My Celestial Ascension

As the sun vanished beneath the horizon and the bright moon rose high into the sky, Yuan and his wives completed their preparations to strike down the remaining followers of the Holy Church still hiding within the city.

Everyone wore black attire to blend seamlessly into the shadows of the night. This would be a precise yet lethal assault—their mission: to cleanse the city of every last trace of the Holy Church. The time had finally come for that cursed institution to vanish from this world once and for all.

“Princess Livia, we’re ready to begin the operation. However, I don’t want you to accompany us. You’ll only get in the way. You’re too weak,” Yuan said with a nonchalant expression, unbothered by whether or not his words offended her. It was simply the truth.

“You should stay with your family and let us carry out our task without any interference. And don’t forget to prepare yourself to fulfill the promise you made once we eliminate the Holy Church,” Grace added coldly, her commanding voice causing Livia to instinctively flinch in intimidation.

“I understand…” Princess Livia replied quietly, her voice subdued. She hadn’t forgotten her promise, but she wasn’t worried about it either. Judging from Yuan and his wives’ disinterest in the legendary weapons offered at the auction, she was certain they wouldn’t care for the magical artifacts stored in the imperial treasury.

Shortly after, she departed and returned to her parents, explaining everything to them in detail. At first, Emperor Lucien and Empress Elendriel were visibly shocked to learn that Yuan and his wives had decided to purge the Holy Church’s followers from the city.

But after a moment of reflection, they realized the immense benefits such an act would bring to the empire and its citizens. So they chose not to object to the plan.

Once the Holy Church was destroyed, the city could begin to recover its former brilliance. The empire would stabilize, and life would gradually return to normal. New opportunities would blossom for the people, and trade routes would flourish.

A new era would dawn upon the Holy Light Empire—one where citizens could live in freedom and dignity, unburdened by fear or poverty, as the Church’s system of extortion would be dismantled.

The farmers, who formed the backbone of the empire, would finally be free from crushing taxes. They could afford better tools and resources to improve their harvests.

With that, the long-standing food crisis would be resolved once and for all. Ultimately, the empire would be reborn—and its people would no longer live in fear.

“Considering everything, we should begin recruiting young and capable individuals for the Holy Army of the empire. Once the Holy Church is destroyed, power-hungry nations will no doubt show their claws,” Emperor Lucien said after pondering all the possible outcomes that could follow the Church’s downfall.

“Indeed. We must start working on it as soon as possible. But there is one major problem… If we can solve that, everything else will proceed smoothly,” Empress Elendriel replied, nodding with a serious look on her face.

“We don’t have enough funds to support a new Holy Army. We barely possess a few thousand gold coins. With such a limited amount, we can’t recruit many soldiers.” Her voice carried concern, clearly troubled by the financial hurdle.

“That’s truly a serious issue… We must find a solution to it as quickly as possible,” Emperor Lucien agreed, realizing how dire their current situation was.

Meanwhile, high above the city, Yuan and his wives hovered in the cold night air, looking down at the city below with icy expressions.

Under the vast night sky, illuminated by the radiant moon above the clouds, the city appeared breathtaking. The white snow shimmered under the moonlight’s gentle glow, creating a peaceful scene that belied the grim reality lurking beneath.

It looked calm—as if nothing was amiss. Not a single soul wandered the streets, save for a few stray dogs scouring for leftover food.

“It’s time. Let’s begin the hunt…” Yuan muttered, a cold grin tugging at his lips as he expanded his Divine Sense across the entire city.

With it, he could perceive every corner, every shadow, every heartbeat. Nothing escaped his awareness—not just movements, but even the quietest whispers inside every home.

“Target only those who served the Holy Church. We don’t want to massacre innocent people. But if anyone dares to get in our way… eliminate them without hesitation,” Yuan instructed firmly, ensuring there was no room for misunderstanding.

“Don’t worry. Leave everything to us. We’ll handle it,” Anna replied with a calm smile, fully prepared to cut down anyone who obstructed their mission.

Yuan gave a nod before shifting his gaze toward Emma. “Emma, be cautious with your poison. If you release it carelessly, everyone in the city could die instantly.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll use it carefully and make sure it doesn’t cause unnecessary trouble,” Emma responded softly, a gentle smile blooming on her face.

