CHAPTER 543: ENVY

The feat Julia achieved was nothing special, as an Immortal was capable of shaking the lower-void. What made what she did impressive was how effortlessly it came to her.

Staying in the higher-void regions of the multiverse was not something so simple as getting used to the restrictive and unrelenting pressure.

The higher regions of the multiverse had a denser, more complete form of the chaotic essence that made the universes, essences that made them whole.

Essences that made a being stronger, faster and more sensitive to the unique frequencies of their shards of law. These were the benefits Alexander spoke of.

Veilwalkers were made complete when the Omnisoul chose them, but regular beings from the lower regions were not.

Alexander had always been much stronger than his level suggested, and one reason for this was due to this phenomenon.

"Thank you, Lord Drakmor." Julia expressed, turning her focus to the faint spiral outline of the universe in the distance.

Like the higher void region she just came from, the universe was surrounded by other Veilwalkers, subordinate Enforcers to the chiefs.

Julia’s little display of power attracted many gazes over, prompting most of the gathered Enforcers to fly over.

"Lord Drakmor."

The Enforcers took a knee before Drakmor, their hoods removed and heads lowered. While they had noticed the figure in white beside the chief, they held themselves back.

"At ease," Drakmor replied, gesturing for them to get to their feet. "This is Miss Julia, one of Lord Alexander’s companions. Treat her with the same respect as you would me."

"Yes."

The subordinates nodded and finally looked in Julia’s direction, acknowledging her presence. However, meeting Julia’s gaze sent shivers down their spines.

’As it should.’ Julia smiled behind her hood, feeling a sense of pride. The varying facial features and forms no longer came as a surprise to her.

Most of the subordinate Enforcers looked humanoid, but there were many with other features that pointed to something else entirely.

Some had horns protruding from their heads, shoulders, and limbs. Others had wings on their back, ethereal forms exuding calming energies, and bestial forms from all lineages.

"Yrithery, step forward."

A Veilwalker with apparent humanoid female features, emerald ethereal body with transparent, ferry-like wings, stepped out of rank and at the ready.

"She is the master of this universe." Drakmor turned to Julia and said. "The best person to guide us inside."

The Veilwalker named Yrithery felt a shudder run down her back when Julia’s eyes focused on her. She felt as though she was surgically being dissected and laid bare for all to see.

It was an extremely uncomfortable feeling. But what baffled her the most was how someone who was not a Veilwalker made her feel unsettled.

"Lead the way..." Julia instructed after a moment of unnerving silence.

"Yes." The Veilwalker nodded and swiftly turned around to lead her superior and his guest.

Along the way, Julia’s eyes bore into the Veilwalker. She had already scanned everyone gathered and noted those who carried the corrupted essence in their being.

Yrithery, their guide, was one of the compromised Enforcers. In all honesty, Julia was the weakest being there.

However, she was not here with just her strength; she carried the will of her beloved, a will she had absolute confidence in.

’How is it possible for the subordinates to hide their corrupted status from their superiors?’ Julia asked the only being who could answer her, her question echoing through the connection.

’I’m wondering the same thing.’ Ross’s voice echoed in her mind. ’I thought the chiefs had the power to read the minds and experiences of their subordinates.’

’Who said these Veilwalkers are even aware they have been corrupted?’ Alexander’s reply left Julia stunned and baffled.

’H-How is that possible?’ Julia could not understand it. ’Unlike your Nexis Radiant, the corrupted essence is difficult to hide. It’s an abhorrent essence that shouldn’t exist in the first place.’

’All universes with the corrupted essence have their cores fused with a Veilwalker. When a Veilwalker becomes the master of a universe, the universe itself is akin to their bodies.’ Alexander explained.

’I see...’ Julia muttered thoughtfully. ’They are like puppets who aren’t even aware they are puppets.’

’Exactly...’

’Wouldn’t that mean there are exactly 2,025 corrupted Veilwalkers out there?’ Ross pointed out.

’No, it doesn’t work that way. Remember the corrupted chiefs? Their universes aren’t corrupted in the slightest. You could say those guys are secondary corruptees.’

’Hmm... I’m not really clear on the explanation.’ Julia frowned.

’Don’t worry about it, sweetie.’ Alexander’s soft laugh resounded in her head. ’Just focus on the task at hand.’

’What about you? Have you begun the cleansing?’ Julia switched topics.

