Chapter 86: The Return of the Sovereign Family
The Return of the Sovereign Family
"Patriarch!"
"What happened?"
"Please tell us!"
"What is going on?"
Countless anxious voices rang out together.
Magnus looked around at every familiar face.
His eyes gradually reddened.
He took a deep breath before respectfully raising both hands toward the distant direction of the Sovereign Salvatore Family.
His voice was filled with reverence.
"By the decree of the Clan Patriarch..."
"...the Whitecliff Family has been completely annihilated."
Silence.
Utter silence.
Nobody even breathed.
Magnus continued.
"After leaving Aurelia City..."
"Damien and Nux divided our forces."
"Damien came directly here."
"Nux..."
He glanced toward the blood covering Nux’s robes.
"...went to erase the Whitecliff Family."
Nux’s expression never changed.
His cold voice echoed through the hall.
"The five elders of the Crimson Abyss Sect..."
"...have been trapped above Aurelia City in an endless cycle of life and death."
"They cannot live."
"They cannot die."
"They are imprisoned in eternal suffering."
"The Sect Master, Louis Redweed..."
"...was personally killed by the Clan Patriarch."
"The Crimson Abyss Sect..."
"...has already been destroyed."
"Their Mana Vein territory now belongs to the Salvatore Family."
Every sentence struck like heavenly thunder.
Austin stood frozen.
His breathing became ragged.
The Crimson Abyss Sect...
Destroyed?
Louis Redweed...
Dead?
The Mana Vein...
Now belonged to the Salvatore Family?
His mind couldn’t process it.
Moments earlier, Nellie had proudly threatened them with the Crimson Abyss Sect.
Now...
That sect no longer existed.
Magnus nodded heavily.
"It’s all true."
His voice trembled with excitement.
"And there’s more."
"The Clan Patriarch has ordered every branch family bearing the Salvatore bloodline to return immediately."
"We are going home."
"We are relocating to our family’s Mana Vein."
The entire hall exploded.
"What?!"
"We can return to the main family?!"
"The Clan Patriarch recalled us!"
"A Mana Vein!"
"Our family actually possesses its own Mana Vein!"
"Long live the Clan Patriarch!"
"LONG LIVE THE CLAN PATRIARCH!!"
Cheers shook the estate.
Some elderly clansmen laughed through tears.
Others fell to their knees, weeping openly.
Generations had dreamed of returning to the main family.
Today...
That dream had finally become reality.
Compared to the celebrating Salvatore Family...
Nellie looked utterly broken.
She sat motionless.
Her lips moved unconsciously.
"Impossible..."
"This..."
"This can’t be..."
"My master..."
"The Crimson Abyss Sect..."
"They can’t..."
"They can’t be gone..."
Her proud world had completely collapsed.
Magnus slowly turned toward his son.
"Austin."
"What do you wish to do with her?"
Nux remained expressionless.
Damien quietly folded his arms.
Neither intended to interfere.
This decision belonged solely to Austin.
Austin lowered his eyes.
Without speaking...
He slowly walked toward Nellie.
Each step was calm.
Measured.
Nellie looked up at him.
For the first time...
There was no arrogance in her eyes.
Only fear.
Pure fear.
"A-Austin..."
"Please..."
"Please let me go."
"I..."
"I was wrong."
"I didn’t want to break our engagement."
"They forced me."
"The Crimson Abyss Sect forced me."
"My family forced me."
"It wasn’t my choice."
Her tears flowed endlessly.
She crawled to Austin’s feet.
"Austin..."
"I beg you."
"I’ll do anything."
"Anything..."
"Please..."
"Just let me live."
Deep within her lowered eyes...
A flicker of venomous hatred quietly flashed before disappearing again.
Austin saw it.
He saw everything.
He remained silent for a long moment.
Finally...
He gently placed his hand upon the top of her head.
His voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
"I know..."
"You loved your father very much."
He glanced briefly at the severed head lying nearby.
"Looking at you now..."
"I wonder what you’re thinking."
"If you survive today..."
"You’ll spend the rest of your life searching for revenge."
He slowly closed his eyes.
When he opened them again...
There wasn’t the slightest trace of hesitation left.
"I’m sorry."
"...but a family should stay together."
"Don’t you think?"
Whoosh!
A scorching surge of spiritual flames erupted from his palm.
The flames instantly engulfed Nellie’s head.
She had no opportunity to scream.
Her body trembled once...
Then went completely limp before collapsing onto the cold stone floor.
Silence returned to the hall.
Austin quietly withdrew his hand.
He looked neither relieved nor joyful.
Only resolved.
Some roads...
Once chosen...
Could never be walked back.
"Hm...?"
"This is—!!"
The instant the scorching flames faded from Austin Salvatore’s palm, Damien Salvatore and Nux Salvatore instinctively exchanged glances.
Neither of them spoke.
Yet both had clearly sensed something extraordinary.
The spiritual flames Austin had released were unlike ordinary techniques. They carried an ancient, majestic aura that seemed capable of refining both body and soul. Although Austin’s cultivation was still only at the Third Level of the Mortal Forging Realm, that single attack possessed a quality completely beyond his current realm.
It wasn’t merely a martial technique.
It was an inheritance.
A frightening one.
Damien’s black eyes narrowed slightly.
Interesting...
Brother Austin truly isn’t an ordinary Son of Destiny.
Having lived two lifetimes, Damien had encountered countless prodigies, inheritances, and ancient opportunities. His intuition told him Austin’s mysterious flame originated from an unimaginably powerful legacy.
Nux sensed it as well.
His crimson eyes lingered on Austin for only a brief moment before returning to normal.
Everyone...
had their own destiny.
Everyone...
had secrets they preferred to keep hidden.
Within the Salvatore Family, there was no need to pry into another clansman’s opportunity.
The Clan Patriarch had once said:
"A family grows stronger when trust outweighs suspicion."
Those words had become deeply engraved within both young men’s hearts.
Neither asked another question.
Instead...
Warm smiles slowly appeared on their faces.
"Brother Austin truly lives up to his reputation."
Damien sheathed the Sovereign Star Blade before offering a respectful smile.
"I’ve heard many stories about you from Uncle Magnus. Seeing you today, I finally understand why the Clan Patriarch personally ordered us to come."
Nux also smiled.
The murderous aura surrounding him completely disappeared.
Toward outsiders...
He was an incarnation of slaughter.
Toward his own clansmen...
He remained the same dependable older brother everyone trusted.
His deep voice carried genuine warmth.
"Brother Austin..."
"These past few years..."
"...must have been incredibly difficult."
Those simple words struck Austin far harder than any comforting speech.
For years...
Others had mocked him.
Despised him.
Laughed behind his back.
Even those who once admired him gradually distanced themselves after his cultivation declined.
Only his father had never stopped believing in him.
And now...
Without asking questions.
Without demanding explanations.
The main family had simply...
Accepted him.
Austin lowered his head slightly.
A bitter smile crossed his face.
"What hardship..."
He softly laughed at himself.
"Right now..."
"I’m only a cultivator at the Third Level of the Mortal Forging Realm."
"My cultivation is practically worthless."
"Hahaha!"