Chapter 222: Is that… really the reason?

The aftermath of the epic battle between the three Holy Emperors left the entire continent of Elant in awe. The sheer force of their divine power shook everyone to their core.As the lingering energy from the fight slowly dissipated, practitioners from all over began to gather at Sky Sanctuary, eager to learn the outcome of the clash.

But as they approached the peak of Sky Sanctuary, they were greeted by an unexpected sight: a towering arena. And on that stage, a single figure was constantly being challenged—Timothy.

Word quickly spread about what had happened. Apparently, in the chaos of the battle, Timothy had kissed Goddess Sylvia, and to make matters worse, he had publicly declared his actions to the entire world. He even went so far as to set up the arena, boldly proclaiming, "If anyone's got a problem with it, come fight me."

"Damn it, I'm going to take him down!"

"Goddess Sylvia, of all people! She's so proud and untouchable, and Timothy… he kissed her?! I'm going to kill him!"

Though no one had ever dared to say it out loud before, countless practitioners secretly admired Goddess Sylvia. Many had harbored feelings for her in silence, and some of them were even powerful figures from Ocean's Gate.

Hearing Timothy's challenge, no one could hold back their anger. After all, Goddess Sylvia was the untouchable, revered figure in their hearts. Even Timothy had no right to disrespect her!

Practitioners from all corners of the world, who had originally come for other reasons, quickly forgot their initial purpose. One by one, they stormed the stage, filled with righteous fury, ready to challenge Timothy.

But these so-called powerful practitioners, who were so confident in their abilities, soon realized that Timothy wasn't someone they could easily defeat. Despite having only recently entered Ocean's Gate, his terrifying strength was far beyond that of an ordinary Holy Emperor.

One by one, the challengers were beaten black and blue, left crawling off the stage, begging for mercy.

"Brother Timothy, please, I was just joking earlier!"

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"No, stop! Please!"

Thud, thud, thud.

For three whole days, the arena stood tall at the peak of Sky Sanctuary. And during those three days, every single practitioner who dared to challenge Timothy was utterly humiliated.

Many of these challengers were powerful figures in their own right, feared and respected in their own territories. But here, not only were they thoroughly beaten, they also lost all the face they had built up over the years.

In just three days, Timothy's name spread like wildfire across the practitioner world. "The Shameless One," "Goddess Slayer," "The Unstoppable Madman"—none of these titles could fully capture the essence of Timothy.

But one thing was clear to everyone: Timothy was not someone to mess with.

"Anyone else?!"

Timothy's voice echoed across the peak of Sky Sanctuary as he looked down from the arena. But this time, no one dared to respond.

The three-day challenge had come to an end. And the victor? Timothy, and Timothy alone.

All those who had secretly admired the goddess and come to challenge him were left nursing their wounds, too ashamed to utter another word.

Ding!

Host has successfully challenged and defeated all potential rivals, securing the position as the goddess's sole husband. System reward: "Same Old Trick."

"Same Old Trick?" Timothy paused for a moment, curious about the oddly named reward.

The system offered no explanation. Its silence only piqued Timothy's curiosity further. Normally, the system would answer any question he had, but this time, it remained mysteriously quiet.

Whatever this "Same Old Trick" was, it seemed like it would be important.

"Ow, that hurts…"

The sound of groaning and complaints filled the air as the arena was finally dismantled. Timothy slowly made his way over to Sylvia's side.

"Babe, how was your husband's performance up there?" Timothy grinned smugly.

But when he looked at Sylvia, he noticed she was staring at him intently.

"Huh?"

Timothy couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.

And then…

"Pfft."

Like the first bloom of spring, thawing the last of winter's chill, her smile blossomed under the warm sunlight. It was a smile so breathtaking, even a gentle spring breeze couldn't compare.

Nearby, a few disciples who happened to catch this moment were completely stunned. They had never seen Goddess Sylvia like this before.

The sky was beginning to darken. After three long days, most of the damage to Sky Sanctuary had been repaired. The remnants of Holy Emperor Featherwind, Holy Emperor Thunderflame, and Holy Emperor Mountainshade's forces had either been eliminated or forced into submission. Everything was more or less settled.

Occasionally, practitioners would fly by, their hearts filled with awe as they gazed at the massive craters left behind by the battle. The sheer destruction was a stark reminder of the terrifying power of a war between Holy Emperors, enough to strike fear deep into anyone's soul.

"So, even though you used my blood, how exactly did you summon flames strong enough to burn the corpse of an Ascension Phase expert?" Sylvia asked, her eyes fixed on Timothy.

"That's a secret," Timothy replied with a sly smile.

"A secret? You're keeping secrets from me now? Especially about the whole Blooming Sanctuary thing. Just how many secrets are you hiding from me?" Sylvia's gaze sharpened, though there was a playful glint in her eyes. Her fingers pinched Timothy's waist, and she began to apply a bit of pressure.

"Ow! Just a little, really, only a little!" Timothy quickly responded, wincing in pain. But despite that, he couldn't help but flash a mischievous grin. "Actually, if you really want to know my secrets, babe, I can tell you. But with so many people around, it's hard to talk. How about we wait until it's late, and we're alone in the bedchamber? Sёarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Then, I'll tell you everything, bit by bit."

"The bedchamber… Fine, tonight then. Come to my chambers, I'll be waiting."

But as Timothy turned his head, he noticed something unusual—Sylvia's face was slightly flushed, and there was an unmistakable hint of shyness she couldn't quite hide.

This shyness was far more intense than anything he'd seen from her before.

Even Timothy was momentarily taken aback. He had only been joking earlier. After all, he'd made plenty of bold claims about spending the night in her chambers before, and he had indeed stayed there for two nights without any issues.

But today, something was different. Why did Sylvia react so strongly to that comment? And why was there a hint of embarrassment that was completely unlike her usual self?

"Don't… don't get the wrong idea! Didn't you say you'd teach me how to play the piccolo when you got back? Now that we've dealt with the two Holy Emperors, tonight seems like a good time to… practice the piccolo, that's all…" Sylvia quickly tried to explain, her voice flustered.

"Is that… really the reason?"

On the surface, it sounded reasonable enough, but Timothy couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Sylvia today. It was as if she was hiding something from him.

And as soon as she finished speaking, Sylvia, her face now fully flushed, turned away as if to escape. She hurriedly flew off toward the bedchamber, her back to Timothy.

The sunlight bathed her retreating figure, highlighting her graceful, flawless silhouette, every curve perfectly accentuated.