Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Jonathan Wertheimer himself has been stuck at the Hundred Star Saint level for nearly three hundred years.

His long-held desire for higher power and the allure of divinity were enough to entice him to leave his secluded place.

In addition to the prominent House of Nobles, there are many other powers within the Central Empire that covet its power.

Some powerful local governors who held considerable military power and outwardly obeyed the royal family while inwardly defying them, as well as certain ambitious factions within the military, either colluded with the House of Peers or sought to independently gain a share of the spoils.

They did not act openly in the name of the empire, but chose a more covert approach.

They would either disguise themselves as caravans, use shady channels, or infiltrate Effie in their own names, like a pack of hyenas lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to seize the greatest profits amidst the chaos.

Shinise was fully aware of this, but was powerless to intervene. She could only strictly order her direct royal forces not to participate and strengthen border and capital controls to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

The reaction from Prince Xia Zuo of the Eastern Empire was the most intense and direct.

Prince Xia Zuo's hatred for Cohen had long been ingrained in his bones. From the setback at the Northwest Exchange Conference to being suppressed by Effie in many areas, the old and new grudges had become irreconcilable.

The appearance of the god was not only a golden opportunity for him to seize power, but also a godsend to take revenge on Cohen and completely crush Effie!

He practically emptied his faction's coffers, personally donning armor and leading his strongest warriors, including several Saints and over ten legendary peak warriors, in a mighty and imposing attack.

Gregor Alvis, the eldest prince of the Southern Empire, was originally focused on conquering the merfolk in the Endless Sea.

Upon receiving the news, the naval operations were suspended without hesitation.

Compared to completely subjugating the merfolk, the allure of a complete divine essence is clearly much greater.

He urgently dispatched the most elite experts of the Southern Empire, led by three senior saints, to travel day and night to Florence.

For him, this was not only an opportunity to seize godhood, but also an excellent stage to strike at Effie, a potential rival, and to expand the influence of the Southern Empire.

The Northern Empire and Effie had no prior grudges; in fact, they had some dealings before due to Cohen's trade with the Icefield Barbarians.

But in the face of a complete god, any personal relationship seems insignificant.

They dispatched three of the country's most influential saints, led by Rex Armstrong, the head of the Saint Academy and a Hundred-Star Saint, making for a truly impressive lineup.

The people of the Northern Regions are relatively cautious, but equally determined. They do not seek to monopolize the spoils, but at least they want to get a share of this feast that will elevate the empire's foundation to a new level.

Amidst shouts of war, the banner of the Western Regions Empire was clearly raised on Aifein's side.

Xi Yu was on good terms with Ai Fei, and also had a close personal relationship with the Cohens.

They dispatched an envoy led by the "Iron Wall" saint and a group of elites, clearly expressing their support for Effie and their commitment to jointly address the crisis.

They became the only allied force outside of Florence, besides Effie herself, to openly display their banners.

In addition, many more figures, both overt and covert, are emerging from every corner of the mainland:

A solitary sage who has lived in seclusion in the mountains for thousands of years, a demigod's remnant soul awakened from an ancient secret realm, a representative of an ancient family whose reputation is obscure yet whose strength is terrifying, a notorious but cunning evil cultivator, and even some figures of non-human races...

Countless gazes, some greedy, some curious, and some filled with murderous intent, were cast upon the majestic capital city as if they were tangible.

Within a single day, the sky and land within a radius of hundreds of miles centered on Florence were filled with all sorts of flying mounts.

The oppressive auras of legendary powerhouses clashed, creating a heart-pounding turbulent energy current.

The realm of the saints appeared and disappeared, stirring the elements of heaven and earth.

Although most demigods remain hidden, their faint yet terrifying aura hangs like the Sword of Damocles overhead, making everyone feel suffocated.

Florence, the new capital of the empire that had just held its coronation ceremony and should have been immersed in glory and joy, was instantly surrounded by malice and greed from the entire continent, becoming the center of the storm, the chessboard of games, and... the arena of bloody struggle.

