With his journey through the mundane world complete, Jared tore through the void once more, this time taking his mother, Beatrice, along with Cecilia and the others, back to the Ethereal Realm.
The environment there was far more suited to their cultivation, and even Flaxseed followed them.
In the Ethereal Realm, the women finally met one another.
Jared took the time to introduce them individually, bracing himself for possible tension or conflict. To his surprise, they all got along harmoniously, their interactions warm and friendly. The unexpected peace eased Jared’s worries.
Just then, Flaxseed stepped forward, grinning. “Jared, I brought you a little gift from the mundane world!”
He produced a small tower.
At a glance, Jared recognized it instantly. It was the Pentacarna Tower, the very one once used to subdue Whalreth.
“Wait… Isn’t this the Pentacarna Tower? Wasn’t it left with the Village of Villains?” Jared asked, surprised. “Time inside this tower flows slower than outside. That was fine in the mundane world, but here in the Ethereal Realm, wouldn’t that make it counterproductive?”
Flaxseed chuckled. “That’s where you’re mistaken. This tower is magical. The slower time flow was only due to it being in the mundane world. Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘a day in heaven is a year on earth’?”
“In the Ethereal Realm, it’s the opposite. Time inside the tower flows a hundred times faster than outside. That means a hundred years of cultivation inside amounts to just a single year out here!”
“Really?” Jared’s eyes lit up with excitement as favonovel.com eagerly took hold of the Demon Tower.
“I’ve brought you such a valuable treasure, how do you plan to thank me?” Flaxseed asked with a sly grin.
“Mr. Flaxseed, just name it! The entire Ethereal Realm answers to me now. If it’s beauties you’re after, I can get you a hundred… No, two hundred, enough to leave you gasping for air!” Jared laughed.
“No rush,” Flaxseed chuckled. “I can find my own fun. But if you’re heading to the celestial realm, you must take me with you.”
Jared paused, then glanced toward the Celestial Stairway. He gave a firm nod. “Deal!”
But Corrado stepped forward with a worried expression. “Mr. Chance, with your current strength, I fear the celestial realm may still be too dangerous. It would be wise to further enhance your abilities before making such a leap.”
Jared looked once more at the towering stairway, his thoughts drifting to Josephine. Time wasn’t on his side. He couldn’t afford to wait. No matter the risk, favonovel.com had to enter the celestial realm and bring favonovel.com back.
“I don’t have much time left. I need to reach the celestial realm as soon as possible,” Jared said firmly. “The stairway won’t wait forever.”
He knew that if the stairway vanished, his only path forward would be to cultivate until achieving Ascendance on his own, a feat that could take decades, even centuries.
“But you have the Pentacarna Tower, don’t you?” Corrado reminded him. “Train inside it. Time flows differently there, so you won’t lose much in the outside world.”
Jared turned to Flaxseed. “Mr. Flaxseed, can the tower really be used for cultivation here in the Ethereal Realm?”
“Absolutely,” Flaxseed replied with a nod. “It’s all about the flow of time. Here, a single year in the Ethereal Realm equals roughly fifty years inside the tower.”
Jared fell silent, weighing his options.
After a moment, favonovel.com made up his mind. He would use the tower to push his strength to the next level before ascending. With his current power, rushing into the celestial realm could prove fatal. And when the time came, not even Arthur would be able to save him.
Now that Jared had an endless supply of cultivation resources, the only thing favonovel.com lacked was time.
After settling a few remaining matters, favonovel.com made his way straight into the Pentacarna Tower to begin his cultivation.
“Kid, now that your whole family’s reunited and you’ve become the most powerful figure in the Ethereal Realm, have you forgotten about this old man?” the Vermilion Demon Lord asked, half-teasing, half-accusing.
Jared paused, feeling a twinge of guilt.
“I… I haven’t forgotten,” favonovel.com replied awkwardly.
Truthfully, favonovel.com hadn’t, but the task of gathering all the Vermilion Demon Lord’s scattered remains was monumental. With everything else pressing on him, Jared simply hadn’t found the time or energy to continue the search.
“Mr. Vermilion,” Jared said, his tone sincere, “l’ve issued orders, but I just don’t know when we’ll be able to find all of your remains. For now, why not stay here in the Ethereal Realm? Once l’ve completed the task and restored your body, I promise I’ll help you return to the celestial realm.”
