through realms rapidly to arrive where she had before and now she needed to take her time.

The elders took the pills Alex provided as well and started going into deep cultivation in preparation for the war as well.

The different guilds that Alex had created started working harder to provide more pills, talismans, and formations as well.

Everyone else worked hard in preparation for a war that was imminent.

Still, the chaos and panic continued to grow, with everyone wanting answers left and right. They wanted peace for their lives and that was not something Alex could give them right away.

He reassured everyone that war wouldn't envelop in the Continent and no harm would fall upon them, but that didn't work for these people.

They needed something better, and Alex could not give it to them.

Thankfully, Alex didn't have to.

Tranquility would soon befall their land again for their Queen had graced the continent with her presence. And she did so amidst a show of thunder and lightning.

Scarlet had finally left the dome and was now finally going to break through to the Immortal realm.