Outside the city, dark clouds loomed, threatening to crush the city.

Inside the city, Cohen and Yardel stood side by side at the highest point of the palace, looking at the powerful figures from all sides outside the city who exuded overwhelming aura. Their expressions were solemn, but there was no fear in their eyes, only a resolute determination to fight to the death.

The real test has just begun.

……

Outside Florence, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the stillness before a storm.

Although all around, in the sky and on the ground, were already surrounded by the ghostly clouds of the Black Tomb, the magnificent banners of the Central Empire, the ferocious battle formation of Xia Zuo of the Eastern Region, and many more figures hidden in the shadows, exuding dangerous energy.

Countless gazes, filled with greed, apprehension, murderous intent, and curiosity, intertwined on the city wall that shimmered with magical light in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Strangely, not a single person dared to take the first step toward that majestic imperial capital.

After all, the person standing on the other side is Cohen, the omnipotent Cohen who is always creating miracles!

Just a few days earlier, right here on the magnificent coronation platform, they learned from Prime Minister Angus’s impassioned speech about Cohen’s series of legendary achievements that even “shook the gods.”

No one dared to underestimate this seemingly young emperor, nor did anyone dare to ignore the Effiin Empire behind him, which had risen to prominence and amassed astonishing power in just a few years.

More importantly, the divine spark within his queen, Adel, was something that prompted the gods to personally seal the continent's memories!
No one dares to probe the depths of the waters involved behind this.

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

Everyone present was a shrewd old fox who had lived for countless years; they all understood this principle.

Whoever strikes first may face Cohen's thunderous counterattack, the desperate counterattack of the Effie Empire, and even... the attention of that mysterious deity.

Nobody wants to be the sucker and do the work for someone else.

Thus, a terrifying force, enough to overthrow any country in the world, gathered outside the city, while inside the city, a chilling and eerie calm prevailed.

An unspoken silence and awkwardness permeated the air, as if a pack of ferocious beasts had surrounded their prey, yet were wary of each other, none willing to pounce and take the first bite.

Just as the tense silence seemed to freeze the air.

A powerful force, imbued with boundless majesty and will, suddenly surged into the sky from the depths of the Florence Palace.

Like an invisible wave, it instantly swept over the hearts of every powerful person outside the city, causing many with weaker cultivation to turn pale and catch their breath.

Immediately afterward, under the gaze of countless astonished eyes, a figure slowly appeared above the Florence Palace. Without the aid of any flying magic or mount, he simply stood naturally in mid-air, as if the air beneath his feet was his throne.

It was Cohen!

He was not wearing a heavy imperial crown and formal attire, but only a simple black casual outfit, which made his figure appear as upright as a pine tree.

His eyes calmly swept over the densely packed forces from all sides outside the city, each radiating an overwhelming aura, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile even appeared at the corner of his lips:

"Ladies and gentlemen, my coronation ceremony just ended a few days ago."

"What, did you think the last celebration wasn't lively enough, or that my hospitality wasn't thorough enough? You've all gathered in my city of Florence so quickly!"

This calm and even somewhat mocking attitude caused many powerful figures outside the city to change their expressions slightly, and their fear intensified.

To be able to talk and laugh in the face of such a situation is either extremely arrogant and ignorant, or... truly fearless!
The brief silence was broken by a cold laugh filled with resentment and greed.

Prince Xiazuo of the Eastern Empire rode out from the crowd in a magnificent flying ship. He was dressed in military attire, his face grim, his eyes burning with hatred and intense flames as he stared intently at Cohen in the air.
"Cohen, stop pretending and hand over the divine essence from that woman!"
You know in your heart that it's not something your newly established empire can protect.

Hand it over, and I might spare you and your empire a proper burial!
Otherwise, today, I, the King, will raze Florence to the ground, leaving not a single soul alive!

