My Descendants Are My Power

At that moment, within the imperial capital, figures soared through the sky, converging on Cedar Ridge.

They were the rising stars of the empire, Psychics whose names were whispered in awe, some even the offspring of high-ranking officials, or officials themselves.

Over three hundred strong, they assembled outside Cedar Ridge, their combined might a force to be reckoned with.

At their forefront stood a man in his prime, clad in silver armor, a long spear strapped to his back.

Any noble within the imperial capital would recognize him instantly.

Brody, the eldest son of a minor psychic clan, was a prodigy blessed with extraordinary talent.

At a mere five hundred years old, he had already ascended to the third position on the Pinnacle Apprentice Ranking, earning the moniker "Invincible Dragon Spear Brody."

He commanded a thousand imperial mercenaries, tasked with safeguarding the capital.

His meteoric rise had elevated his entire clan to unimaginable heights.

His gaze fixed on Cedar Ridge, Brody's eyes glinted with cold determination.

He raised his spear, its tip pointed menacingly at the mountain.

"One hundred and seven from Azure Cloud, three Blackwoods. Leave none alive."

"Yes, sir!"

As his command echoed through the air, the Heavenly Path avatars surged forward, their formations, talismans, psychic weapons, and advanced psychic gear unleashed in a dazzling display of power.

Brody braced himself, ready to face the Blackwood who had defied the nine-nine heavenly tribulation.

But as his forces descended upon Cedar Ridge, his expression shifted, a flicker of confusion replacing his confidence.

Before they could even strike, a blinding light erupted from the mountain, blocking their path.

Figures scrambled to escape, their movements panicked and desperate.

The avatars' power surged, their strength amplified by their master's will.

"Damn it! Damn it all!" Brody roared, his fury echoing through the air as he watched the fleeing figures.

"We've been tricked, Brody!"

"The Blackwoods knew we were coming. Our informant is dead."

"They lured us into a trap! Those cunning bastards!"

"Retreat! Everyone, fall back!"

...But they couldn't see him.

The Blackwood Forebearer stood before them, his presence concealed, his gaze fixed on the retreating avatars.

He memorized their faces, their auras, committing them to memory.

A sly smile touched his lips.

"Heavenly Path, your reign of terror ends today. It's time you tasted defeat."

...

Within the Kunlun Mountains, at the Roberts Estate, Austin, the avatar of the Heavenly Path Venerable, felt a surge of anger as he witnessed the events unfolding at Cedar Ridge.

He had dispatched his avatars, their movements swift and decisive.

He had seen Donna and the Azure Cloud contingent exchanging pleasantries, their interactions seemingly genuine.

But the moment his imperial avatars arrived, Donna had sprung her trap, eliminating his hidden agent within the Azure Cloud group.

And then, they had vanished.

At that moment, a panicked servant rushed into the courtyard.

"Patriarch! There's an AI Bionic Robot at the gate... it... it demands an audience with you. It radiates the aura of a Competent Force expert. It claims to have urgent news.

I dared not refuse it entry."

As the servant finished speaking, a blood-soaked AI Bionic Robot strode into the courtyard.

Its voice, a chilling whisper, echoed through the air.

"Heavenly Path, it seems you have three hundred and twenty-seven avatars within the imperial capital. Your ambitions are vast, indeed. But I'm afraid your plans have hit a snag. Of course, you have a choice. You can send more powerful avatars to their rescue."

"Or," the robot continued, its voice laced with a chilling finality, "you can release Edward. At least then, your third-ranked Pinnacle Apprentice avatar might survive."

Silence descended upon the courtyard as Austin contemplated his options.

Within his cage, Edward thrashed wildly, his heart pounding with a mixture of hope and fury.

This was the message his clan had sent.

They had exposed the Heavenly Path's presence within the imperial capital.

Continue your adventure at empire

Now, Austin's wrath would surely fall upon him.

But he wanted to scream, to rage against his captors.

Kill them! Kill every last one of those bastards! Even if it meant his own death!

...

Within a remote village in the imperial capital, the Blackwoods and the Azure Cloud contingent gathered, their expressions a mixture of confusion and apprehension.

Moments after their arrival, Donna had struck, eliminating a former Dawn assassin within their ranks.

"Donna, why did you kill him?"

"Sister Donna, what have you done?"

"Sister Donna..."

"Lady Donna..."

As the shock subsided, a chorus of questions erupted, their voices laced with disbelief and fear.

But as they spoke, they faltered, their gazes meeting, a shared realization dawning upon them.

Donna's lips curled into a sly smile.

"Surprised?"

"..."

Her laughter hung in the air, a chilling counterpoint to their growing unease.

They understood now.

Donna hadn't been searching for them individually.

She had been testing them all.

"I apologize," Donna said, her voice softening slightly.

"I knew the Heavenly Path had infiltrated our ranks. So, I sought each of you out, revealing that his avatar was among us. I observed your reactions, hoping to expose him. But he was too well hidden."

"Then," she continued, her voice hardening, "I gave each of you a different location, a false trail leading to our supposed hideout. Until... Cedar Ridge. His avatars converged on that mountain too quickly, their movements betraying their master's urgency. That's how I identified him."

Donna's appearance, her every action, had been a carefully orchestrated trap, a desperate gamble to expose the enemy within.

And it had worked.

Ethan now knew the true identities of the Heavenly Path's avatars.

"I see," the others murmured, their initial anger fading as they grasped the gravity of the situation.

They couldn't fault Donna for her mistrust.

Facing an enemy as cunning and ruthless as the Heavenly Path Venerable demanded extreme caution.

Donna's gaze hardened as she turned towards Blake, her voice a chilling whisper.

"Blake, you believe our plan was flawless, don't you?"

Her words hung in the air, a spark igniting a powder keg.

The Azure Cloud contingent erupted, their psychic gear and weapons materializing as they stared at Blake, the architect of their search, Matthew's eldest son, trapped within their circle.

...

Back in the Kunlun Mountains, Ethan stood before Austin, his expression unreadable.

The news from the imperial capital had reached them.

The Heavenly Path's avatars had been exposed.

For the first time, Austin, the avatar of the Heavenly Path Venerable, was silent, his mind seemingly communing with his other selves.

Ethan refused to miss a single detail.

This was the first true clash between the Blackwoods and the Heavenly Path.

Over the years, they had never given up on their quest to understand their enemy.

They knew he was a shapeshifter, a being capable of fragmenting his consciousness into countless avatars.

Mary had gleaned some information from Venerable Phil.

The Heavenly Path Venerable reincarnated within the Emerald Empire every few centuries.

His main consciousness would nurture his new vessel, guiding its development until it reached a certain level of power.

Then, he would withdraw, leaving the avatar to its own devices.

This process could take months, even years, depending on the vessel's innate talent.

He only invested in true prodigies.

Once the main consciousness departed, the avatars would develop their own personalities, their actions guided by their master's will.

Michael, the Competent Force Duke who had manipulated Azure Cloud, was one such example.

They also knew that when an avatar perished, its power, its memories, even its unique constitution, would be absorbed by the remaining avatars.

And then there was the Heavenly Path Psychic Sanctuary.

The Heavenly Path Venerable had relentlessly hunted the Blackwoods, yet thirteen of their kin remained safe within his sanctuary.

It was an anomaly, a puzzle that demanded an explanation.

"Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles."

This was their chance to test their understanding, to strike a blow against the seemingly invincible Heavenly Path.