Chapter 1261: Long Discussion
"I know that all of you have been waiting for this day to come, but you have no idea how truly honored I am by your presence here," Aldrian spoke.
"All of you are amazing. You maintained your faith in me despite us never seeing each other. I know that many of you were influenced by your ancestors. You could have chosen to abandon your ancestors’ beliefs and walk your own path, but you did not. The fact that you kept yourselves tied to the resistance group truly shows your determination to preserve the spirit of your families, of your ancestors."
"And for that, I am truly thankful, and I am honored to stand before such brave warriors who steadfastly maintained their faith. This gives me the strength to fulfill all of your hopes."
Hearing Aldrian’s heartfelt words, many people felt moved and touched.
"Your Majesty, we gladly support you! We will pave the way for Your Majesty to return to your rightful place, the highest place in the universe!" a man shouted spiritedly.
"Yes! We will help Your Majesty as best as we can! We are the proud descendants of the beings of this universe!"
"Your Majesty does not need to thank us! It is we who should thank Your Majesty for not abandoning us! We are grateful that our hopes were not in vain! You have truly returned and will reclaim our universe!"
"Your Majesty, we—"
Many voices instantly rose one after another, expressing their feelings and support. Those who could feel Aldrian’s sincerity voiced their resolve and determination so that Aldrian could hear them.
Aldrian smiled and let them voice their enthusiasm before finally raising his hand as a signal for them to stop. He then stood up from his throne.
"I hear all of you, and I’m truly touched by it. In the end, we are one big family of this universe that needs each other. As the one in whom you have placed your faith, I am willing to be the leader who will guide all of you toward the glory your ancestors once enjoyed in the ancient past, when they could live freely with their believe."
"This is my oath to all of you who have placed your faith in me. Our victory is drawing nearer, and the glory you seek will come to you!"
Everyone’s hearts burned with even greater passion. Even the twins were affected by Aldrian’s words. It felt as though they could leave this place right now and start a war against every invader across the second heaven.
They wanted to restore the free world they envisioned as soon as possible!
"We will follow the Great Emperor! We will follow the Great Emperor!" everyone shouted in unison as though they had practiced it beforehand.
Aldrian let them shout for a few moments before continuing.
"However, to achieve victory, I cannot do it alone. I need all of your strength. Besides allowing us to know one another, this meeting is also meant to plan the future counterattack that I have prepared."
"But before we discuss that topic, I want to know each of your identities and occupations so that I can better understand you and so that we can grow closer."
Aldrian then glanced at the person sitting at the front on the left side.
He was a man with short red hair and cultivation at peak immortal saint stage.
"Let’s start with you, mister," Aldrian said, causing the red-haired man to stand up and bow toward him.
"I am Nortix Revesan, and I am the guild master of the Adventurer Guild in the Gelardun Domain."
Hearing the introduction, some of the resistance members showed expressions as if they were learning his identity for the first time.
Aldrian did not find it strange, as he already knew that not all of these people had met each other before. With how large the second heaven was, and how carefully they operated to avoid revealing their connection to the resistance group, there was no guarantee that its members would ever see one another’s faces throughout their lives.
They might know each other’s identities, but they had never met directly.
That was why this gathering was not only for Aldrian to know them more deeply. It also benefited the others, as this was the first time many of them had seen each other’s faces.
After Nortix introduced himself, the person beside him stood up and introduced herself. The number of gathered members exceeded three thousand, and for them to introduce themselves one by one would take a long time.
However, Aldrian did not mind it. In fact, no one minded it, as they could also learn more about one another’s identities.
After all of the members present in the hall had introduced themselves, Aldrian finally introduced himself.
"After hearing all of your identities, it would not be polite if I did not introduce myself as well. It would be unfortunate if some of you did not even know my name and that created distance between us. So let me introduce myself."
Aldrian then canceled his disguise technique, revealing his true appearance.
