[AN: I am going to take a break for some days, I am exhausted, been releasing chapters back to back. Also this book would end in around 100-200 chapters, I am going to be fast forwarding things a little. Enjoy. I also wrote and edited some chapters while I was dozing off, so there are probably some inconsistencies and mistakes among the chapters, I will fix the later.
Also Tempest_12, chapter 56, 57, 58 and not repeated, its just some info dump, but those info dump are important. So better go back and read it.]
He didn't elaborate, but Vaelor's imagination filled in the implications.
"We checked the timeline," Nyxon continued. "Used our clan's temporal viewing artifacts to observe what had occurred. Saw that Astraenia had escaped through the universe's intervention. We were relieved—at least she was alive."
"But that relief came with rage. Absolute, bottomless rage at those who'd dared attack a Daughter of the Universe. Who'd forced the cosmos itself to intervene to save one of its children."
His golden eyes blazed with the memory.
"We declared war. Not a limited conflict. Not a political dispute. Total war of annihilation."
"The Celestion Clan is the highest-ranking clan in the known universe," Nyxon stated with absolute conviction. "We're not overbearing. We don't abuse our position. We're modest, fair, and diplomatic."
"The universe apparently mistook that modesty for weakness."
His voice dropped to something cold and terrible.
"We corrected that misunderstanding."
"For two days, we purged," Nyxon said simply. "Every organization involved in the ambush. Every clan that had provided support. Every faction that had offered resources or intelligence. Every single entity that had participated in or enabled the attack on Astraenia."
"We didn't just defeat them. We erased them. Removed them from existence so completely that even records of their names were destroyed. Collapsed their territories into spatial voids. Extinguished their bloodlines down to the last descendant."
He met Vaelor's gaze directly.
"The war lasted two days. By the end, every faction involved had ceased to exist. And the universe learned—relearned—why you do not attack the Celestion Clan. Why you do not threaten a Daughter of the Universe."
"The cosmos shook during those battles. Dimensional barriers across millions of light-years fractured from the power we unleashed. Civilizations that had nothing to do with the conflict felt tremors through spacetime itself."
"We were thorough," Nyxon concluded coldly. "Absolutely, utterly thorough. When we finished, there was peace. Because everyone understood what would happen if they disturbed that peace."
Vaelor listened to this casual description of genocidal warfare conducted across cosmic scales, and his analytical mind noted something important:
This is what Mother comes from. This is the power structure she was born into. A clan so overwhelmingly superior that they can wage total war across the universe and achieve absolute victory in two days.
And I'm part of that bloodline. Part of that legacy.
Which means...
"After the war," Nyxon continued, "we searched for Astraenia. Scoured the upper realms for twenty years. Used every divination technique, temporal tracking method, and spatial sensing array available to our clan."
"We found nothing. She'd vanished completely, as if she'd never existed."
His expression became more understanding.
"Eventually, I realized what must have happened. The spatial rift had sent her somewhere unexpected. And rather than return immediately, she'd chosen to hide. To obscure her presence using timeline manipulation and fate distortion."
"My sister isn't foolish. She would only hide like that if she had something—or someone—precious to protect."
Nyxon looked at Vaelor meaningfully.
"So I expanded my search to lower realms. Places beneath the Celestion Clan's normal attention. And eventually, I detected our bloodline signature in this sector of the universe."
"It took me to Blue Star. To this planet. But when I arrived, Astraenia was gone. Only traces of her presence remained—and advanced techniques obscuring the timeline, preventing me from seeing what had occurred."
"I could sense she'd been here. Could feel the bloodline seal she'd placed on something. But I couldn't pierce her concealment to discover the truth."
He smiled slightly.
"That is, until a few weeks ago, when the seal weakened. When I suddenly sensed the Celestion bloodline awakening in a young man on this planet."
"I checked the timeline again, using your bloodline signature as reference. And discovered the truth—my sister had fallen in love with a mortal. Had given birth to a hybrid son. Had sealed his potential to hide him from the very factions she'd just provoked through her survival."
Nyxon's expression became complicated.
