Jared listened to Corrado’s words and gave a slight nod.
It seemed the waters of the Ethereal Realm ran deep. But now that he had Twilight Imperial City as his stronghold, he wouldn’t have to live on the run like before.
With a secure base, he could dedicate more time to cultivation. He had to advance his strength as quickly as possible and challenge the Celestial Stairway.
If he could successfully climb the Celestial Stairway, he wouldn’t have to wait until he naturally reached Ascendance and could directly enter the celestial realm.
But for now, the most pressing matter was dealing with the Tenth Hall.
Once the Tenth Hall was taken care of, no one in the Ethereal Realm would pose a threat to Jared. Then he could move about freely.
He had to find Josephine. He couldn’t afford to ascend while she remained lost in the Ethereal Realm. He wouldn’t be at peace otherwise.
He also had to find a way to rescue the sect leader of the Divine Smithing Sect. After all, he had made a promise.
As for collecting the remains of Vermilion Demon Lord, that could wait. It wasn’t as urgent.
In fact, having Vermilion Demon Lord within his consciousness field wasn’t a bad thing. Not only did it give him a powerful ally in times of crisis, but it was like carrying a walking encyclopedia. That guy had vast knowledge and experience.
If Jared eventually reached the celestial realm, everything there would be unfamiliar to him. But to Vermilion Demon Lord, it would all be second nature.
“Brat, what do you take me for? Are you planning to keep me trapped forever, never letting me be reincarnated?” Vermilion Demon Lord howled in fury.
“Mr. Vermilion, I was just thinking out loud! Of course, I’ll help you recover your remains!”
Jared forced an awkward smile. Vermilion Demon Lord resided in his consciousness field, which meant he could hear some of Jared’s thoughts.
“Father, release Jared immediately! If you so much as harm a single hair on his head, I will sever all ties with you and die right here in this hall!”
A figure burst into the hall-Catalina, her expression filled with urgency.
Trailing behind her were Fraser and Infinides.
The moment Catalina heard what her fourth brother, Fraser, had told her, she couldn’t sit still. She had kicked down the door of the solitary confinement chamber and rushed to the main hall.
No matter what, she and Jared were already engaged.
She wouldn’t allow her father to sever Jared’s arm!
The moment Catalina and the others charged into the hall, they were left utterly dumbfounded.
Jared wasn’t bound or injured. Instead, he was seated on the Dragon Throne, calmly sipping tea. Meanwhile, Corrado stood respectfully by his side, serving him with a pleasant smile.
There wasn’t a hint of hostility in his demeanor.
“W-What’s going on here?”
Fraser was completely bewildered.
When he had left earlier, the two men had been at each other’s throats, but now, the tables had turned.
And Jared-how dare he sit on the Dragon Throne?
“I was just curious about how the Dragon Throne felt, so I gave it a try.”
Jared quickly stood up and gestured to Corrado. “Please, sit down.”
Corrado immediately understood and sat back down, chuckling. “My dear son-in-law was just trying out the throne. We’re all family here. What’s the harm in trying?”
“Son-in-law? Family?”
Fraser was utterly speechless. Even he, Corrado’s own son, had never dared sit on that throne.
Yet Jared, who wasn’t even officially married into the family yet, had done so.
“Dad, does this mean you approve of Jared?” Catalina asked hesitantly.
“Approve? Of course, I do! I was merely testing him just now. A son-in-law like this is a rare find! You’ve truly found yourself a great husband. I’ve made up my mind. You two will consummate your marriage tonight! From now on, we’re all one family!” Corrado declared excitedly.
“Dad, what nonsense are you talking about?” Catalina blushed.
