Aterna, a small ball of light among the countless balls of light that floated about in the law ocean. This was a weakened secondary plane that Michael and his followers called home. Aterna was on the outer side of the law ocean and as a result, the time flow here was much slower than towards the inner side of the law ocean. Also, the grade of the plane was not particularly high, and thus, the law of time was not as strong as super-planes. As a general principle, the more mighty a plane was, the more stable and slow the time-flow. The time flow in Aterna was five times as compared to Jupyter and so, while Michael had spent lots of time in Jupyter, only about one and a half years had gone by here. But it was not like these years went peacefully. The advent of devils had placed a huge burden on the plane. Many powerhouses were sacrificed which led to the weakening of all the races. Also, many of the renowned experts left the plane looking for opportunities and this further caused the strength of the plane to drop.

The mortals lived in constant fear of another invasion. After all, the greatest expert, the spiritual pillar, the emperor of the plane - Michael Rageberg was not here. And so, there was no one to lead them. But at this time, two powerful ancestors from the god-beast race revealed themselves to the mortal world. They were Elder Mesiran of the Dragon tribe and Elder Leia of the Phoenix tribe. Their awakening and entering of the mortal world placed great burden on the political climate, to say the least. In Aterna, Michael had firmly held the status of humans with his own power. He had managed to dominate the entire plane himself and he also helped four people of his race to make a breakthrough to the immortal stage before leaving. As a result, the human camp had four immortals - Collins, Sitara, Reez and Jerome. But the strength of the human camp was not limited to this. Everyone knew that immortals like Kevin and Karslon were staunch supporters of humans. In essence, the unity in the light empire was incredible as all parties were connected with ties of mutual benefits. Besides, Leonor Rageberg and Kandriff Kross also held power comparable to immortals. As a whole, the human camp was still dominant. But the two ancestors of god-beasts suddenly created huge pressure on them.

After all, these two were demi-ascendants. While the other races did not know that the power that God-beasts were displaying was only a fraction of their true abilities, they still ganged up together politically to oppose them. The reason for this was simply propaganda. The light empire had spread rumours around that the God-beasts conserved their strength during the devil war and were now showing their true colours. The accusations were believable and logical. This caused the dark and neutral empire to ally to the light empire as well. But these developments did not seem to bother the God-Beasts too much. After all, they had the strength to beat back the alliance if they wanted to! Military strength was the basis of political power. As long as the rest of the Fingers and the Emperor healed themselves, the God-Beasts would return to being the overlords of the plane. Though they were still worried about Michael. He was the only one who could threaten their position. But while there were plans of both sides to suppress the other, neither side had the intention of war. The pressure brought by the devils was that great.

Thus, it became a strange situation where one could show their might but not use it. Even if the god-beasts ancestors all recovered, they would not dare to wage an internal war. As a result, the times were incredibly peaceful. Before, while Michael dominated the plane, he was still a single person. His reach was limited and small skirmishes kept happening between the various races. But now, things were different. Even without any pressure, the races limited themselves and any problems were resolved with diplomacy rather than battles. This was completely different from the way Aternians did things historically, but it was mandated by the changing times.

As a year passed like this, something big happened - a breakthrough. This was the breakthrough of Karslon Dumbledore to the demi-ascendant realm. In the devil war, the Aternians gained many benefits. Weapons and armours were the most easily visible wealth. But there were many treasures to be found in the space rings of the devils as well. These treasures were divided on the basis of contribution among the different races. Another reason behind the peaceful times was that everyone was busy increasing their strength. And after a year, the first manifestation of this appeared as Karslon's breakthrough.

Karslon was a well-known expert in the plane. He had been around for a long time and his reputation was also very widespread. He was currently the royal teacher of the Light Empire, a position that garnered him great political power. He had incredible strength and for a long time, he had been hailed as the strongest expert of the light empire. But currently, his prestige was even higher than before as the teacher of Aterna Emperor Michael Rageberg. After Mesiran and Leia appeared, the pressure of the situation fell mostly on his shoulders. This pressure helped him to some extent in making the breakthrough. But the major reason for this breakthrough was the legacies of devils. One of the devil demi-ascendants had obtained a legacy that allowed one to sharpen one's mind and delve into great focus that was generally not possible. This was actually a remnant technique from a powerful psychic technique meant to be cultivated by non-psychic cultivators. This technique allowed Karslon to cross the threshold that had been holding him back for many many years. The breakthrough was widely celebrated in Aterna, even among the God-beasts. After all, even they could not belittle his power any more and he would be an indisposable general in future wars against the devils.

