Ethan hadn't expected his talk with the Blood King to be this fruitful. The revelation hit him like a jolt: the one who had triggered the heavenly tribulation wasn't just anyone—it was Uncle Jed. And more than that, Jed had been captured, not killed. He'd even survived the final strike of the tribulation.
That last trial, the king explained, had been intercepted by a so-called "twisted individual." The news stirred a mix of relief and dread in Ethan. Relief, because survival meant Uncle Jed had broken through and reached the rank of a Saint. Dread, because if Jed had truly been corrupted, then he wasn't just lost—he would return as a powerful enemy.
"Shatterstar, stop collecting. We're leaving." Ethan's tone left no room for hesitation.
[Collection vessels returning. Please wait!] came the mechanical reply.