’Yeah. I began not long ago.’

’Be careful, alright?’ Julia sounded worried. ’Don’t just play along when you can put an end to their plans once you see through them.’

’Of course.’

Receiving Alexander’s confirmation lessened some of her worries. She returned her focus ahead, where their guide was almost at the Veil Tear leading into her universe.

The rest of the subordinates remained in place and on guard, keenly aware that the entire situation could be a trap.

Plunging into the Veil Tear and into the universe reintroduced a familiar scenery to the Knight princess.

The vastness of outer space, with its mesmerising cosmic hues, gas clouds, and numerous galaxies, replaced the eternal darkness of the true void.

Julia did not hesitate and unleashed her senses to the absolute limit, scanning everything in range. Her senses covered the familiar galactic size of over one hundred thousand light-years.

’This is insane...’ Julia thought to herself. ’Low-level universes are indeed the weakest among all universes in the multiverse.’

Unfortunately for the Knight princess, as mesmerising as this universe’s outer space was, it was ruined by the swiftly spreading and growing corrupted essence.

The group had appeared within an irregular galaxy. From Julia’s estimates, more than sixty per cent of the galaxy had been touched by the corrupted essence.

Void creatures littered various regions of the galaxy, and the black hole in the centre of the galaxy looked to be on the verge of being swallowed up itself.

Stars, planets and other celestial bodies that had once been thriving with life were now blackened beyond imagination, the corruption leaving the group with a bad taste in their mouth.

"This is one of the many galaxies affected by the corrupted essence." Yrithery spoke after the group came to a halt, snapping Julia out of her thoughts.

Drakmor glanced at the young lady beside him and waited for her to act. He knew all too well the limitations of the Immortal level.

Cleansing this universe one galaxy at a time would take forever. At the same time, he knew this was just a ploy on Alexander’s part. ’Now we wait for the show to begin...’

Meanwhile, Julia reached out to Alexander once more. ’Babe, what do I do now?’

’Your senses would do the work. Infuse it with my essence and it will do the rest.’ Alexander replied. ’Also, remember to make it radiant.’

’Got it.’ Julia inwardly smiled and got to work.

She floated past the guide, her cloak swaying around her frame majestically. Then, with a sweep of her left hand, she unleashed the essence, generating a powerful gust that shook the surrounding space.

Rumble...

The quake disappeared as quickly as it had come, replaced by a sudden radiance that momentarily forced Yrithery to look away.

Spreading as fast as the senses, the radiance bathed the entire galaxy, along with its boundaries, in its purifying light.

Behind her, Drakmor silently watched the process unfold, his guard raised to the utmost limit. He had already sealed the entire universe, putting everything under his gaze.

Nothing was going to take him off guard.

’How are things proceeding on your end?’ Drakmor heard Calyndra’s voice.

’Nothing out of the ordinary...’ He paused for a moment before adding, ’... for now.’

’Same here.’ Velmyra and Calyndra replied together.

’Do you think they will be crazy enough to do something?’ Velmyra wondered. ’Alexander seems different from before.’

’We should be more worried about ourselves, Velmyra.’ Drakmor cut her off. ’We nearly lost our lives to those void creatures the last time we clashed.’

’You’re right.’ The connection died down a moment later, returning silence to his mind space.

While the dragon was confident in his power over space, those void creatures and their masters could tear through his restrictions with apparent ease.

Fortunately, sealing space was only meant to buy time for him to react. Meanwhile, the Veilwalker a step away from him focused her attention on Julia.

’What a mysterious power...’ Yrithery was in awe of Julia’s actions. ’To think a Veilwalker from a low-level universe such as myself achieved this...’

Time slowly ticked as the corrupted essence was purified, transforming into motes of white light that drifted freely off, restoring brilliance to the heavens.

’This is slow...’ Yrithery observed and frowned after a few minutes of watching. ’At this rate, she will spend years purifying my universe.’

However, more than her observations, she noticed something off about herself. She looked inward but found nothing strange, leaving her baffled.

’Was I imagining it?’ Yrithery was uncertain, a feeling she hadn’t felt in years. She looked at the chief and pondered.

However, that strange feeling quickly faded, almost as if what she felt moments ago was a lie. She thought about sharing her feelings with Drakmor, but quickly decided against it.

’It’s probably nothing...’ Yrithery inwardly shook her head. ’I might have just been envious of her.’