"Oh, sister," he murmured, dragging his hand down his face again. "What have you done? How did you fall in love with a mortal? You, who could have any cultivator in the upper realms as a partner?"
But there was no real criticism in his voice. Just resigned acceptance and perhaps a touch of understanding.
"Love doesn't ask permission or follow logic," he said quietly. "It simply... happens."
He focused on Vaelor again.
"Which brings us to the current situation. You—Vaelor Draeth, half-mortal, half-Celestion hybrid—exist. Your mere existence violates multiple cosmic laws and societal taboos."
"The Celestion Clan will accept you," Nyxon stated firmly. "We're not the type to punish children for their parents' choices. You carry our bloodline. You're family. That's enough."
"But," he added, his tone becoming more serious, "acceptance doesn't mean it will be easy. Multiple challenges await you if you return to the clan."
He began counting off on his fingers:
"First: Many clan members will despise you for being born from a mortal. They'll see you as tainted blood. An insult to our prestigious lineage. Expect discrimination, verbal attacks, and social ostracism from the more traditional factions."
"Second: Many will want to kill your father for 'defiling' our princess. Doesn't matter that it was consensual love—they'll see it as a mortal overstepping his station. I can protect him, but he'll need to remain in lower realms for his own safety."
"Third: The expectations on you will be enormous. As the son of a Daughter of the Universe, you'll be expected to achieve greatness. To prove you're worthy of the Celestion name despite your mixed heritage. Anything less than exceptional will be seen as shameful failure."
"Fourth: Other factions—the ones who survived our purge, the ones who still harbor grudges—will see you as a target. A way to hurt Astraenia indirectly. You'll have assassins coming after you from the moment your existence becomes widely known."
Nyxon met Vaelor's gaze seriously.
"The Celestion Clan is freedom-loving. We don't force members into specific paths. You can choose your own destiny, pursue your own goals. But that freedom comes with responsibility."
"You carry our bloodline. Our reputation. Every action you take will reflect on the clan. Every failure will be magnified. Every success will be scrutinized."
"Is that a life you want?" Nyxon asked directly. "Because once you enter upper-realm politics, there's no going back to simple obscurity."
Vaelor considered carefully, his enhanced consciousness analyzing the implications from every angle.
Joining the Celestion Clan provides protection, resources, and knowledge. But also creates enemies, expectations, and complications.
Staying in lower realms keeps things simpler but limits growth potential and leaves me vulnerable when higher-realm factions eventually arrive.
The apocalypse comes in three years. I already have th power to deal with that, so the upper realm it is.
"I want to grow stronger," Vaelor said simply. "Strong enough to face the coming apocalypse. Strong enough to protect everyone I care about. Strong enough to find Mother and ensure she never has to hide again."
He met his uncle's ancient golden eyes with his own.
"If joining the Celestion Clan helps achieve those goals, then I'll deal with discrimination and expectations. If staying in lower realms and cultivating independently is more efficient, I'll do that instead."
"My priority is power. Everything else is secondary."
Nyxon studied his nephew for a long moment, then smiled—genuine approval rather than mockery.
"Practical. Focused. Unintimidated by clan politics or cosmic power structures." He nodded. "You really are Astraenia's son."
"Then let me offer this," Nyxon proposed. "Don't join the clan officially yet. Not until you've reached sufficient strength to command respect rather than just tolerance."
"Instead, I'll provide resources, guidance, and protection unofficially. Help you cultivate in secret. When you eventually reveal yourself to the clan, you'll do so as a powerhouse rather than a weak hybrid begging for acceptance."
His golden eyes gleamed with strategic thinking.
"We'll aim for Galaxion Tier at minimum before official introduction. Preferably higher. At that level, even the most prejudiced clan members will have to acknowledge your worth."
"Three years to reach Galaxion Tier from Foundation Establishment," Nyxon mused. "Completely impossible for anyone else. But you..."
He gestured to Vaelor's transformed body, the energy-based physique, the ???? grade cultivation technique, the awakening bloodline.
"You might actually achieve it. You've already demonstrated advancement rates that break fundamental laws. What's a few more impossibilities?"
A thought seemed to occur to him.
