My Celestial Ascension-Chapter 737: The Border

"Keep up the pace! You're both making good progress—keep it going! Don't let exhaustion slow you down!"

The First Commander of the Holy Knights, Conrad, was instructing Kael and Zane in their rigorous training. They were swinging massive swords that were full, yet heavy to lift.

This training method would help them develop greater arm strength and better control over their weapons. Each swing was heavy enough to force a person to step back from the impact.

Though the training method was harsh, especially in the cold environment of the Holy Light Empire, both of them were determined to become stronger—stronger even than their mentor.

Conrad, the First Commander of the Holy Knights, was considered the most powerful human to ever exist in the world—powerful enough to destroy an entire country with his power alone.

Both Kael and Zane aspired to surpass him in strength and power, all to defeat one person: Yuan, the leader of the 'Celestial Blades.' He was the one person they both hated the most since they had suffered great humiliation at his hands.

"Swing the sword properly and steady your poses. This will make a significant difference in your training and help you get a better grip on your sword," Conrad spoke with a commanding tone, his face serious as he watched them.

"Once you've completed your training, come to me. I'll be waiting near that tree, and I'll be watching. Don't even think about slacking!"

"We understand, Commander!" Kael and Zane shouted in unison, continuing to swing their swords while steadying their poses.

Conrad nodded and left them to train. He sat on a bench near the massive tree in the training ground.

The other heroes were also engaged in various activities—training their bodies, minds, and magic. Conrad glanced at them for a moment but quickly lost interest. They weren't taking this as seriously as Kael and Zane.

A few moments later, the Priest arrived at the training ground, accompanied by several Holy Knights. Since Princess Livia's betrayal of the Holy Church, the Church had been taking precautions against the Imperial Family.

Conrad noticed their approaching presence the moment they entered the training ground. He immediately sensed something urgent, knowing the Priest wouldn't come here randomly.

"What brings you here so unexpectedly, Father Gideon? Is there something urgent?" Conrad asked, looking at him with curiosity.

"His Eminence has ordered me to give you some important information. It's very serious," Father Gideon said, his face serious as he looked at Conrad.

"Oh? And what would that be?" Conrad raised an eyebrow, curious about what kind of situation had prompted the Pope to send the Priest to personally deliver the information.

"Yuan and his wives, along with Princess Livia, who betrayed the Holy Church, have left the Imperial Capital of the Lionheart Empire and are currently on their way to our empire," Father Gideon quickly explained, his grin widening with each word he spoke.

"Yuan? Is this the same person who killed our Holy Son and humiliated the Heroes before so many people?" Conrad asked, his voice heavy. Suddenly, an invisible force radiated from him, causing the air around them to shift.

Kael and Zane immediately stopped swinging their swords as soon as they felt the pressure. Their hearts began to race, and it felt as though a massive boulder had fallen on them, its immense weight forcing them toward the ground.

'What the hell is this?! How did this pressure appear out of nowhere?!'

Both Kael and Zane struggled to breathe under the powerful force, barely managing to stay on their feet.

Father Gideon nodded, letting out a sigh. "Indeed. That's the same person. His Eminence has asked you to handle him and his group as soon as they enter the Holy Light Empire."

"None of them should be spared, including the Princess. She is a traitor who betrayed the Holy Church. She has no place in this empire; her very existence is a humiliation to the Holy Church," Father Gideon said with a dangerous look in his eyes, filled with fury.

"I see... this is indeed surprising information. Very well, I'll take care of this 'Yuan' and his party, and make sure they're put to rest forever. However, I won't kill the Princess just yet. We need to make an example for the citizens about what happens to those who betray the Holy Church," Conrad spoke in a cold, murderous tone, a creepy smile appearing on his face.

"Indeed. That would be the wisest choice. This will serve as a good example for everyone in the empire!" Father Gideon laughed, clearly satisfied with the response from Conrad, the most powerful human on the continent.

Shortly after, Conrad released his pressure, and the people and heroes in the training ground finally felt at ease.

Even the Imperial Palace of the Holy Light Empire was affected by the pressure. The servants suddenly collapsed, unable to withstand the overwhelming force.