Almost at the same time that Prince Xia Zuo finished speaking, on the other side, a sinister aura of death surged.

The three tomb owners, however, looked behind Cohen, and a hoarse voice rang out:
"The youngest legend in mainland China is truly remarkable."

However... Your Highness Queen Angren, your husband cannot protect you.

Come out yourself; I only wish to claim divinity.

Otherwise, today will be the day Effie's kingdom is destroyed, and your people, your husband, will all be annihilated because of your stubbornness!

Immediately afterward, Jonathan Wertheimer, the Hundred-Star Saint from the Central Empire's Noble Council, also slowly stepped forward.

Surrounded by illusory starlight, he exuded a powerful and ancient aura.

"Your Majesty Corleone, by seniority, you are also considered the consort of my Central Empire."

Logically and emotionally, I should be on your side.

However, matters concerning divinity are of utmost importance, relating to the fate of the continent.

Such treasures of heaven and earth are not something you and your queen can possess, much less something that the newly established Effie Empire can bear.

The saying "to possess a treasure is to be guilty" applies to this principle; you surely understand it.

Listen to my advice: do not be stubborn and bring about your own destruction.

If you take the initiative to persuade your queen to honestly hand over your divine status, I, in the name of the Guardian of the Noble House and the Saint of a Hundred Stars, guarantee it.

All forces present today, withdraw immediately. We will not harm a single blade of grass or tree in your Effie, and we will ensure the safety of you and your husband.

This is your, and Effie's, only chance.

The three most representative forces spoke out one after another, using both threats and inducements, and a combination of soft and hard tactics, pointing their spearheads directly at Cohen and Yardel, with a clear objective—to hand over their divine status!
The invisible pressure in the air instantly increased, and countless eyes shot towards Cohen in the air like sharp arrows, waiting for his reaction.

At the eye of the storm, Cohen remained calm despite the aggressive threats from three sides.

He slowly swept his gaze over Prince Shazor, the three tomb owners, and Prince Gregor, finally settling on Jonathan Wertheimer, his eyes eerily calm:
"Crush Florence? Destroy the country? Surrender the divine status?"

"It seems you haven't learned a single lesson from the Northwest Regional Exchange Conference five years ago!" He took a deep breath, his voice suddenly rising like thunder, instantly overwhelming all the noise and pressure outside the city, echoing clearly between heaven and earth:

"The divine essence resides within my wife!"

"want to?"

Cohen took a sudden step forward, and the void seemed to tremble.

"Then I'll trade my life for it!"

"I, Cohen Corleone, am here! The Effie Empire is here!"

"Anyone who dares to step forward will be killed without mercy!"

Cohen's resounding words, "No mercy," struck the hearts of every scheming individual outside the city.

That resolute attitude, that awe-inspiring spirit of sharing life and death with the empire and his wife, brought the previously restless atmosphere to a standstill.

Silence descended once more.

Many eyes from smaller forces or lone strongmen flickered, subconsciously glancing at the most influential "leaders".

Prince Xia Zuo's face was ashen, and his eyes were filled with rage that was about to burst forth. Cohen's contempt and bringing up of the past had deeply stung him.

The deathly aura around the three tomb masters' skeletal thrones churned even more violently, and the flames of their souls flickered wildly.

Jonathan Wertheimer's face was ashen, and the illusory shadows of stars around him flickered uncertainly.

Prince Gregor of the Southern Empire squinted, toying with a magic gem in his hand, his expression inscrutable.

The leaders of these four forces, who were the most powerful on the surface and had the deepest grudges against Cohen, briefly met in the air, each seeing the solemnity and calculation in the other's eyes.

Cohen's attitude was so tough that it completely exceeded their ideal expectation of "subduing the enemy without fighting".

A strong offensive is imperative, but how to launch it and who should go first have become the questions.