Karslon's breakthrough again made both sides enter a stalemate. Karslon was a newly cultivated demi-ascendant but he had built an extremely solid foundation. As a result, his combat strength was much higher than expected. Even though Michael had command over grand laws, based on the power of laws, he would be inferior to Karslon. On the other hand, the five demi-ascendants on the God-beasts' side were recovering from a frightening curse put on them by the plane-will itself. While they would recover in a few more years, to recover to their peak would take longer. Besides, in Michael's absence, the entire new-race was aligned with Karslon as the leader, giving him greater political power. The standoff of these two forces in Aterna was almost like a cold war. But there was one source of uncertainty that kept the God-beasts on their toes, and that was Michael Rageberg. No one knew what Michael would achieve in 15 years. Those who knew him believed firmly that he would return stronger than ever. While the outside may carry great dangers and opportunities, someone with Michael's experience and maturity was not one to die easily.

In God-beast's territory, in Astang's huge mansion, two beautiful women were currently in the middle of a discussion. Both of them seemed to pure fire spirits descended on the earth, looking like alive flames. These were Maria and Leia.

Leia : Child, are you really going to stand against your own tribe? I don't believe that you are truly in love with a brat that has only begun cultivation. After all, you have lived for much longer than him and you know better that love does not last. In fact, you have had many lovers over the past years and once, you even had your own harem. Now, you want to support the brat you have barely known over the race that raised you for so many years? I am disappointed!

Maria : Ancestor, you know this is not true. I am not betraying the race, and neither am I against you all. In fact, I want nothing but prosperity for our race!

Leia : Then why don't you join our side. You are not suppressed by the formation and if it is you, I am sure that you would be able to suppress the rest of the people and take them captive. Even if Michael returns sometime in the future, what would he be able to do if we have his family as a hostage?

Maria : Perhaps that might make him hesitate, but he will not bend! He will not yield! You all underestimate him because you have not seen him. You don't know! He has the qualities of a king! He is intelligent and cautious, strong and popular. And he treasures his family above everything! If you make this move, it will essentially be burning all the bridges with him. Even if he makes no progress, his power and charisma would be able to incite a civil war!

Leia : You give him too much credit. If he is indeed as intelligent as you say, he would yield to try again some other day. But once he does yield, he will never be able to rise! We have not ruled this plane for millions of years for nothing! We will plant a soul-suppressing curse in him to guarentee his obedience. Then, as soon as the emperor has recovered completely, we will methodically dismantle the new races and subjugate them. Without power or backing, he will be forced to do our bidding.

Maria : The flaw with this plan is the risk it carries. He will never be our true ally at heart. And his talent is not to be underestimated. With time, he might be able to figure out the curse and stage a coup. I even fear that he would bring otherworldly experts to help him if we push him too far. You might not know but he is dangerous. For the sake of the race, I am asking you to reconsider your plan. Besides, what's with your scheming? It almost feels like you are not confident in your emperor that much?

Leia : You infidel child!

Saying so, she released her demi-ascendant aura pressuring Maria.

Leia : Listen, the emperor is an ascendant being. He is a true powerhouse of myriad planes! Even if we leave him be, Michael would only be an annoyance on the emperor's part. He would never even be a threat. Even with the heights that he has achieved, he can only bow down to the emperor's supreme power. Besides, its not like we don't have any foundation beyond the plane. If we were to call forth our ancestors that have left, even a thousand Michaels would be crushed in an instant. What I am proposing is only to make sure that he doesnot do anything reckless before the emperor wakes up.

Maria : There is no way that he would be able to reach the enclosed space in the heart of our territory with his power. What you are doing is simply planting a threat for the emperor and our race! Don't belittle them just because they evolved later. And don't underestimate Michael. That is why I will not support this. Besides, as you are so confident in your power, battle with him for hagemony fair and square. There is no need to crush an ant with so many plots, is that not it? I will not partake in this foolish action of yours. If we truly go through with it, we might be inviting another calamity on our heads!

Leia : You bastard child! Traitor of the race! Since you are going to decline, I can only take you hostage and force your husband. Even I want to see if he is truly a dragon or an eel!