"Though I should clarify something important."
"You're thinking you're at God-Tier level right?. That's incorrect."
Vaelor frowned. "My calculations—"
"Are based on lower-realm power scaling," Nyxon interrupted. "The cultivation tiers you're familiar with—Tier 1 through 9, King-Tier, Demi-God, God-Tier—those are lower realm classifications. Adequate for this sector of the universe but inadequate for describing higher-realm power."
He projected information into the space between them—a complete cultivation hierarchy displaying cosmic-scale tiers:
Cultivation Tiers (Complete Hierarchy):
Lower Realm Tiers:
Tier 1-9 Warrior King-Tier Demi-God Tier God-Tier
Cosmic Realm Tiers:
Solarion Tier, High Solarion Tier, Solarion Cluster Tier, High Solarion Cluster Tier, Nebulon Tier, Nebulon Monarch Constellatus Tier, Constellatus Emperor Galaxion Tier, Galaxion Overlord Supercluster Tier, Supreme Supercluster Titan, Universe Keeper, Universal Sovereign, Omniversal Ascendant, Omniversal Paragon, Omniversal Apex.
"Each cosmic tier represents exponential power increase over the previous," Nyxon explained. "A Solarion Tier cultivator could obliterate thousands of God-Tier warriors simultaneously. A Galaxion Tier entity could destroy a Solarion Cluster civilization without effort."
He pointed to Vaelor.
"Your current combat power—factoring in your transformation, techniques, bloodline awakening, and energy-based physique—places you solidly at Nebulon Tier. Possibly touching Nebulon Monarch level when using full power."
"That's impressive for someone at 51st stage Foundation Establishment. Genuinely unprecedented. But it's also far below what you think it is."
Nyxon gestured to himself.
"I'm at Peak Supreme Supercluster Titan. The gap between Nebulon and Supreme Supercluster is..." He paused, searching for adequate description. "Imagine the difference between a candle and the combined output of every star in a galaxy. That's approximate."
"Which is why I could kill you with a breath. Not arrogance—just mathematical reality of power differential."
Vaelor absorbed this information, his enhanced comprehension recalibrating his understanding of cosmic power scales.
I'm not God-Tier by lower realm standards. I've already exceeded that and reached Nebulon Tier by cosmic classification.
Which means my advancement is even more absurd than I calculated. I've essentially skipped entire classification categories.
But it also means the gap between me and true cosmic powerhouses is vastly larger than I thought. Uncle can still obliterate me effortlessly despite my achievements.
I need to grow faster. Much faster.
"The apocalypse entity arriving in three years," Nyxon said, "is classified as God-Tier by lower realm standards. But in cosmic hierarchy, it's likely Mid to High Solarion Cluster level."
"To face it effectively, you'd need to reach at minimum High Solarion Tier. Preferably Nebulon or higher to guarantee victory."
His expression became calculating.
"With your advancement rate and the resources I can provide... you might actually achieve that. It will require pushing cultivation beyond safe limits, taking risks that would kill anyone else, and probably undergoing multiple life-threatening transformations."
"But it's possible."
Nyxon extended his hand—a gesture offering alliance.
"What do you say, nephew? Want to turn the impossible into reality? Want to grow strong enough to make the cosmos itself take notice?"
Vaelor looked at his uncle's extended hand, considering everything he'd learned.
Mother's brother. Peak Supreme Supercluster Titan. Can provide resources and protection. Genuine desire to help rather than manipulate.
The alternative is trying to reach cosmic-tier power completely alone, which seems inadvisable when family support is available.
And ultimately...
His golden eyes blazed with determination.
I need every advantage possible to protect what's mine.
Vaelor grasped his uncle's hand, feeling tremendous power in that contact—not threatening now, but offering, supporting.
"I accept," Vaelor said. "Teach me. Guide me. Help me become strong enough to reshape fate itself."
Nyxon's smile was sharp and approving.
"Then let's begin your true cultivation journey, nephew."
"Welcome to the cosmic stage. I hope you're ready—because from this point forward, your life gets exponentially more complicated."
TO BE CONTINUED...