Prince Greg of the Southern Empire spoke first, his eyes sharp as an eagle's as he swept over the other three:
"What can I say, gentlemen? We've come all this way just to stand outside Florence and admire His Majesty Corleone's heroic figure, can we?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the dark mass of the allied forces behind him, and the concealed auras of powerful figures further away, before continuing:

"On our side, there are countless legends and many saints. In terms of top-tier strength alone, it seems not difficult to crush Florence."

"Should we just charge straight in?"

Prince Xia Zuo snorted coldly and replied, his voice low but clear enough for the others to hear:
"No, Cohen has always been cunning and resourceful, a master strategist. How could he not have a backup plan?"

And let’s not forget his queen, Adele Angrain.

Five years ago at the Northwest Exchange Conference, she was a newcomer to the Legendary rank, and with her superb magic array skills, she instantly killed three of our veteran Legendary players.

His talent for creating magic arrays is terrifying, unparalleled in the world!

Now, five years have passed. With her talent, who knows how terrifyingly advanced she has become in the study of magic arrays?

Florence is their capital, and they've been developing it for many years. Who knows how many terrifying defensive formations, killing formations, and even... forbidden formations that would lead to mutual destruction that woman has set up?

If we rashly launch a full-scale attack, forcing them into a desperate act and triggering some terrifying, suicidal formation... even if we ultimately succeed in obtaining the divine title, how many of us, the elite troops we brought, will be left?

Although Prince Xia Zuo hated Cohen to the core, he was not a mindless brute. On the contrary, he valued his life extremely and was better at weighing the pros and cons.

Having learned from the experience of the Northwest Regional Exchange Conference, he was noticeably more cautious.

Upon hearing this, Jonathan Wertheimer said in a deep voice:

"Prince Xia Zuo's concerns are not without merit."

Adele Angelion, the youngest legend on the continent, possesses talent and aptitude that are in no way inferior to her husband Cohen, and may even surpass him in the art of magic arrays.

If she were to use the entirety of Florence as a base to set up a formidable defense, it would indeed be a difficult situation.

As a veteran saint, he was knowledgeable and knew how terrifying a top array master could be on his home turf, especially in such a life-or-death situation.

Prince Gregor also stopped smiling and nodded in agreement.

Yadel's fame had already spread throughout the continent five years ago after the battle in the Northwest, and she was regarded as an unparalleled genius of magic arrays.

For the past five years, she has kept a low profile, but the more mysterious she is, the more wary people become.

Who knows what amazing breakthroughs this empress has made in magic arrays?
If she really did set up some kind of legendary forbidden mutual destruction formation, then the first group of people who rushed in would definitely suffer heavy losses.

Besides these, the Star Clan is also the one they fear most.

There is no doubt that the establishment of the Star Empire is inextricably linked to Cohen.

Cohen himself was revered as the "Holy Son" by the Star Clan, holding a highly respected position.

If Florence were truly embroiled in a life-or-death struggle, the Starbringers would never stand idly by.

This ancient race, which had fought against the human empire for tens of thousands of years, possessed such profound heritage and formidable peak combat power that no one present dared to underestimate it.

The number of Saints in the Star Clan is probably no less than that of any of the forces present, and may even be more!
Once they join the war, the situation will immediately become more complicated, and the outcome will be unpredictable.

This is only what's on the surface!
Cohen's rise to power in recent years has brought him allies far beyond the Starry Clan.

Both the "Pale Wings," the continent's premier commercial organization, and the "Church of Prophecy," the most mysterious religion, have close ties with Cohen.

Both of these major forces also possess a considerable number of saints and legendary powerhouses.

Once a full-scale war breaks out, whether these allies will intervene, and in what way, are all unknown variables, enough to make any force that wants to seize godhood think twice before acting.

Behind Greg, Shazo, and Jonathan are the three major human empires of the Southern Region, the Eastern Region, and the Central Region, respectively.

They are not isolated individuals, but rather bear the future of an entire empire or a vast faction on their shoulders.

With the imminent announcement of the "Covenant of the Gods," the landscape of the mainland is bound to undergo dramatic changes.

