Far beyond the floating islands of the Magnus family, past the broken skies of Volarisa, there moved an empire that didn't co from this world.
The Sulbian Empire.
They were not natives of Volarisa—or even of this galaxy. Their ho lay in a different galaxy called Subian, a place that was once full of life but had slowly started to die. As stars dimd and planets collapsed, one civilization rose above the rest: the Sulbians.
Unlike the people of Volarisa, who cultivated mana using energy from nature and the world around them, the Sulbians trained a different power. They didn't use mana cores. Instead, they trained their soul cores—a deep power that ca from their own minds, emotions, and willpower. Soul cultivation didn't rely on outside elents; it ca purely from within. It was strict, painful, and unforgiving.
But it made them strong.
Strong enough to survive when most of their galaxy fell apart.
When Subian beca too unstable to support life, the Sulbians began looking beyond their dying borders. They searched for new galaxies to explore—and to control.
Eventually, their attention turned to the Valtrax Galaxy, where Volarisa was located. It was a healthy and active galaxy, filled with rich energy veins, elental planets, and powerful ancient legacies. The Sulbians saw it as the perfect new frontier for their expansion.
They didn't arrive with weapons at first. They ca as peaceful guests, bringing scholars, diplomats, and rchant caravans. They signed agreents, made trade deals, and slowly built small settlents under the excuse of mutual cooperation.
But then, they started taking more.
First, they took control of a quiet mountain range.
Then, they moved into a province near the border.
Then, they occupied three of Volarisa's southern floating cities.
Step by step, they pushed forward. Neutral factions either submitted or were erased. And soon, the Sulbian Empire had carved out a permanent base of power on the edge of Volarisa's territory.
They were humans, yes—but their ways were very different.
They believed in conquest, in discipline, and in building an empire through strength and control. They had their own culture, their own language, and even their own ranks of power—Soul Ascendants, Mindborn Scribes, and the feared Core-Burners, warriors who refined their souls through pain and suffering.
Their current ruler was Emperor Voske Xir, a powerful soul cultivator who rose to power by sacrificing thousands of his own followers to ignite his "Crown Fla"—a unique soul core said to burn forever. He believed that Volarisa was weak and outdated, and that only through Sulbian rule could it be made strong.
Until now, the Sulbians hadn't faced any real opposition. Volarisa had no World-Rank experts strong enough to stand against them.
But that changed the mont Asher returned.
Asher was no longer a wandering Void-rank youth. He had grown into a true powerhouse—a World-Rank cultivator whose very presence could shake the sky.
And now, the Sulbians had a serious problem.
Inside a large, dark command hall at the edge of their territory in Volarisa, the air grew tense.
Lith Xir, the youngest son of Emperor Voske, jumped to his feet. His chair creaked under the sudden movent.
"What did you just say?" he demanded, his voice sharp and cold.
In front of him, a man dressed in black armor knelt, his face half-covered by a mask glowing with soul patterns.
The man bowed. "My lord, we've confird it through our tracking runes and soul-signal scans. Asher Magnus has returned."
Lith narrowed his eyes. "The lost son of the Magnus family? The one who disappeared years ago?"
"Yes," the ssenger replied. "But he's not a child anymore."
Lith began pacing, his hands behind his back. "The Magnus family is one of the strongest in the entire galaxy. They've always been a threat. And now their heir shows up out of nowhere?"
The man nodded. "More than that—reports say he's reached World Rank. And the Magnus family has accepted him back."
Lith stopped in his tracks, stunned.
He knew all about the Magnus family. Even among the top ruling families of this galaxy—the Valtrax Galaxy—they stood out. Known for their powerful bloodline abilities and floating fortress territories, they were one of the most feared forces. The Sulbians had always been careful around them.
Because if a war ever began, it would likely start with the Magnus.
And now, their missing heir—Asher Magnus—had returned as a World Rank powerhouse.
Lith clenched his jaw. "Do we have proof?"
The ssenger lifted a black orb. It was a recording device. He activated it, and a glowing image appeared in the air: a young man standing calmly on a rocky island, speaking only a few words… and then, a sudden release of his energy.