Leia attacked following that and easily captured Maria. She placed many seals on her body and soul before imprisoning her in the basement of Astang's mansion. Astang and his wife were indignant but they could only lower their heads. Besides, she was not in any mortal danger and was only imprisoned. For her who had lived so many years, being imprisoned for a year or so was not that troublesome. Clearly, Leia was displeased with her descendant but not to the extent that she would kill such a talented seed of the race. If she truly did bring her to harm, the old fellow Mesiran would definitely come to find her. After all, this girl was his descendant too.

Some decades ago, humans found a very rich energy vein in the forbidden forest that had allowed them to fortify the entire light empire. Initially, they were meant to monitor the devils but now, they were a hindrance to her plans. If she wanted to sneak attack, she had to use someone trustworthy among the humans, like her descendant Maria. Brute forcing the issue was possible but the price would be too great. Karslon would surely move to protect the human base and to contain him, perhaps they might even lose one of the fingers. After his breakthrough, he was a demi-ascendant and comparable to the God-Fingers like herself. She was indeed amazed that the new races even produced a demi-ascendant in this while. After all, demi-ascendants were powerhouses of Aterna, even in times immemorial. Even the mighty generals under the founding Dragon emperor were only in this realm. Leia knew that now, there was no other option but to wait. In about a year, two more of the God-Fingers would recover their powers. Then, taking down the light empire would not be too difficult.

Ashley Rageberg, previously known as Ashley Lislechis, was famous in the entire plane as the most beautiful woman of the current generation. There were many tales of her beauty and most of them did not do her justice. She was divinely beautiful. Beauty, in the world of cultivation, was not hard to obtain. As long as one kept reaching higher realms, the bodies and souls of the cultivators would improve and they would become more and more perfect. Thus, Maria, Leia and the rest were also beautiful. And Denise in Jupyter could even rival Ashley. But one must always consider that Ashley was only at the peak-saint-realm cultivation. To match Denise's beauty with such a gap in cultivation meant that she was inherently extremely beautiful. And as she cultivated to higher levels, she would become even more so. But Ashley's desire was not to simply be beautiful. In her heart, she wanted to be an empress. Her desire was simple - the power to rule.

She was not like Michael whose ambition was to reach the ends of his paths and gain incredible power to be called a God. She did not desire physical or magical powers. They were ultimately only a means to the end. She wanted to rule. For that, she would use anything, be it beauty, power or even emotions. This was her path, her dao. If Michael knew that Ashley was sprouting a dao of her own, he would truly be shocked. Because he knew how difficult it was to truly step on the dao path! Even beginning this path required one to have a great understanding of their own nature. Michael was someone who only understood himself after going through two lifetimes and limbo. His incredible experiences made up for his lack of talent and it allowed him to finally form his dao - the indomitable dao. He was indomitable. It was his way of life, his heart for dao and his pursuit. Michael wanted to be unsuppressed, free and independent. Not only from enemies and other cultivators but from heaven and earth and all creation. He wanted to obtain the power to decide his own fate. This was his dao - what he pursued. It was not the desire to oppress, or the desire to live forever but the desire to never be dominated. But while he had formed an incredibly powerful dao, there had been many things that helped him along the way. His incredible experiences, his connections to two divinities and his resolve all forged his dao. This was because Michael was not actually talented in the dao-path. But talent is not the only thing that decides one's success. With his sheer willpower, he had managed to gain everything that he had today. While it was true that when he began, he was not talented but that was not the case anymore. He had raised his talent and prospects with sheer grit!

But Ashley was very different from Michael. She could be said to be a true genius of the dao path. Even without so many experiences like Michael, she was already budding a dao that was no less powerful than Michael! She wanted to rule over all creation! This was her nature, her heart's desire, her obsession. And she had always known this. In the alternate timeline, she had been taken by Ragnar and her spirit was broken and so, a genius of the dao-path was extinguished before she could even start on her path. But Michael's intervention had changed the natural course of events. And the repercussions had not even begun manifesting yet. It was widely known that once one interfered with natural laws, the laws would wobble and ripples would be created in the fabric weived by the supreme laws and it would affect many things that no one could predict!

