Sapphire City...

It was no longer news to anyone in the city that it was now under new management.

The management of the Benevolent One. The rightful Lord of Sapphire city.

A myth to so many of those residing in the said city as he was a figure they hardly got to see.

However, so many things had been done to win them over that if there were any reservations they used to have, it was now gone and they had all accepted that he had their best interest at heart.

Every family now strove to become favored and then become Blessed. It was the order of the day.

And as for those who wished to live a normal life devoid of the stress of cultivation and the injustice of the strong on the weak, who were in the minority, by the way, their wishes were granted.

Laws were put in place by the Mayor, Ford Horst by order of the lord of Sapphire city to ensure their lives remained peaceful.

They were given capital to start businesses and any attempt by the strong in Sapphire city to bully or make them feel inadequate because they could not cultivate were met with extreme action.

And it was not action by the Mayor's forces but action by the benevolent One's forces.

Every gang had been disbanded already and all those caught showing tendencies of such actions faced the full force of the law.

In a way, Sapphire city was shaping up to be a lawful region and those who wished to still be able to throw their weight around began to dream of becoming a part of the Benevolent One's forces.

It was a role that was bound to grant them a lot of prestige in the city.

In fact, with the way things were going, it was probably soon going to be the only guarantee of prestige.

Because slowly, so many families were cultivating to have a Phenomenon Realm expert and thus become Blessed families and have a direct involvement with the Lord of Sapphire city.

However, the transformation was not complete and in certain areas of the city, there were those that were still harboring wishes to recreate gangs and at least regain the semblance of disorderly hierarchy.

But Hal was not worried.

He had captured at least a part of their loyalty and that counted for having won them over. Whether a tight grip or mere ensnarement and temptation, he had a hold on everyone in Sapphire city and it was about time to plant the seed.

He stood on top of Melinda's Mansion which was not at the center of the City or the tallest building but it was good enough because once he infused his voice with Cosmic energy, the whole city was bound to hear.

Melinda was by his side and so were Rita, Marla, Amelia, and Emily.

"People of Sapphire City. It is I, the Benevolent One.

The one you all have rightfully dubbed the Lord of this City.

I am going to keep this short as there is not much I would like to say before I begin the planting ceremony"

Those words caused confusion in the minds of all who heard. Not because Hal was young, as that was something they had come to expect from all the tales of the Evangelists who strove to paint him in a good light, but because of what he had said.

Planting ceremony?

Was he cultivating a farm?

Hal continued,

"Once the planting is complete, not much will change as I will continue to rule by proxy, furthermore, my laws will remain.

There remains the governing families; the Horst family which is also the Mayor's family, the Edgar family, and the Krast family. "

As he listed the names, those belonging to those families could not help but feel a sense of pride and this people involved Alexander Edgar who was cultivating to catch up to Frank Horst and Jack the commoner in status among the Benevolent forces.

"They remain the first of the Blessed families and should be apportioned the same respect you apportion to me.

Of course, I won't need to go into the specifics once the planting is complete, so without further ado, I welcome you all to the epoch of the Devil"

As soon as Hal said this, he grinned wolfishly and his eyes turned nightmarish black, a seed that oozed of nefarious energies emerged from his chest.

"Let's begin..."

Tendrils began to extend from every part of the city from every individual and even the ladies were no exception.

The tendrils were of different colors and looked to symbolize individuality as they all stretched and attached to the seed that was now raised above Hal's head.

The extension of the tendrils or the connection with the seed was not painful to the denizens but instead, they were pleasurable.

Perversely Pleasurable as though enjoying being defiled by the Devil, being tainted by him.

Even those contracted and marked by him prior were connected to the seed.

The only ones who were exempt were the ladies with him who's connection with him seemed to have surpassed whatever the seed could provide. Even Melinda and Emily who were not contracted or marked fell into this category.

Or more accurately, Especially Melinda and Emily fell under this category.

That said, the ladies from Pleasure Inn became connected to the seed as well. Almost as though the seed itself was following Hal's preconceived division among his ladies.

Of course, it was right on point as even though the ladies were essential to him for dual cultivation and he would always treat them as his, their status could never compare to the five that were with him presently.

As the tendrils connected, the seed grew larger, and soon, the tendrils detached from those they connected to and vanished into the seed.

Marking the end of the absorption.

Afterward, an apparition of the seed separated from the original which was still in the air and vanished into the very center of the City as the very ground itself seemed to become obedient to Hal's will.

Then, a royal blue tendril intertwined with a nightmarish black one emerged out of Hal's chest and connected to the seed as Hal went through flashes of emotions, memories, and thoughts.

It now only required a thought and he could access their minds and peruse it at his leisure.

A luxury, however, he did not have with Rita, Marla, and Amelia as he allowed them their privacy of thought and his contract with them had been modified so that he could only peruse their minds with their consent.

When it came to the five of them, he preferred it this way.

They were not like the others.

Far from it actually.

Anyway, it was an experience that had his mind throbbing with the load but not more than he could endure, and very soon, it was over.

The ache was gone and so was the seed. The latter had entered into him and marked the end of the planting.

As one, everyone inside their homes came outside and this included the ladies of pleasure inn as well as the rest of Hal's forces.

The governing families were out as well and the entirety of Sapphire City's population kowtowed to him. Whether they could see him or not did not matter as they chorused,

"All Hail Hal the Benefactor, Master of our lives, and the Lord of Sapphire City."

Hal's gaze was completely imperious and seemed impervious to their hails but Melinda felt it was just a facade.

And she was right.

Hal was ecstatic.

He had done it.

From that moment on, he was a true Mid-Word Devil.