"Well, first bring your family."
Daksha ordered, and without delay, Konrad left to return three minutes later alongside Verena, Selene, Valkyrie, and Heide. Selene, however, remained shrouded from even Daksha's sight.
"Those two are my wives, and this is my daughter."
Konrad introduced while Daksha swept the beauties with his ancient gaze. For a second, he was startled to see bombshells of this caliber beside one wandering High God. After all, with Verena's High God cultivation and Valkyrie's peak-stage Nihility God, they could do much better. If he wasn't a billion of years old man with a status to consider and face to maintain, Daksha would have considered snatching them!
"Very well, on cultivation, your lot fits our standards. But although your ladies still have room for improvement, you've reached your predestined limit and can't go further without a bloodline upgrade. Therefore, This Eminence gives you two choices:
A) This Eminence takes you in as you are, but doesn't waste any resources on you.
B) You pass an examination. Several, new Bloodline and Physique Trees have appeared at the border between our Sea Dream Temple and the Primal Sun Sect. Fruits from various ranks exist. But with those trees' fruits, a Pureblood can rise to Noble Blooded or beyond. A Noble Blooded can rise to Greater Blooded or beyond, and a Greater Blooded can rise to Royal Blooded.
Who knows, perhaps a Royal Blooded can even become a Primogen."
Daksha explained with a little jest. None believed a Primogen Fruit could ever exist. If one appeared, then undoubtedly, Heaven should be facing obliteration. Seeing the glint of desire within Konrad's eyes, Daksha carried on.
"The only flaw is that you can only take one. Naturally, such fruits are the source of brutal competition. To say nothing of the forest they grow in being occupied by a tribe of Nature Spirits. The Primal Sun Sect and the Sea Dream Temple came to an agreement. We will each dispatch teams into the Essence Nurturing Forest and compete through our sub-Ancestors. If you can obtain a Greater Blood Fruit and enhance your bloodline strength, This Eminence will not only take you in, but give you substantial training. Of course, though I hold no such hope, if you're so lucky as to snatch a Royal Blood Fruit, that's even better.
But if you fail, the agreement is null and void.
What do you say?"
Daksha inquired, and Konrad almost wished to hug the fool. Bloodline and Physiques Fruits started appearing in the last two-centuries following the chaos he unleashed. However, high-quality fruits remained few and far between. Those that appeared naturally fell into the hands of those leading deva sects.
But if Physique Fruits had no appeal for the current Konrad, Bloodline Fruits were a whole other matter. Unlike the devas, all would serve as nutrient for his Myriad World Immortal Blood, and allow him to grow his strength at a rapid pace. Moreover, while he may not be able to find a Primogen Blood Fruit, if he could get his hands on a few dozen Royal Blood Fruits, it would be more than worth it.
In the future, when he killed and refined the Deva Primogens' blood, his Auspicious Clouds would undoubtedly catch up to, and perhaps even surpass that of Celestial Slaughter's!
And not just him. His top consorts and servants would undoubtedly greatly benefit!
Without hesitation, Konrad gave Daksha a heartfelt bow!
"I will try my hardest to not disappoint your eminence's expectations!"
Konrad proclaimed, pulling an approving nod from Daksha. But for some reason, as she saw the glint in her father's eyes, Heide didn't doubt the Mara Primogen had just opened paradise's gates to the devil. And perhaps...a bit too literally.
"Of course, this is not the usual examination. But This Eminence sees potential in you which is why you're given the opportunity. Though, you must be careful. In the dispatched team, not one stands below the High God Rank while Cosmic Gods will be the leaders. And as the saying goes, blades don't have eyes. While we possess an alliance with the Primal Sun Sect, should you stand in their way, they will not hesitate to take your life, then turn your consorts and daughters into cauldrons."
Daksha cautioned. And hearing this, though he didn't let his face betray him, Konrad inwardly sneered.
"It is already good if I don't make their wives my cauldrons. Do they dare covet mine?"
But as if to challenge those thoughts, two dazzling beams crossed the sky to land at the Sea Dream Temple's gates. The world-trampling pressure of late-stage Legendary Gods erupted, alarming all disciples, regardless of cultivation, while Daksha's face contorted into a frown.
"Dream Lord, the Moon Lord and I solicit an audience."
Surya requested in a mental message while the rotund Chandra swept the Sea Dream Temple with his dark-blue eyes. A glimmer of lasciviousness swirled within his eyes.
"Focus. Which one is more valuable, a random Mara or Daksha's granddaughter?"
Surya cut Chandra's revery, forcing him back to the matter at hand. Indeed, though this sea of beauty was of remarkable appeal, the big picture took precedence.
"Very well, come in."
Daksha's voice resounded within the two's minds. Right afterward, they vanished in gold and blue haze to reappear within his temple. As they landed on the ground, the two took a second to sweep the gathered individuals. But while Surya's gaze didn't linger long before locking on Daksha's, Chandra's stopped at the three "Maras" standing beside the High God he'd met beforehand, but didn't pay that much attention to.
The lasciviousness in his dark-blue eyes flared, and as they went between Verena, Valkyrie, and Heide, Chandra flicked his tongue over his lips while they curved into a broad, off-putting smile.
"Dream Lord, perhaps you should send away the juniors so that we can discuss in private."
Surya began. But before Daksha could form the sliver of a reply, Chandra's voice rumbled.
"Unnecessary, unnecessary! Surya, you shouldn't be this petty. This is an opportunity for those juniors to open their eyes. You can't dismiss them!"
Chandra cut, to both Daksha and Surya's astonishment. But when their eyes shifted onto his face, and they saw the unconstrained surge of lust within, astonishment turned into exasperation.
Meanwhile, Konrad's lips curled into a smile. One of those that announced an eternity of damnation.