Chapter 781: Chapter 403: Nothing Left to Lose

Tal found it hard to describe his feelings at that time.

Was it rage?

It didn’t seem to be.

Was it sorrowful pity?

That wasn’t quite it either.

The day his wife passed away, their child did not understand what it meant.

She held his hand tightly as her life waned and said:

"For people like us who are selfish and self-serving, it’s hard to find a direction that’s less selfish.

Tal, please promise me, if one day the child doesn’t want to walk this destined path, then let him go.

And then..."

She reached out her hand to gently stroke his cheek:

"Meeting you at that time, it was truly wonderful."

That night, his wife left.

Tal did not cry, he just stayed quietly by the bed, like a motionless statue.

Later... when his son came to him, he asked a question:

"Father, did you ever love mother?"

He didn’t speak.

Whether loved or not, it no longer mattered.

The person was gone.

He had to begin the next journey of his life.

But one thing he was sure of, he planned to keep the matter of meeting people to himself, telling no one, not even his son as a participant.

He always felt that his wife thought too much.

Why give the choice to the child, who understands nothing of what it means?

Better to hide everything from him directly.

Leaving him with no point of entry to the Great Sin·Jealousy cultivation plan, isn’t this better?

But things didn’t go as wished.

That night, he looked at his young child’s innocent face, only to hear him say:

"Father, are you so afraid of that plan?"

At that moment, Tal was furious.

This matter had always been a secret between him and his wife, never letting the child know for all these years.

"Who told you? What do you know?"

"Father, if I don’t participate in this plan, will our country, as the prophecy says, head for decline?"

"What are you talking about? Do you think you are important?"

"Father, you are afraid, but I... I want to protect the empire with father in it, and everyone who takes care of me."

"What do you know, when did we Lokeshi fall to the point of needing to sacrifice a child’s life for a future that isn’t even certain!"

"But if the future isn’t that easy to realize, then my participation in a part of the plan may not necessarily lead to death, right?"

The child held his hand, pitifully saying, "So father, let me go and see, OK?"

In the shadows, footsteps began to echo.

Then a second, third, and fourth.

Tal Griffin raised his head numbly to look at the approaching figures from the dark corner.

Dragons, birds, snakes, and wolves.

The patriarchs of the four families stood silently in the darkness watching him.

At the forefront, Bart Jean said calmly:

"Lord Tal, let’s begin the plan, the pressure beneath the Grovassa Gate is growing by the day.

We urgently wish to cultivate a new generation of Near-Deity beings."

Tal laughed bitterly: "Do you hope to cultivate a new Near-Deity? You’re merely seeking to boost your own power!"

Bart Jean shook his head and said, "No, it doesn’t matter even if it’s not us."

His voice was soft, but his tone was as firm as stone:

"As long as that person can save Lokeshi from approaching twilight, it’s enough."

Tal spoke with a complicated tone: "How much exactly do you know?"

Beside him, the patriarch of the Celestial Flame Bird Family spoke calmly:

"Since the previous generation of Patriarch Griffin, we knew it all."

"Impossible, that old geezer valued Griffin above all else."

"Yes, precisely because he valued Griffin, valued the Extreme Cold Giant Elephant bloodline he treated as a treasure, he wanted to stop you."

The female patriarch of the Celestial Flame Bird revealed a chilling truth with her red lips: "Tal Griffin, the previous patriarch believed you would lead Griffin and the entire empire into Hell."

In a daze, Tal finally understood everything.

Ah!

Ah!

Ah!

So that’s how it is!

Is this the outcome of scheming for power?

He, Tal Griffin, for his own benefit, to ascend to that throne a decade earlier, chose to marry his wife.

Finally, with the combined power of two families, he prematurely reached the pinnacle.

And now, all that he faced was the boomerang returned that he had thrown years ago.

No patriarch from any of the thirteen families found ascending easy, let alone the guardian stone five families like the Extreme Cold Giant Elephant.

Back in those days, relying on being younger than the previous patriarch and having room for development, he secured a spot as the next generation’s patriarch.

By developing methodically, after ten more years, he would naturally become the head of the family.

But he didn’t want to wait.

So back then, he pondered and reached out to the genius from the Extreme Cold Giant Elephant Family, who was just a rank below him in inheritance, aiming for a powerful alliance.

That genius woman was stunningly beautiful, but her strength was unmatched by any male peer of her age.

He knew that woman was committed to becoming the Patriarch of the Extreme Cold Giant Elephant.

But she stood no chance.

Because in the age group just above hers, he held a dominant advantage.

So when that woman met with him, she didn’t hold back her words.

Primarily saying, "If you weren’t older, you wouldn’t have any chance."

And back then, when he wanted to ascend early to patriarch status, he was still a little lacking in foundation.

Somehow, he thought of that woman.

So one day he said to her, "Aren’t you bound to be the Patriarch of Griffin? But you know with me around, you have no chance.