In the Rageberg castle, Ashley was currently absorbed in her own thoughts. She had been intelligent and shrewd ever since she had begun cultivating. And she had always worked towards her goal. She tried to run away from Ragnar, used her beauty for seduction. Most girls in her age would value their purity and would not casually throw themselves at someone. The first partner was generally chosen after lots of deliberation. And if one had Ashley's beauty, they would even turn arrogant. But Ashley was always level headed and had done everything she could, even using her cursed beauty to her benefit. While Michael may have been one reason for her successful escape from Ragnar, her own beauty and efforts had also played an important role in gathering a multitude of challengers from across Aterna. She used Michael's power to free herself from the shackles of her family while Michael used her beauty to forge his legend and authority. In a way, both had made use of the other. But Michael clearly had the upper hand! Not only had he obtained her as his bride and took her virginity, but he also unintentionally used Ragnar's seals in her body to dominate her sexually. After their first night, all Ashley could ever think about was sex. She was constantly mad with lust. And she could not even satisfy herself! Nothing seemed to work except Michael. And that had been the beginning of her torment. Forget ruling others, she barely managed her social life with all the heat in her body. Ragnar had really done her in. Sometimes, she shuddered to think what would have happened if Ragnar truly succeeded. The seal right now was not complete and Michael did not even use it actively. But she was still pushed into depravity. If the seal was complete and Ragnar personally used it, she truly would have turned into a sex doll without any resistance.

But as Michael never actively used the seal and regularly satisfied her, she was able to maintain her sense of self. And in the years that passed, she had even eroded the seal to a great extent. Though it had merged with her body very deeply and could not be removed with external help, she herself could erode it with time. This was only possible because the seal was incomplete. If it had been completed, perhaps Ashley's fate would have been doomed even if Michael saved her. Now, she had even managed to suppress it to the extent that daily life was no problem. Only when she came in contact with Michael would she lose all reason and fall back into depravity. Michael had indeed gotten a great deal, having someone like Ashley completely under his control. When he was in the plane, he had regularly made love to her and she was not angry about it. Michael was a capable lover and with the laws of life, he had seemingly endless stamina! He had a powerful physique and a well-endowed body. Ashley had known nothing but bliss in all the time she had spent with Michael. But this had also caused her to stagnate her cultivation and her plans. She had only reached the peak-saint realm in all these years was because she never had the sanity to study any laws. And only now that Michael had left to Jupyter was she able to ponder about her future.

Ashley's current life was not bad at all. She was a princess of the human kingdom. As Michael's woman who he had fought for in the legendary first Pan-Aterna Martial Competition, she actually held influence comparable to Maria even with her lower cultivation. After all, her fame was almost as great as Michael Rageberg. And her personal life was happy as well. Michael's family and friends treated her respectfully and kindly, different from how she was treated in her own house. Though now, her political influence was not less than Nicholas Lislechis. And her love-life was simply mind-blowing. With what was left of the seal, she would have a blissful and satisfying life ahead of her. In a way, this was already the pinnacle that even princesses would dream about! And Ashley had it all. But she was not satisfied! Yes, she carried influence and power but ultimately, she was not the empress! She was not really the ruler, not even in the human kingdom. And she was not satisfied! When she had wanted to get away from Ragnar, she planned to find a powerful immortal and charm the other person. It was not impossible with her unearthly beauty! If she was diligent, she could completely make an immortal fall head over heels for her. That would make that immortal her tool to rule over his territory. But Michael was different! She knew it in the time that had passed.

He had absurdly high willpower! It was not that he was not interested in her body or other material pleasures. In fact, he enjoyed life quite a bit. But, he was always in control of himself. His focus was terrifying! Once he focused on something and set his mind to it, it did not matter if heaven and earth were destroyed, his focus would not shake! If any other man in Aterna was given Ashley in the state she was in, they would fall in depravity along with her! That is now seductive her temptation was. But Michael was simply unbothered by it. He made love to her but on his own terms. He could and would go into seclusion whenever necessary, leaving her lusting. His willpower and discipline of his mind were simply off the charts. There was no way that she could control someone like him, even if she were much more beautiful than she was. Thus, becoming the sole empress was not possible. And her ambition was increasing every day. The whole new world - Jupyter! The endless possibilities that it held. Ashley had not known the world of the outside before. Thus, she never had any desires to rule it. But now that she knew the truth of the world, there was no way she could go back to being ignorant. She wanted to become the ruler of this world and all the otherworlds. This desire was on a subconscious level and even Ashley did not know it yet. But still, it was there, bubbling with her dao that was slowly forming. And it would force her to take steps that might seem crazy or risky to people and might even lead to her death. She was the same as Michael all those years ago who was budding his dao and could not control it.

As she was influenced by her dao, she sat there in silence, thinking up plans to employ.