The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order - Chapter 1673

Chapter 1673: Degrees of heresy
Cain could not help but show an awkward smile upon hearing Alucard’s blunt words. It was undeniably true—he had indeed embedded a Leviathan Shadow directly into the heart of Leorio, Alucard’s son, essentially taking the young man’s life hostage to secure the Atrox’s assistance.

“Desperate times required desperate measures,” Cain murmured quietly, his tone unapologetic yet sincere. He did not attempt to justify his actions further nor pretend they were trivial. After all, given the chance, he would do it all over again. Still, he acknowledged the weight of his past decision.

“Of course,” Cain continued thoughtfully, his voice respectful yet firm, “if you wish, I can remove the Leviathan Shadow. With my current capabilities, I assure you I can safely extract it without causing the slightest damage to your son’s body or soul.”

A year ago, Alucard would have instantly accepted such an offer. His own power was undoubtedly sufficient to remove the Leviathan Shadow, but he could not have done so without severely harming Leorio. Cain’s assistance would have been ideal, a solution without risk.

But now, circumstances have changed dramatically.

Leorio’s talent had always been impressive when compared to ordinary cultivators within the Everstrife Empyrean World, but only relatively so. He might have reached the peak of the Divine Transcendence Rank, but breaking through to become a Prima Deity had always been an impossibly slim hope.

Yet, the implantation of the Leviathan Shadow had drastically transformed Leorio’s future potential. It granted him extraordinary devouring capabilities, allowing his body to absorb and refine immense quantities of energy.

With each passing day, Leorio’s chance of breaking through the boundaries of the Soul Realm steadily increased. Although the odds remained slight, they were significantly better than anything Alucard himself had been able to provide. For the first time, Alucard could envision his son genuinely ascending into the Prima Deity Rank.

Before Alucard could fully process the implications of removing the Leviathan Shadow, Cain’s voice echoed gently across the room once more, snapping the elder from his deep contemplation.

“Of course, I can also evolve it, if that’s your preference,” Cain calmly added.

Alucard’s gaze sharpened instantly, a strange sensation filling his heart as he focused intently on the young man seated before him. Alucard had lived ten thousand times the lifespan of Cain, yet inexplicably, he felt as if he were standing before an ancient well of profound wisdom, a repository of knowledge that defied his comprehension.

After several silent moments, a solemn light filled Alucard’s eyes.

“And what price would such evolution entail? Would you still maintain control over my son’s life?”

Cain smiled softly, his expression serene but earnest as he met Alucard’s piercing gaze.

“You previously rendered me significant assistance, which means I owe you a favor,” Cain responded openly. “You could call that favor in for a Royal Scarlet Leviathan Seed. Its power is extraordinary, sufficient to enable even someone with negligible talent to eventually reach the Peak Divine Transcendence Rank given enough resources. If your son truly pushes himself to his limits, his odds of ascending to the Prima Deity Rank become highly favorable.”

Without hesitation, Cain waved his hand, directing a stream of psychic force toward Alucard. It contained detailed insights and a thorough analysis of the remarkable Royal Scarlet Leviathan Seed.

Alucard’s eyes widened in shock as he absorbed the transmitted knowledge. The sheer potency and intricacy of the psychic life form astonished him profoundly.

The Leviathan Shadows were already extraordinarily powerful, but the Scarlet Leviathans existed on an entirely different level. Alucard simply could not fathom how someone barely a century old could craft such an impossibly advanced entity.

To be fair, Cain had relied upon the vast theoretical knowledge of Reverend Madness, a cultivator whose wisdom had been accumulated over hundreds of millions of years.

Naturally, Cain had no intention of revealing that particular detail. Maintaining an aura of mystery around his abilities had its advantages.

Cain allowed Alucard a moment to fully grasp the magnitude of the Royal Scarlet Leviathan Seed before calmly continuing.

“As for retaining control over Leorio’s life—ensuring he remains alive is of significant importance to me.”

Alucard’s eyes immediately narrowed, confusion flickering through his expression as he stared sharply at Cain. The younger cultivator merely returned his stare with a knowing smile before clarifying further:

“To be perfectly frank, as an individual, your son means very little to me. However, I am extremely interested in his unique lineage. After all, he is the only Light-Dark Race hybrid I have encountered so far in the Empyrean World.”

Alucard felt a chill run down his spine, as if a cold hand had suddenly seized his heart. The true nature of Leorio’s birth and mixed heritage was Alucard’s most closely guarded secret.

Though those who reached the Third Realm were generally less narrow-minded compared to ordinary cultivators of the Soul and Physical Realms, certain taboos remained powerful. Among them, having a hybrid child between Light and Dark Races was considered a heretical offense, punishable by death in many corners of their society.

For a brief moment, murderous intent surged through Alucard’s eyes. He momentarily considered silencing Cain forever, ensuring the secret stayed hidden. However, this thought was quickly dismissed. Alucard’s gaze turned pragmatic and calculating, his voice cold yet composed.

“What exactly do you want in exchange for your silence?”

Cain met Alucard’s cautious stare calmly and shook his head gently, his expression genuine and open.

“I am not here to blackmail you, Elder Alucard. In truth, I have no reason to. After all, while one of my wives is a Godslayer Human like myself, I also have a wife belonging to the Atrox Immortus Race. We, too, have a hybrid child.”

Alucard’s pragmatic composure shattered instantly, replaced by absolute shock and awe. Never in his wildest dreams would he have anticipated Cain openly admitting such a taboo. Yet Cain spoke candidly, without even the slightest hesitation.

Cain chuckled softly, continuing in an amused yet sincere tone.

“To be completely honest, Elder, I even have another wife who isn’t part of the Sacred Races at all. So, if we are measuring degrees of heresy, I assure you—I far surpass your position.”