It wasn't a full attack. It wasn't even ant to scare anyone.
But it was strong enough to shake the surroundings. Trees bent under the pressure, clouds parted, and the soul energy from the aura was stronger than anything the Sulbian army had faced.
Lith's hands tightened into fists.
"He caused all that just by standing there?" he said. "He could crush half our soldiers without even trying."
The ssenger nodded again. "Also… he didn't co alone. He was with two won. One is a blood cultivator like him, though not from the Magnus line. The other is unknown but shows signs of high-level soul and blood synchronization."
Lith turned toward the image again.
"Call the Command Circle," he ordered. "Imdiately. I want full details—what the Magnus family is doing, Asher's past, and every battle he's been part of."
"Yes, Lord Lith."
The man bowed and left quickly.
Once alone, Lith kept staring at the image of Asher—calm, confident, and unbelievably strong.
"He's even stronger than I thought," Lith muttered. "Father has to see this…"
He's not loud or boastful—though so might think he would be, given his title. But anyone with real experience in war or politics knows that Lith Xir isn't soone who wastes words or power. His deanor is cold, focused, and precise. He doesn't act like he owns the galaxy—but he speaks and moves like soone who plans to. Every gesture is asured. Every word is calculated.
When the Sulbians first entered this galaxy, it was Lith who led the initial expansion. Their goal wasn't conquest—not right away. They ca to spread influence, gain ground quietly, and build control without sparking full war.
And it worked. For a while.
And it worked. For a while.
Because Lith knew how to operate in the shadows. He knew which systems to target, which leaders to buy, and which enemies to isolate.
Under his command, entire sectors fell without a single battle.
And though he doesn't carry the sa raw fear as his father, Emperor Voske, among the empire's military elite, there's an unspoken truth:
Lith Xir is the blade—sharp, silent, and always aid at the throat of their enemies.
He was one of the Sulbian Empire's most trusted leaders, and they sent him to the Valtrax Galaxy, now known as Volarx Galaxy, to begin expansion. At first, the Sulbians only knew that this galaxy had three major sectors. Two were nearly conquered already by other ancient empires. The third was a single, isolated system called Volarisa—a seemingly minor world compared to the others.
But Volarisa held a secret.
Lith was sent there under the disguise of a refugee—just another "survivor" fleeing conflict. Quietly, he began building influence. He observed the world's structure and studied its history. Long ago, Volarisa was a barren planet with no mana. But over the last 10,000 years, it had changed. It now housed nurous powerful clans and cultivation sects, and at the top stood the Supre Families—each with their own ancient bloodlines and unique powers.
Among those families, the Magnus family stood above the rest.
They possessed the Blood Ruler ability, a terrifying power that let them manipulate blood, life essence, and even mix other Laws to form new, deadly techniques. Their most gifted children were known as Terrors, feared across the galaxy for their overwhelming potential. And among them… Asher Magnus was considered the brightest of his generation.
Lith watched, quietly gathering information, studying their strengths. He had planned to act—perhaps even approach Asher himself to asure him.
But then… Asher vanished.
At first, Lith thought the Magnus family was weakening. But what followed changed everything.
The Magnus family retaliated.
Not with words—but with war.
Two invading races, who had tried to ally with the Sulbians to take over Volarisa, were completely wiped out. In just one month, entire bloodlines were erased. Planets were drained. The skies ran red.
The Sulbians had underestimated Volarisa. And more importantly… they had underestimated Magnus.
That event marked the shift in power. The once-silent world of Volarisa beca the core of the galaxy. It beca the one system no one dared challenge. And Magnus stood as its most feared guardian.
Over the years, the na of this galaxy changed from Valtrax to Volarx, to reflect that shift—because Volarisa was no longer just a world. It was the ruler of the stars.
And now, Asher Magnus—thought lost, presud dead—had returned.
The sa one who was once the brightest of the Terrors.
The sa one Lith had once planned to observe…
…now threatened to eclipse them all.
Sitting on his throne, Lith leaned forward, deep in thought.
"I need to know the true extent of Asher's power," he muttered to himself. "He could beco an unexpected factor in our plans to rule."
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