"What was that pressure just now?" The Emperor muttered, frowning. He had never felt such a powerful force before. The person exuding this pressure must be overwhelmingly powerful—someone capable of destroying an entire country alone, or slaying an SS-rank monster with a single strike.

"I believe the pressure came from none other than the First Commander of the Holy Knights, Conrad. He's currently training the Heroes, and he must have released this pressure to test their resistance," the Empress spoke, her tone laced with annoyance. She was practically cursing the Holy Church in her mind.

She had always opposed the Holy Church, especially after they started acting like bandits within the Empire, claiming it as their own and insisting they were chosen by the Goddess to oversee it.

To the Empress, this was nothing but nonsense. The Holy Church only sought to rule the world, having gained power from the faith of its followers.

However, she couldn't openly criticize the Church, as many of its members kept a close eye on the Imperial Family.

Most of the Empire's citizens had become devoted followers of the Holy Church, openly supporting it more than they did the Imperial Family, which had ruled the Empire for generations.

"I see... I hope this doesn't cause any problems in the palace..." The Emperor sighed, leaning back on the sofa, a troubled expression on his face.

"Do you think our daughter is doing well right now? After all, she betrayed the Holy Church, and those bastards won't let her off unless she's dead," Emperor Theon muttered after a few moments, glancing at his wife's concerned face.

He was worried about her safety, as she was his only child, the treasured jewel of the Imperial Family. If anything happened to her, he and his wife would not hesitate to attack the Holy Church openly.

Empress Lyria looked at her husband with a concerned expression, then let out a deep sigh.

"From what I've gathered, she's safe. She's with a famous Hunter Party called the 'Celestial Blades.' As we speak, they're traveling here," Empress Lyria replied, a warm smile crossing her face as she looked at her beloved husband, who had been so worried about their daughter.

Emperor Theon raised an eyebrow, shocked. He was astonished that their daughter had managed to form such a connection with someone so strong and powerful.

"This is quite unexpected—she managed to make friends with such powerful individuals... My worries are eased now, knowing she's safe from those dogs of the Holy Church," Emperor Theon sighed softly, feeling a bit more at ease, knowing that his daughter was safe from the Holy Church.

"Indeed. At first, I was surprised too. Yuan—the leader of that group—is the same person who killed that useless Holy Son," Empress Lyria added with a soft chuckle.

She continued, a pleasant smile on her face, "Furthermore, Valeria Lionheart—the Princess of the Lionheart Empire, known as War General Valeria, who is also his wife—killed that weird old bastard, Archbishop Gregor."

"It's good that the old bastard got what he deserved. He was a dirty, twisted old man. I didn't like him at all," Emperor Theon muttered, his face twisting into a sneer.

"The sight of him made me want to puke. What a disgusting fellow..." Empress Lyria sneered as well, her face filled with disgust.

—

Three days had passed since Yuan and his wives left the Imperial City of the Lionheart Empire. They were now very close to the border between the Lionheart Empire and the Holy Light Empire.

Their journey had been relatively smooth, aside from a few bandits attacking their carriage. Yuan and his wives had swiftly dealt with them, killing each bandit before they could stop the carriage.

The bandits didn't even realize what had happened before their lives were taken; they couldn't even utter a single word.

The border between the Holy Light Empire and the Lionheart Empire was marked by a river with a strong current, making it impossible to cross without using a bridge.

Currently, the bridge was closed due to the ongoing conflict between the Holy Church and the Lionheart Empire. One side of the bridge had been lifted, rendering it incomplete.

This made it impossible for either side to cross, effectively halting trade between the two empires.

After traveling for a couple of hours, Yuan and his wives spotted the river and the bridge in the distance, immediately informing Aisha and Princess Livia about it.

"How about we set up camp near the river? With winter already here, there's no chance of rain today. It's actually a beautiful spot," Aisha suggested, her face soft with excitement as she looked at Yuan with a passionate gaze.

"That sounds amazing," Yuan replied with a smile. "In a couple of hours, the sun will set, and we'll get a beautiful view."

He added, "Plus, we'll have a fresh source of running water, which will be useful for watering the horses."

Soon, they arrived near the border. The river looked stunning, but the current was too strong to take a quick dip.