NOVEL NEXT Chapter187-The Twilight of the Bernard Family
Far across the Starsea,
A magnificent palace complex stood at the peak of the stars, exuding an ancient aura.
Here lived a terrifyingly powerful family, whose will could influence the course of the entire galaxy.
"My lord, I know I was wrong... Please, please forgive me, don't torture me anymore!"
A middle-aged man, bruised and battered, lay prostrate on the ground, repeatedly begging the figure seated at the head of the room.
Around him, the once glorious hall had been reduced to ruins.
The bodies of the family's strong warriors were scattered across the floor, resembling a scene from hell.
"You need to understand why I must teach you,"
Leo looked down at Balo, his face indifferent.
Upon hearing Leo's words, Balo frantically kowtowed, babbling incoherently.
"I understand, I understand! It was my fault, I wronged Audrey... no, I wronged her, it's my mistake!"
Not long ago,
The Bernard family was still thriving in peace, hoping to revive its past glory through a strategic marriage.
However, a mysterious man suddenly entered their territory without warning.
Without saying a word, he swept through all of the family's proudest warriors with an unbeatable force.
Finally, he sat calmly in the patriarch's throne, the symbol of the highest power, and asked coldly,
"Tell me where you went wrong."
The entire Bernard family—ranging from the guardians to the ordinary guards—fell into confusion and fear.
It wasn't until Leo revealed his identity that they realized this man was none other than the husband of a family member who had already been sacrificed!
The patriarch's daughter, Audrey, had shown extraordinary magical talent and soul potential from a young age, her brilliance dazzling.
But in the eyes of the ancient Bernard family's rules, the value of a woman was always in marriage, exchanging her for the family's interests.
No matter how talented she was, her fate had already been sealed—she was a tool for political gain.
In the end, to save the declining family, the patriarch Balo, who was also Audrey's biological father, forcefully ordered her to marry the heir of Starfall Isle.
The intent was to revive the family's former glory through an alliance between the two powerful factions.
That day, the entire Starsea was shaken.
The alliance of these two superpowers stirred the nerves of countless beings.
However, in front of witnesses from numerous forces, a shocking incident occurred that stunned Starsea.
Audrey, in full view of the crowd, personally ended the life of Starfall Isle's heir!
"…"
"Balo!! You must give Starfall Isle an explanation!"
"Otherwise, I will mobilize all of Starfall Isle to make your Bernard family pay a painful price!!"
The voice of Starfall Isle's ruler, filled with fury, echoed through the universe.
Yet in the face of Starfall Isle's raging anger, Patriarch Balo dared not speak a single harsh word.
And from that moment, all the forces realized one undeniable truth: the once mighty Bernard family had fallen!
To appease Starfall Isle's wrath, Balo made a decision that caused the entire Starsea to look down on him.
"My lord, calm down! Please calm down!"
"My Bernard family will give you a satisfactory answer!"
"Someone! Find Audrey and kill her on the spot!!"
"Bring her head to Starfall Isle as an apology!"
To preserve the family, he chose to sacrifice his own daughter.
This act temporarily saved the family, but it also reduced Balo and the Bernard family to laughingstocks across the stars.
Balo had thought this marriage would be the family's salvation, but instead, it had brought about their destruction.
Now, he was consumed with regret.
For his daughter, who was supposed to be dead, was not only alive, but seemed to have gained unimaginable opportunities!
Looking at the powerful man before him, he understood this clearly.
Leo slowly stood up from the body of the Bernard family's guardian, his gaze indifferent as he swept over the ruins.
"My wife Hathaway, your daughter Audrey, suffered here, and I will make sure to take back what was done to her."
"But seeing as you are her blood relative, I won't take your life."
"From today, Audrey Bernard has no further ties with your family. Do you understand?"
Upon hearing these words, Balo's face flashed with deep complexity and bitterness.
He was silent for a long time before finally nodding in resignation.
He had no right to refuse.
More accurately, he had no doubt that if he showed any hint of defiance, his life would be taken in the next moment.
Seeing Balo's reaction, Leo immediately turned to leave.
However, just as he reached the door of the ruins, his steps suddenly halted.
In an instant, Balo's body trembled, cold sweat pouring down his face.
Not only him, but all the surviving Bernard family members felt their hearts stop in fear, their gazes locked on Leo's retreating figure.
Had this god of death changed his mind?
Leo's calm voice came from behind.
"I don't want Audrey to know about today's events."
"Let it be as if I never came here, do you understand?"
Balo's face turned ashen.
"My lord... I understand, you can rest assured!"
After Leo departed, Balo collapsed in exhaustion, as if every bit of strength had been drained from him.
The surviving family members gathered around him, trembling.
"Patriarch... what should we do now?"
Balo's expression was defeated.
The family had undergone such a drastic change, and Balo had lost the right and authority to continue leading the family.
Yet, Leo's arrival had nearly wiped out all the high-level combat strength of the Bernard family.
The family's strongest visible fighter, the guardian, had fallen without even lasting a single move in front of Leo.
Now, besides Balo himself, there was no one in the family capable and respected enough to take over the mess.
Looking at the mixed expressions of fear, confusion, and a hint of hope from the remaining family members, Balo sighed heavily and, with a hoarse and weary voice, declared,
"From today onward... the Bernard family will completely close the Starrealm passage, cut off all contact with the outside world, and enter eternal seclusion."
At these words, the surviving family members were all shocked.
"Patriarch! You…"
Balo wearily shook his head, with no other choice.
Leo's last words were not just about keeping Audrey in the dark.
It was more of a warning, an ultimatum that drew a clear line.
The fact that they were allowed to live was already a mercy beyond the law.
It was the final act of kindness, considering Audrey's faint bloodline connection.
In the end, the once-glorious Bernard family completely disappeared from the force map of the Starsea in a single night.
No one knew what had happened to them or where they had gone, only leaving behind countless speculations and gradually fading legends.
...
Meanwhile,
At another superpower, Starfall Isle,
Before the gate that shone with eternal starlight, an unexpected visitor quietly appeared.
"My lord, you are...?"
The ruler of Starfall Isle, Hamersi, sensed the unfathomable aura and instantly appeared before Leo.
Upon seeing Leo, Hamersi's heart sank.
A supreme existence!
Although he couldn't clearly sense the other's rank, the overwhelming feeling of power, akin to facing an abyss, unmistakably told him
this person's strength far surpassed his own!
When did such an existence appear across the Starsea?