A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

The Sky Conquering Dynasty’s reign spanned an unfathomable length of time, eluding even the Empire’s most esteemed historians. Conservative estimates placed its history at no less than ten thousand years. Its existence, true to its name, sought to conquer even the highest heavens, spreading the glory of the Flamefeast Royal to all realms beyond this plane.

Yet, non-transcendents could not survive in the Enigma Realm. Even extraordinary beings couldn’t linger long in any part of it due to unstable elemental outbursts, unusual ethereal wavelengths, and various environmental constraints. The Sky Conquering Dynasty’s endeavor wasn’t to “colonize” the endless Enigma Realm, but merely to leave their mark in each part of it.

By leaving behind mystic treasures, divine artifacts, and constructing temples, they sought to imprint the legacy of the only deity who ruled all things through human “wisdom.” The extent of divine miracles created by the Sky Conquering Dynasty in the Enigma Realm remained unknown even to Hydral. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

The only certainty was that, theoretically, no living beings should exist there. Weaker extraordinary beings couldn’t survive in the Enigma Realm, while those powerful enough but without support would eventually be eliminated by the Dragon King who zealously patrolled the realm.

Thus, Ansel couldn’t comprehend what force could lurk in the Enigma Realm undetected by the Dragon Kings. If they weren’t completely hidden within the Enigma Realm but returned to this plane, how could they leave not even a trace?

Unless they had reached the sixth stage, it seemed impossible…

At this thought, Ansel himself felt the absurdity of it.

If a fifth divine species existed in the Enigma Realm, everything on this continent would be utterly different.

He ended his chaotic thoughts, focusing on addressing the Dukes.

Fate never concealed its moves, but the ability to discern Its plans and thoughts depended entirely on one’s capabilities.

Ansel had experienced countless defeats before having the chance to confront It directly, and thus understood better than any being in this world where Its gaze fell and where it would turn next.

“Come to think of it… there might not be only the option of dynastic ruins,” the young Hydral said as he slowly descended from the air.

To the Dukes’ astonishment, he landed directly on the sea of fire.

“I believe the Dukes should also remember a certain individual.”

He chuckled softly, bending down to brush his hand over the all-consuming blood flames. The greedyFlamefeasts climbed up the youth’s fingertips as if devouring the freshest, most delectable flesh, audaciously spreading to his arm in an instant, seemingly about to devour and incinerate him completely.

Yet the young Hydral merely flicked his hand lightly, and the blood flames that so terrified the Dukes dissipated as if shaken off, vanishing into thin air.

The Dukes could only sense a fleeting yet unfathomably deep abyss aura from Ansel, which they didn’t take too seriously, given that the abyss was Hydral’s home. More than this, they were concerned with the power that could so easily disperse theFlamefeasts with a mere wave of the arm.

Ansel of Hydral was renowned throughout the Empire as “the least Hydral-like Hydral.”

His gentle and courteous demeanor, kind and generous nature, empathy for the common people, and outstanding noble bearing made it difficult for anyone who had interacted with him to harbor ill feelings… these were all well-worn topics.

In matters unrelated to Hydral’s political position and solely concerning his power, extraordinary beings more often praised his… omnipotence.

Born from the depths of the abyss, Hydral possessed transcendental elements beyond the imagination of extraordinary beings. After undergoing the rationalization process of the Flamefeast, to maintain lucidity, Hydral selectively embraced only a few elements as the cornerstone of its growth, elements inextricably linked to their self-determined spiritual essence.

Flamelle’s inexplicable [Creator] spiritual essence destined him to tread the path of [Creation]. However, the extraordinary beings throughout the empire remained oblivious to Ansel of Hydral’s spiritual essence, let alone the path he had chosen.

The sole certainty was that he seemed… omniscient.

This omniscience implied that Ansel commanded an unfathomable number of elements.

Yet, even with such an incredible gift, Hydral should not possess the power to effortlessly disperse the Flamefeast before reaching its complete form. He lacked both the “quantity” Flamelle had bestowed to instantly attain the sixth stage, and the “quality” upheld by a sufficient number of pact heads. How did he… accomplish this?

Or perhaps, could he wield such power with merely three pact heads?

Is that… even possible?

As the Dukes’ demeanor gradually shifted, the Duke of Azuregold was the first to regain composure, seamlessly interjecting: “To whom does Lord Hydral refer?”

The young Hydral, seemingly oblivious to the Dukes’ thoughts, replied in a nonchalant tone:

“Naturally, I speak of Her Highness Evora, who fell victim to that failure’s treachery and whose fate remains uncertain.”

“…”

The Dukes’ expressions grew even more rigid, surpassing their reaction to Ansel referring to Ephesande as a failure. It appeared they feared Evora’s survival more than the Empress’s return.

— After all, compared to being incinerated by the source flame itself and having her power reclaimed, Evora’s survival rate was evidently higher. If she managed to endure, as the sole heir capable of inheriting the Flamefeast’s power, her ascension to the throne upon returning to the prime plane would be inevitable.

“Her spiritual essence is space manipulation. If it were her, tearing open such a vast enigma realm portal wouldn’t be surprising, would it?”

“Hahaha, but if she possessed such ability, she should have returned to the continent long ago, shouldn’t she?”

Ansel gazed at the Dukes with a smile, while some less adept at concealing their emotions already wore gloomy expressions. He, seemingly unaware of how unsettling his words were, strolled casually atop the sea of blood flames, his demeanor carefree:

“Come to think of it, though the quality of the flame is unremarkable, its quantity is… truly astounding.”

“Perhaps this relic is the burial ground of a Flamefeast descendant from a modern dynasty? Unworthy of becoming a monarch, yet still retaining a fraction of the Flamefeast’s power; or maybe a dynastic ruler left behind the source flame in his tomb, which eventually degraded into ordinary feasting fire as the power was passed down.”

“Regardless… a relic harboring such immense power, be it a tomb or a treasure trove, is not something an ordinary person could unlock.”

Standing atop the sea of flames below, Ansel looked up at the Dukes suspended in the air above. However, his mocking and dismissive tone made him appear to be looking down upon them… sneering at the Dukes’ weakness.

“Who knows, perhaps Her Highness Evora has… turned misfortune into blessing within the enigma realm.”

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