The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 996: Getting Closer

Hearing the words "My dear," filled with affection, from Aldrian made Angelica’s heart flutter.

However, she was extremely happy that Aldrian had called her in such an endearing way. This was the first time he had ever addressed her like that, and she knew he would only do so for a woman he had strong feelings for.

Does this mean that Aldrian has started to fall for her?

Her mind was so muddled by his words that she forgot about her worries for a moment.

Angelica took a deep breath before nodding, while she also touched his hand that was cupping her cheek.

"Alright, I believe in you, but please be careful when you face them. The vision of the devils, like a never ending sea, still makes me feel unsettled and tremble. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you," she said.

Aldrian smiled and suddenly kissed her forehead before hugging her tightly, which left her stunned.

"I will be careful, and thank you for telling me this. At least now I know that they might already be close," he said.

Angelica blinked a few times. Then, she smiled shyly in his embrace and hugged him back.

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While the two lovers felt each other’s warmth, far from their location, the very thing they had spoken about was rapidly approaching in their direction.

The Vampire King and his army were inside a wormhole, and the number of interstellar vessels compared to when they first departed had already increased greatly. During their journey, many vessels joined them from various star clusters that were already under the devils’ occupation.

At this moment, it would not be an exaggeration to say that more than a million interstellar vessels were moving in the same direction, carrying trillions of devils within them.

This level of strength was enough to crush any power at the star-cluster level and was sufficient to wage war against multiple star clusters.

Even conquering a galaxy was not out of the question.

The Vampire King was inside the control room of his vessel when he heard a report from one of the operators.

"If there are no problems, we will arrive at the central star cluster in three weeks."

With a calm expression, the Vampire King replied, "Make sure there are no problems. I want to reach that place as soon as possible."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Vampire King then left the control room and walked away. As he moved through the corridor, he encountered a vampire with the same cultivation level as himself. That vampire bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty," he greeted.

The Vampire King stopped in his tracks.

"Arkios, how are the troops’ condition and preparations?" he asked.

"All is good. The only thing they need is to know where the battle is, and they will win it for you, Your Majesty," the vampire named Arkios replied.

"Good," the Vampire King replied with a nod as he continued walking. However, Arkios followed behind him and spoke again.

"Your Majesty, may I ask something? This is a question I have not asked since we departed, but it has made me wonder all this time."

"What is it?" the Vampire King asked.

"Are all of these troops really necessary? I mean, did Your Majesty truly need to declare Code Devils’ Judgment just to make those who killed His Highness pay for their sins? I believe that sending one or two divisions from the star clusters would already be enough to make those without self-awareness understand the immensity of heaven and earth and pay for their crimes."

"Even with those divisions combined with cultivators from the higher heavens, it would already be enough to occupy the central star cluster," he added.

If it were anyone else asking such a question, the Vampire King would have already killed them for raising unnecessary doubts. He despised others questioning his decisions.

However, Arkios was one of his trusted men, someone who had also come from the higher heavens like himself. There were only a few people toward whom he could act with less cruelty in the First Heaven, and Arkios was one of them.

"This is a precaution. I have an instinct that the bastard who killed Rulleus is strange, and that he may have something hidden that could even threaten us," the Vampire King answered.

"The fact that the killer dared to kill Rulleus despite knowing who he was, and even dared to mock me despite surely knowing who I am, is already a sign. Added to that are several other matters that have weighed on my mind."

"Our god calling off his intent to descend, the lack of communication from the apostles, the sudden warning from the higher-ups, and the fact that they are sending more cultivators from the higher heavens despite the difficulty of doing so. There is also the possibility that the northern star cluster is no longer within our grasp and has fallen under the central star cluster’s control."

"All of these events that have occurred within my territory of jurisdiction recently have made me realize that something is wrong, and it has left my heart unsettled. The source of this unease comes from the central star cluster."

"I want to make sure we uproot the source of this unsettling feeling before I can put my mind at rest. Only by occupying the entire central star cluster will my heart be at ease. We will strike as quickly as possible so that the troops do not need to leave their posts for too long, ensuring that the various fronts are not endangered. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Arkios understood the Vampire King’s concern after hearing this. The more he thought about it, the clearer it became that everything that had happened recently revolved around that central star cluster.

This also answered another question lingering in his mind regarding the many worlds affected by the Code Devils’ Judgment.

With the Vampire King having declared Code Devils’ Judgment, many troops had left their posts, and many of them were key figures within their territories.

With so many departing, several fronts of the Vampire King’s territories would inevitably weaken.

If their enemies became aware of this and took advantage of the situation, Arkios feared that the conditions across the various fronts would worsen.

If his king wanted this war to end quickly, then Arkios found no problem with it. They only needed to ensure that the war was kept as short as possible.

"I see. Your Majesty is truly wise. I had thought that Your Majesty declared Code Devils’ Judgment solely out of anger," Arkios said.

The Vampire King smirked. "It is true that I am furious and that I want to tear apart the bastard who dared to kill my son. However, there is a greater picture that I must consider. The Code of the Devils’ Judgment is not merely an outlet for my anger, but a move I had already planned."

"Now, the only thing I want is to face that bastard and give him a horrible death." The Vampire King’s eyes glistened dangerously.

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On the next day, Aldrian visited a place that he had only visited once in the past. This place was a secret realm where the Rosalind family lived.

In the distant past, they had been one of the four guardian families of the Everlasting Silent Forest, known as the Ragius family. They were forced to flee from annihilation three million years ago.

Now, the Rosalind family had returned to this ancestral realm, where their ancestors once developed the family into its glorious era as one of the four guardian families.

As Aldrian appeared inside the secret realm, he could see life thriving, with people engaged in various activities. Given how vast the secret realm was, the inhabitants of this separate space were able to do many things freely.

He could see vast fields of crops and farms, and not far from them, several villages had been built.

In the distance, an independent city was already taking shape, and a large mansion complex stood at the northern end of the city. The size of the city was not as large as those outside, as the population was also far smaller.

This made sense, as not everyone was allowed to stay in this city.

Because the secret realm was entirely under the Rosalind family’s control, they could decide who was permitted to live here and who was not. They did not want too many people residing within their secret realm.

Aldrian flew toward the large mansion, and since he did not bother to hide his presence, many sensed him instantly and turned their gazes toward him.

The moment many people saw his attire and his face, they were truly shocked. The guards of the Rosalind family who were stationed in the city immediately warned the main family within the mansion of Aldrian’s arrival.

As Aldrian neared the mansion, he could see frantic movement among the cultivators of the Rosalind family, as if they were preparing for his arrival. He could also see Patriarch Rosalind already standing outside, directing his family members on what they should do.

When Aldrian finally reached the mansion and landed within the mansion complex, the cultivators of the Rosalind family had already completed their preparations. They formed lines on both sides of the large path leading toward the main doors of the mansion.

Patriarch Rosalind and all the members of his family who witnessed Aldrian’s arrival shouted in unison,

"To the brightest star and eternal light, we greet Your Majesty, the Great Emperor!"