177 Blood of the kin

Just like usual, Amaryll cooked a feast for Don's return as everyone had a pleasant dinner and exchanged ideas to develop their kingdom.

Ken and Reghys were still trying to fix the canon while Don spent the next day cultivating using the Apex with Knight. But when he thought that his day is going uneventful, he has blasted away from the apex room.

"What happened?"

Arrora and the guards rushed at Don as he slowly stood up and brushed away the dust from his robes.

The Apex room and the ground beneath them started to shake before Don could answer Arrora and something brightened the room and made everyone close their eyes.

"He's breaking through"

Arrora shouted and motioned everyone to back away from the room as the ground shook violently.

And Don noticed there's going to be another explosion, he quickly shielded everyone with a windshield while Knight's roar echoed through the kingdom.

Arrora remembered the time Don had a breakthrough but it was never like this. Seeing the castle crumbling, Arrora realized why Knight ordered the men to renovate the castle.

No one could see Knight in the Apex room because the light was too bright to see through.

"He's going to kill us before he breakthrough"

Don heard Reghys's voice and turned to see the dragon woman and Ken walking towards them.

"Roar"

The high pitched roar of Knight almost brought the ceiling down on them but fortunately, they had Don to support the building with his earth bending.

"He entered the Star Realm"

Don noticed his Knight's moon energy turned into star energy but the energy hadn't stabilized yet.

Knight had already crossed one major realm but the energy was rising and reached the star mid-level, the current level of Don. Only when he reached the peak of the mid-level Star, the brightness and the ground shaking started to settle.

"Boom baby, mid-level Star"

Everyone heard Knight's excited voice from the Apex room and then, they saw him coming out of the room with a majestic walk.

But the moment when he saw Don, he leaped at him with his paw aiming at Don's head. Looking at Knight, Don blocked Knight's paw with his hand and the force of the clash sent everyone around them flying, except for Reghys.

"Still can't beat me"

Don said calmly while Arrora and the others stood up looking ruffled.

"I hope you didn't break the Apex"

Reghys said and went to check the machine as Don and Knight left the area.

"You think we have become stronger than our enemies in the divine continent?"

"I don't know about the elders, but we may have passed the level of the prodigies there, thanks to the apex machine"

Knight grinned when he heard Don and looked at the people and the houses before them

Don nodded

"Now I understand why the clan heads would go to any length to kill the young masters, they do that to protect what they have built"

The fight between the clans and the young master was their biggest opportunity to steal the clan's valuables. Most of the time the clans would get destroyed and Don and Knight would rob the place clean and otherwise, the young master who attacked the clan would get killed and they would be there to steal his space ring before anyone else.

Because of this, many people would love to kill DOn and Knight to steal their treasure horde but they were experts in escaping any situations except one time.

"We shouldn't be like those weak clans that get destroyed by one man, Knight. We should be the one who destroys the one who messes with us"

At the distance, Don could see the orcs training with the rest of the men, and unlike before they seemed improved a bit.

"It'll take time but I will turn them into an unstoppable force"

While looking at the training Don explained his idea of opening the border for the other races to Knight and the changes that happened in the empire.

"This strategy has its pros and cons, but we do need more fighters and people, so I got your back, as always"

Don nodded and sat on the ground beside Knight as he put his arm around Knight.

"So I've heard you struck a deal with a princess "

Don had already sensed a hint of mockery in Knight's voice

"What of it?"

"I don't know, aren't you supposed to hate the princess kind?"

"Not every princess is a bitch like Darlene or Kate, Knight "

Knight laughed hearing him

"But most of them are, at least the ones we have met,there are two types of princesses Don, first type, they would act arrogant and annoying as hell, the second type, they would seem like innocent and pure but manipulate everyone around them using their cute innocent look"

"The same goes for the young misses too, I know that Knight but this world is surprising us constantly, so we may meet a princess or a young miss who isn't an annoying bitch"

"All I'm telling you is, be cautious around their kind"

"I closed the deal with the merchants to sell the armors and weapons forged by the dwarves"

"Sweet, we need more income like that"

"How's the investigation of Luther and Granner's case going?"

"Joel's men are close, Don, we will soon find out what happened there and hopefully we get something out off this trouble "

"Congrats, Brother Knight"

"Jeez, Cat, we should put a bell around you"

Knight said while Catalie playfully giggled and sat before them.

"Is there any way to get you a physical form, Cat?"

Knight would think of this every time he notices the sad look on her face when she sees the people eat, drink, and play.

Catalie sighed 

"There is, no just forget it"

"What is it?"

Don asked as her reaction piqued his curiosity

"You already have too much on your plate, brother, I won't be another problem "

"Tell me what are you hiding before I strangle your projection"

Knight threatened Catalie with a serious face as the little girl thought that he's really getting angry at her

"you're not a problem, Cat and you won't be one, tell us how we can give you a physical form?"

Catalie slowly nodded after hearing Don

"When father created me, he gave me the information, the information that can evolve me"

"Evolve?"

"Yes, the current me is a weaker version, like a baby, but if I evolve, I can do much more than managing the realm and protecting "

"Like what?"

The topic had also piqued Knight's interest as he asked

"Like I can leave this realm without restriction, I can reach the levels beyond the heavenly level, teleport this whole realm to the outside world and reverse it, expand this realm, open a portal to other realms and I can do something that you'll love"

Don and Knight were listening to her with wide eyes 

"What is it?"

Knight leaned forward and asked curiously

"I can hug you both and everyone I like"

She grinned ear to ear as Knight couldn't know whether to laugh or scold her.

Soon there would be more heavenly level cultivators and if Catalie stayed in this form without evolving, she would turn into a weakling and it could put the whole realm in danger and vulnerable to the outsiders. And he was glad to have this conversation with Catalie because he wouldn't have known otherwise.

"What do you need to evolve?"

Don asked as Catalie closed her eyes and recalled the information about the procedure to evolve.

After a few seconds, Catalie opened her eyes

"The current king, that's you, have to do a ritual called Aeherac "

"Something tells me it's not an easy thing to do?��

Knight frowned and Catalie nodded

"What do we need?"

"In my part, I must be at peak heavenly level "

"What does the ritual require from me?"

Catalie sighed when she heard him'

"You also have to be at peak heavenly level and that's the easy part,"

"Okay"

"The hard part is, you'll need to get the blood of your kin, a whole lot of it"

Unlike Catalie expected, Don remained calm 

"Go on"

"You also need a bone of the holiest person"

"Then what, hair of a goddess and tears of a god "

Knight had already become annoyed by the requirements

"Energy of wickedness and a fire made by the gods"

"Is that it?"

Catalie nodded and looked at Don

"Don't worry, these will be hard to find, but don't worry we'll find it and help you evolve"

The only thing Don knew how to get is the blood of his kin, other than that, he had no idea how to find the rest of them.

"But brother, I won't let you kill your own kin for me"

Catalie shook her head and looked anxious as Don stood up and looked at her.

"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what"