"Sit here, Lord Wong." Kalima demanded with a gesture towards a small table overlooking the Unreal River.

"Yes, Lady Kalima!" Wong exclaimed, and urged to obey.

"I have news. My husband and your Master has again proved to be far stronger than his wits. He left this for you." the Fay Godmother said in a soft voice, as she placed the green and blue pill onto the table. Magical energies swirled inside the pill, making it seem alive.

"..." Wong picked up the pill and tried to analyze it for a moment, before giving up with a huge headache. "Tier 10 pill? I can only sense a strong elemental Dao. Wind maybe?" he wondered as he began to circulate his qi and repair his damaged brain.

"The Tier 11 Patriarch that Pef defeated in his hunt for the Mercy Emperor was called North Wind. This pill..." Kalima struggled to speak, before giving up. Wong was fairly smart anyway, or he wouldn't last entire seconds inside the Unreal River.

"Master...I don't even know why I worry about him. Is he Ascended already?" Wong asked in an awed voice.

"I don't know. He is not in the Middle Heavens anymore, but Vela says Pef is feeling amused and intrigued, wherever he is." Kalima added with a tiny smile.

"He was amused even when he cooked those dragon eggs in front of their parents. I don't think his sense of humor is calibrated with real danger anymore." Wong complained in a reminescent voice.

Kalima snorted, quite unlady like. "I gave him that omelet recipe. Pef was quite intrigued about it."

Wong shook his head, too wierded out to hear even stranger stories about his Master's wife. All of them were quite strange anyways.

Then he sighed inward and ingested the pill, before he thought too long about the risks.

As Lady Kalima stared in confusion at his suicidal action, Wong's cultivation realm began to rise rapidly, crossing into Tier 9 Realm before Tribulation clouds could even form. By the time the first lightning bolt fell, Wong had already climbed into the second Star, and by the tenth lightning bolt he had already reached the peak of Tier 9, matching Kalima's cultivation.

But the miracle did not stop there, as Wong continued to Ascend, rising into Tier 10 as even more Tribulation clouds gathered.

"Damn it, idiot husband! Are you trying to kill your poor disciple right in front of me?" Kalima growled as she began layering protective Formations around Wong.

More and more tribulations fell onto poor Wong, frying out his clothes and skin, then his flesh and organs. But still, Wong continued to Ascend in levels despite the tribulations, enduring almost 200 strikes in total, before the Tribulation clouds hovered a bit uncertain then floated away.

Wong began to repair his body and examine himself, while still finding his head filled with advanced Dao concepts and insights that he couldn't yet understand. "My Master is crazy..." he muttered after he regained his wits a bit.

"And you're just as crazy. I guess I can see why Pef chose you as a disciple. You deserve each other!" Kalima exclaimed in disbelief. Every so often, the unreality of the Unreal River paled in comparison with Pef's actions, and indirectly his disciple's as well.

"On the other hand...I'm at 3rd Star of Tier 10 now. Should make my training inside the river a bit easier." Wong argued with a tiny shrug, then jumped right into the middle of the deadly Dao River, holding out with a single Formation for an entire minute, before adding another.

Kalima sighed in disgust and took out a bowl of honey to address her mood. Honey should make everything a bit sweeter. And it did taste heavenly...

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

However, a spoon became another, then another, until the Tribulation clouds that almost left the river rushed back and began pouring lightning bolts.

"Damn it! I was not prepared!" Kalima yelled at the clouded sky, feeling the taste in her mouth change into bitter-sweet.

Wong popped out of the river to observe the new Ascension. 'I'd guess Master didn't leave without leaving behind more presents. Still, this North Wind guy must have been quite a difficult target. I still don't get so many of these Wind concepts...' he mused inward, although his Air Dao had already reached 100 percent on his inner chart. Then he thought again, gaining inspiration from the lightning bolts falling on Lady Kalima.

'Wait a minute! North Wind. Borealis! Solar wind impacts the upper layers...forms the aurora. I see!' Wong exclaimed inward as he began to deduce higher Dao insights stolen from that Tier 11 Patriarch.

Multiple Ascensions also took place in the Veritas Legion, as the Royal honey dispersed by the glove before she Ascended was daintly tasted by a select group of people.

And inside the Celestial restaurant, a certain lady waiter continued the trend, by providing the prepared meal left behind by the Divine Cook.

"Here, Lord Tianshan. The cake is for your daughter." she spoke in a mild voice, while ignoring the battered face of this Noble's son.

The Noble took a small sip of his tea, and nodded calmly. "Any news about the Mercy War?" he asked in a very polite tone.

"Oh that? It was over days ago. My husband killed the old guy in a single minute." Lady Yue explained with a careless wave.

Silence fell at the table, as the words took a minute to take effect.

"If the Mercy Seat is gone, who is now the Emperor?" the Noble's wife asked, risking the ire of her husband. But to be fair, he also had that same question.

"The General sits on the Mercy Seat now, she also leads the Veritas Legion which includes me and all the restaurant staff." Lady Yue explained in calm tone.

"But, the Divine Cook?" the Noble wondered in confusion.

"My husband is mainly interested in cooking. I think he is now looking for more recipes." Yue said curtly, before turning towards the new Tier 10 which just Ascended at their side, nearly unoticed. "As for you dear, we have a place for you to finish Flower Dao."

"Thank you, my lady. If you don't mind, Lord Father?" the young daughter asked in a flowery voice.

"Remember to visit us every year." the old Noble said with a smile, then smacking his son before he could complain out loud.

The scenery changed once more, bringing their family at the entrance into Bronze Gate.

"Is she a new Bronze Realm?"

"Your daughter, Lord Tianshan?" voices began to rise as they noticed another lucky winner of the restaurant lottery.

"I am still here!" the girl spoke in decisive Words, making the crowd fall silent. Even a new Bronze Realm was far stronger than most people here, excluding the old Nobles.

Before more words or Words could be spoken and enflame the spirits, the area around the Celestial Restaurant fell under an Imperial Edict, freezing everyone in place with the power of the Tier 11 throne.

"People of the Middle Heavens! The former Emperor, with the Daoist name Western Wind, fell from the grace of heavens and lost the Mandate, and ultimately his life. I will work to adress his wrongs, aided by my 500 Throne Authorities and my own Legion. Although I prefer Justice to Mercy, they do work together very well. We pray for Mercy and, in seeking it ourselves, we learn to be merciful. Do not abuse my Mercy however, for then it will be Justice falling upon those who deserve it." the new Heavenly Empress spoke from the Mercy Seat, her Edict making everyone prostrate in awe.