If one day in the future, Aya finds out that the Junior Brother Taryn who has been bickering, eating, drinking, and living under the same roof with her all this time is actually the Saint Lord of the Hale family, Alex, I wonder just how magnificent this girl’s expression will be?

"Eh? I got it!" Aya’s eyes suddenly lit up, struck by a sudden inspiration.

"If we smoke all this deer meat into cured meat, then it won’t rot and stink, right?"

"Mhm, let me think. To smoke cured meat, we need smoke. To have smoke, we need fire..."

"Flying Fire Sword Flames!"

Before Alex could even explain the specific process of smoking cured meat, Aya directly drew her sword from her waist and poured her energy into it.

A streak of blazing fire sword qi swept out horizontally, instantly turning the dozen or so old trees around them into living torches, burning fiercely.

No, is this little girl really this wild? A single disagreement, and she directly unleashes a Heaven and Earth tier sword technique?

Are you trying to dry cured meat, or are you trying to burn down Broken Sword Peak with a single fire?

Just at that moment, Sylra followed the scent and walked over from afar. Seeing the scene before him, he instantly froze, completely dumbfounded. Must have gotten up too fast. He was seeing someone collectively cremating spirit deer.

...

Three days later.

Alex departed from the Southwestern region half an hour early.

At dusk, he arrived punctually outside the Heavenly Flame Capital. Elara and Lucas had already been waiting for a long time.

Alex asked faintly. "Is the gift for Aurelia prepared?"

"Everything is prepared." Lucas nodded proudly.

"According to your instructions, Saint Lord, it is absolutely a congratulatory gift of the highest specifications."

"Very good." Alex asked again.

"Alistair and Malakai, those two old guys didn’t come?"

"No." Elara shook her head.

"The two of us specifically waited on the path from the Blackwood and Sol families to the Heavenly Flame Capital. It seems they will not be coming this year."

"Heh, all within my expectations." Alex sneered coldly.

"Just because they didn’t get a tiny sliver of petty profit, they used this method to protest, not hesitating to simultaneously offend me and the Heavenly Flame Empress. The vision and perspective of those two old guys only amounts to this much."

"Those who should come will come, those who wish to leave can leave. It cannot be forced. It seems the banquet the Heavenly Flame Empress prepared today is going to be wasted. Let’s go, time for a sick visit!"

Immediately, Alex waved his hand grandly, leading Elara and Lucas into the Heavenly Flame Capital.

Just as they reached the Profound Phoenix Plaza, before even arriving at the Azure Phoenix Palace, they saw Aurelia leading the Four Great Princesses, along with over twenty peak Supreme Realm powerhouses, lined up on both sides, waiting respectfully.

When they met last time, Aurelia was wearing prisoner’s clothes with a blade pressed against her neck, looking incredibly wretched.

But at this very moment, her pale face had regained its rosiness, and her temperament had returned to its former proud and holy state.

It was just that, after experiencing the betrayal of her closest relatives, her gaze clearly lacked the flawless confidence it had before.

"Your Majesty the Empress, this courtesy is far too heavy, isn’t it?" Alex hurriedly strode forward, cupping his fists.

"What virtue or ability does this Hale possess to have Your Majesty personally welcome me?"

"Saint Lord Alex, please do not be so polite." Aurelia supported Alex, saying sincerely.

"You are my lifesaver. Previously, Albert allied with Nova to launch a coup while I was severely ill, intending to usurp the throne and plot against my life. If you hadn’t righteously intervened and helped pacify the rebellion, I would have long since perished."

"This immense grace, even if I were to act as a slave, it would be difficult to repay. Even welcoming you several miles away, what harm is there?"

As she spoke, Aurelia looked behind Alex. "Saint Lord Alex, why do I not see Saint Lord Malakai and Saint Lord Alistair?"

Alex pondered briefly and smiled faintly. "Saint Lord Alistair and Saint Lord Malakai sustained some minor injuries when they came to help. Therefore, they cannot attend today. Please forgive them, Your Majesty."

"Injured?" Aurelia said in surprise and panic. "I didn’t expect they actually suffered injuries for me. In a couple of days, I must go visit them."

"A visit won’t be necessary." Alex waved his hand cheerfully.

"They did not suffer physical injuries, but rather injuries of the heart. Even if you go to visit, it will be futile. Therefore, Your Majesty need not make a wasted trip."

Aurelia froze slightly, her expression becoming somewhat complicated, they were all incredibly sharp people.

How could she not understand? The meaning behind Alex’s words was that last time, they had a falling out over a conflict of interests.

For a moment, Aurelia couldn’t help but feel guilty.

How close had the relationship between the Hale, Sol, and Blackwood families been previously?

As the three most powerful Saint Lineage families, they had always advanced and retreated together. During the secret realm treasure hunt last time, the three families were still acting in concert.

As a result, because of her own affairs, it caused them to have a falling out.

This made Aurelia, who was already endlessly grateful to Alex, feel even more guilty and uneasy.

"Your Majesty, you do not need to take it to heart." Alex waved his hand, smiling faintly.

"If some people share the same ambitions and path, they can be allies and even entrust their lives to one another."

"But for those whose ambitions differ and whose paths do not align, even if their relationship is temporarily harmonious, sooner or later, they will inevitably arrive at different destinations."

"For my Hale family, the interests and stability of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty always rank first."