Shortly after, they scattered throughout the city, gliding through the night air like gusts of wind. No one noticed their presence, even as they passed dangerously close to people’s homes.

Emma soon came across a particular house and immediately raised her brows as she focused her Divine Sense on it. She could clearly hear the conversation happening inside.

It was a noble household. Using her Divine Sense, she saw a few figures enjoying themselves, indulging in a private party. At the center of the room, beautiful elf women danced in revealing clothes for their entertainment.

“Once we take control of the Lionheart Empire, our wildest dreams could easily become reality! After all, once the Lionheart Empire falls, the Holy Church will control the entire continent!” exclaimed a chubby man with a massive mustache. A wide, cunning grin stretched across his face as he raised his drink and clinked glasses with the others.

“I’ve received intel that the new supply of elf slaves has stopped. I heard the Holy Knights sent to capture them were taken out by the Elven Archers,” said another man, bald and completely hairless.

“Don’t worry about that,” the chubby man replied, a vicious grin curling his lips. “Once we conquer the Lionheart Empire, we’ll deploy a massive army of Holy Knights to subjugate the Elven Kingdom on the Beast Continent.”

“I see… So we can get as many of these slaves as we want. Nice!” a young man suddenly said with a lewd grin, grabbing one of the dancing elves and pulling her into his embrace.

The elves’ faces revealed their disgust, but there was little they could do. A slave collar was secured around each of their necks, binding them completely. The collar not only forced obedience but also prevented them from ending their own suffering. Even the mere thought of suicide would trigger unbearable pain.

It was far worse than death itself. Powerless against their masters’ desires, they had no control over their lives. Even dying was not an option.

The young elf woman closed her eyes, her heart heavy with despair, as the man’s hands roamed across her body. There was no hope left for her. She couldn’t resist. She couldn’t cry. She couldn’t escape. She couldn’t even die.

Just as the young man reached to rip her clothes off, the front door of the mansion suddenly burst open with a loud crash. Shattered pieces of wood flew inward, startling everyone inside the room.

A figure stepped into the mansion, her eyes cold as she scanned her surroundings—especially the enslaved elves held captive by the humans.

“A beast woman? What the hell is she doing here?” the chubby old man muttered, his tone irritated and disbelieving as he stared at the unexpected intruder.

“Hey! Bitch! What the hell are you doing?! Don’t you know this mansion belongs to the Noble Riley Household?!” the young man shouted furiously, his face red with anger from being interrupted at such a critical moment.

“Noble, you say?” Emma replied coldly, her voice sharp and chilling, laced with killing intent. “I don’t see anything noble about you. Is enslaving elves something to be proud of?”

“So what?” the young man sneered. “In noble circles, owning elf slaves is a status symbol. And besides, isn’t it amazing to have such beauty to play with?”

His eyes roamed Emma’s body as a lecherous grin spread across his face. He noticed her alluring curves, her large, perfectly shaped breasts, and her flawless figure. He was clearly entranced by her beauty.

“How about this, beauty? Bow down and swear your loyalty to me, and I promise to—”

Suddenly, the young man’s expression changed. His face turned pale.

“Cough! Cough! W-What did you do to me…?” he gasped, looking at Emma with a pained and terrified expression.

“You talk too much nonsense,” Emma replied calmly, as if commenting on the weather. “So I decided to melt you with my poison.”

“Aghh! What the hell is happening to me?! Father, save me!” the young man screamed, watching in horror as his skin turned a sickly purple and began melting like ice cream.

“W-What in God’s name… is happening?” the bald man muttered in disbelief, frozen in shock. He had never witnessed such a gruesome death in his entire life.

In a matter of seconds, the young man’s entire body had melted away, leaving behind nothing but a revolting pile of black, viscous slime on the floor.

Before anyone could recover from the horror of what they had just seen, Emma appeared beside the enslaved elves, who were now staring at her in fear and confusion.

She moved with such speed that they hadn’t even seen her approach. Reaching out, she placed her hand gently on one of the elf’s collars. A warm, reassuring smile formed on her face.

“I’ll destroy these collars. After that, you’ll all be free from this curse,” she said softly, her tone gentle and comforting, letting them know she meant them no harm.