During this sensitive period, they must preserve their strength to the greatest extent possible in order to cope with any opportunities and challenges that may arise after the alliance.

If one were to fight a mutually destructive battle against Effie, the Star Clan, and their potential allies outside Florence, even if one were to miraculously obtain godhood, the resulting loss of strength could put one at a disadvantage in subsequent power struggles.

If other covetous forces were to take advantage of the situation, it would be a net loss.

Therefore, they wanted to seize the divine status while minimizing their own losses, ideally diverting the trouble to the east or forcing the Cohens to relinquish the divine status in a desperate situation.

A direct, all-out, and costly assault is the last thing they want to see.

Black Tomb, on the other hand, doesn't have so many concerns. It considers preserving its strength and weighing the pros and cons relatively little, and prefers to directly use brute force to overcome skill.

The three tomb masters' gazes swept over the other three, especially over the smaller, more ambitious groups and lone travelers on the periphery, and they said coldly:
"Hmph, you probably can't persuade Cohen to surrender just by talking!"

A cold glint flashed in Prince Xia Zuo's eyes, as if he was touched by the words of the Third Tomb Master, or as if he had lost patience with the current stalemate.

He took a deep breath, as if making a firm decision, his sharp gaze sweeping over Greg and Jonathan, and spoke in a deep voice, not loud, but with a thunderous force:
“Since probing is too risky and a stalemate is pointless… I suggest we stop wasting time playing these probing games.”

He paused, then spoke clearly, word by word:
"Directly deploy the highest combat force!"

"With overwhelming force, crush them in one fell swoop! Before Cohen can react, before Yadel's magic circle is fully activated, before the Star Clan and other forces might intervene—"

"With absolute power, instantly shatter Florence's core defenses, capture Cohen and Adele, and seize their divine status!"

Top combat power!
These four words struck like a heavy hammer into the hearts of Greg, Jonathan, and even the three tomb owners.

This also sent shockwaves through the hearts of some of the top experts who could vaguely hear their conversation!

In the extraordinary ranks of the Demon Tide Continent, legends are the universally recognized strong, while saints are the top beings capable of ruling a region and determining the fate of a nation.

Demigods, on the other hand, are terrifying beings who truly stand at the very top of the pyramid, touch the realm of gods, and possess some divine power!
They are legends walking the world, the core and most secretive foundation of major empires and ancient powers, and a strategic deterrent force.

They usually live in seclusion, only appearing at crucial moments involving the survival of their race or the rise and fall of their empire.

Prince Xia Zuo's meaning was crystal clear: he would no longer allow legends and saints to test or exhaust themselves.

Instead, they directly summoned those dormant, nationally protected, or secretly cultivated demigod-level beings from their respective factions!
With the power of a demigod, he forcefully broke through all obstacles and achieved his goal in the shortest time with the least loss!
Shazo's proposal stirred up a storm in the hearts of Greg, Jonathan, and the three tomb owners.

The three people's expressions changed instantly, their eyes filled with shock.

Demi god!

The number of known and active demigods on the entire continent is very small, and there are definitely no more than ten on the surface!

Each of the five great human empires has at least one demigod as its ultimate guardian and deterrent force, which is the cornerstone that keeps the empire from collapsing.

There may be more than one entity with such profound historical foundations as the Central Empire.

As super powers capable of rivaling the Empire, the Pale Wings and the Black Tomb naturally also possess demigods.

The founder of Black Tomb had already personally intervened five years ago.

Besides, there might be one or two reclusive old monsters hiding in some ancient secret realm or hidden heritage.

Xia Zuo's proposal means that this struggle will be elevated directly from the conventional game between empires and the clash at the level of saints to a terrifying level that touches the continent's top power and may trigger a battle between demigods!
This is not merely a struggle for godhood; it could escalate into a massive conflict that threatens the balance of power across the entire continent! (End of Chapter)