The moment everyone saw his real face, they froze.
Only one thought appeared in their minds.
Truly a face blessed by the heavens.
It was simply too perfect. Aldrian’s face was deadly to any member of the opposite sex. Even those of the same sex could not remain unaffected.
The reactions around the hall proved it. All of the women blushed, while the men could only sigh in admiration. They were genuinely stunned by his flawless appearance.
"I am Aldrian Aster, and the two companions beside me, as I believe many of you already know, are the two gods. They are gods of this universe. In the past, many called them the Twin Angels of Death, the Bringers of Silent Death, or most famously, the Divine Reapers of Black and White."
Everyone looked at Aldrian and the twins with admiration and worship before Aldrian continued.
"Now that we know each other’s identities, we can finally discuss the true purpose of our gathering. We will plan the counterattack to retake the second heaven from those invaders."
Everyone’s expression turned solemn.
"Now, first, I want to hear what you have in mind regarding the counterattack. I heard that the resistance group has already prepared for my return and that you are ready for a counterattack at any time. But I still need to hear your entire plan," Aldrian said as he swept his gaze across everyone.
"Once I know your plan, I can adjust my own accordingly. I have more than two thousand followers with me in the first heaven. Although that number is insignificant, their power is enough to make even the entire second heaven tremble. Most of them are cultivators far stronger than those in the Immortal Realm, and a few of them have already attained godhood."
The others’ eyes brightened.
"If Your Majesty says so, then our victory will come much quicker," a woman said. "We already prepared for an abrupt war that Your Majesty might have wanted to wage immediately after ascending to this place. But if we can plan further, we can reduce our casualties and shorten the time needed to retake the second heaven," she added.
Aldrian nodded.
"Alright, let’s hear what you have prepared for those invaders."
After that, some of the members began explaining their plans to Aldrian. He listened to all of them with an attentive expression, and once he understood everything they had prepared, he offered his own ideas and plans. Aldrian allowed everyone to voice their opinions and contribute to the discussion.
The discussion proceeded smoothly, with many people sharing their thoughts. Because they could finally meet each other in person, they were able to discuss matters much more easily and effectively. Those who wished to offer opinions were heard, while others could add their own suggestions.
With Aldrian’s presence, the people were also more mindful of their behavior. They could not simply lash out whenever they disagreed with someone or reveal their worst side. Because of that, the discussion remained peaceful.
The gathering continued for an entire day until all of the plans were finalized and they were ready for the counterattack. All that remained now was the beginning of the war, which would start the moment Aldrian gave the signal.
After the gathering, Aldrian dismissed them, but they did not leave immediately. Some of them used the opportunity to talk with one another, as this was a truly rare occasion, while others approached Aldrian to build a more personal connection with him.
Aldrian understood that, so he entertained their intentions and spoke with everyone who wished to talk to him.
Some of them were even daring enough to ask about his personal life, such as whether he had a wife, which the twins found rather presumptuous.
But Aldrian still shared some information about his personal life. They would need to know about his family anyway, as his family would eventually arrive here after ascending.
Aldrian continued mingling with them until the next day. This was the longest gathering he had ever experienced, and it would have lasted even longer if Elard had not stepped in and reminded everyone to give Aldrian time to rest.
Aldrian finally managed to relax after leaving the building. He asked Ronald to show him around the city. He wanted to see what kind of place this underground city was.
Before long, they were inside a carriage, with Elard accompanying them as well. They traveled around the city, showing Aldrian everything it had to offer. Through the tour, Aldrian gained a better understanding of the place, and he was truly amazed. The city was not much different from those on the surface.
However, some activities had been adjusted to suit life underground, where the light was not as bright as the sun outside. The only source of illumination came from the numerous large crystals embedded throughout the underground ceiling.
Since Aldrian wanted to experience staying in this place for a while, he was eventually brought to the residence prepared for him. It was a separate mansion that he could use for as long as he remained here.