Miracle Card Shop: All My Cards Can Be Actualize

— Mt.Tai - Heavenly Realm —

A grand mountain, shrouded in mist and bathed in ethereal light, pierces the heavens. Ancient stone steps lead to a hidden realm, where the air crackles with spiritual energy. Lush vegetation clings to the cliffs, vibrant flowers bloom, and waterfalls cascade.

A hidden gate adorned with intricate carvings marks the entrance to the Heavenly Realm. Inside, floating islands drift through the azure sky, connected by shimmering bridges of light. Palatial structures of jade and crystal house the immortal inhabitants.

Rivers brimming with spiritual energy flow through valleys carpeted in iridescent moss, while groves of glowing trees bear fruit granting eternal youth and wisdom. Celestial birds sing, and magical beasts call from their nests amidst the natural beauty.

At the heart of this realm lies the Jade Emperor's Palace, radiating divine power and majesty. Here, in this ethereal sanctuary, the fate of millions upon millions on the mainland is determined by the whims of the Jade Emperor, Zhou Yu Huang.

But at this moment, the Jade Emperor was nowhere to be seen. Xi Wangmu, the Queen of the West, entered the heavenly hall. Dressed in a robe woven from the silk of a thousand-year-old spider and adorned with jade and jewels, her beauty eclipsed the sun and moon.

She surveyed the hall, then used her spiritual sense to locate her husband. After a moment, she realized he was nowhere in the Heavenly Realm. She dismissed the notion that something had befallen him, as her husband was the strongest being in the Heavenly realm, let alone the mortal realms.

In all honesty, if something were to happen to her husband, she wouldn't care that much. Xi Wangmu didn't love her husband at all, at best, it would be a complex feeling of the two people that are living together for a long time.

Thousands of years ago, Xi Wangmu was the daughter of the former Heavenly Emperor, while Zhou Yu Huang was merely a gifted human who embarked on a path of cultivation, eventually becoming powerful enough to rival gods.

Did Zhou Yu Huang win a fair battle against the former Heavenly Emperor? No. Unlike her benevolent father, Zhou Yu Huang possessed the qualities of a powerful ruler: ambition, ruthlessness, and political cunning.

When he became strong enough to be seen as an equal, he formed alliances with other cultivators in the Heavenly Realm, gradually increasing his power and undermining her father's authority.

After years of eroding her father's influence, Zhou Yu Huang led a rebellion against him. The turning point came when Zhou Yu Huang stole the fruit of immortality from Xi Wangmu's garden, consuming it while using his followers as shields, and gaining immense power.

This occurred while her father was weakened and injured from battle. Ultimately, he lost his life, and Zhou Yu Huang captured Xi Wangmu, forcing her to become his wife.

As a result, she lost control of the underworld, which Zhou Yu Huang then assigned his followers to manage.

Therefore, she would feel no remorse upon learning of her husband and tormentor's demise. However, she was unaware of his fate, feeling only annoyance and disappointment that Zhou Yu Huang had vanished, leaving her with the burden of managing the Heavenly Realm and the river of destiny.

This time, she attributed her husband's disappearance to his foolish habit of descending to the mortal realm to consort with mortal women who caught his eye, acting as if he were a young, divinely chosen genius. It was his favorite pastime.

"Heh…. Really, Rivers and mountains are easy to change, but one's nature is hard to change." Xi Wangmu uttered in disdain. As she walked toward the heavenly emperor throne then stepped away from it, she's not foolish enough to usurp this tyrant authority she still wanted to live and find a way to exact her revenge against him.

Turning her attention to the many jade slips piled on her husband's desk, representing the administrative tasks he had yet to address, Xi Wangmu felt a wave of frustration. Power came with responsibility, yet her husband had always sought the former while shirking the latter. Making her deal with his responsibility for most of the time.

Leaving the heavenly hall, Xi Wangmu called out, "Elder Yuan!"

Moments later, an elder in blue robes appeared before her, kneeling in deference.

"You called, my Empress?" he inquired.

"Yes. Where is Zhou Yu Huang? Is he gallivanting in the mortal realm again?" she asked.

"My Empress, I wouldn't dare pry into His Majesty's affairs. You know his temperament," Elder Yuan replied, sweating nervously. Zhou Yu Huang was not one to tolerate inferiors meddling in his business. The last person who followed him to the mortal realm and reminded him of his duties had been beheaded for insubordination.

Since then, no one dared to interfere. The only reason the Heavenly Realm hadn't erupted in rebellion was due to everyone's fear of Zhou Yu Huang's power and cruelty.

"Sigh..." The Heavenly Empress released a long sigh, looking up at the sky. Her thoughts drifted back to the day her life turned miserable. She had never felt love from her husband, only lust and obsession.

She wondered how much longer she would be trapped in his clutches. Thousands of years? Ten thousand? Or even a hundred thousand more? She couldn't bear it any longer.

"Elder Yuan, please manage things here. I'm going to take a stroll in the mortal world for a year or two. If anyone comes seeking our assistance, as long as it's not excessive, simply agree and let them be. I've had enough," she said, her voice filled with disappointment.

Elder Yuan was startled, then he, too, sighed.

"Please be safe, my Empress. You can stay in the mortal world for ten years if it helps you feel better. Don't worry about things here; this old man will take care of everything for you," Elder Yuan reassured her with a kind smile. He had served the former Heavenly Emperor and raised Xi Wangmu since she was a child, seeing her as a daughter.

"Thank you, Elder Yuan," Xi Wangmu expressed her gratitude before departing, descending the stone steps of the Heavenly Realm towards the gate leading to the mortal world.

— Luxurious Cruise Train - The Third Day of the Search —

In the private cabin of the cruise train to Busan, Daniel sat with Albert, listening to his report. Albert provided two pieces of information: the exact location of the Mara Society's headquarters and the results of the investigation into Kim Chang-wook's identity.

Since Daniel now knew the exact coordinates of the Mara Society's HQ and they were traveling on a leisurely cruise to Busan, he had brought his family along. He had modified the train to have reinforced armor, making it only slightly less resilient than the Oceanos, his super submarine.

"What about Kim Chang-wook, then?" Daniel asked after receiving the Mara Society's location.

"Our investigation revealed he has ties to the Cult of Lucifer in Greece," Albert reported. "He has clearance to enter their hidden lair in Methoni Castle. We believe he learned about Lady Envy's appearance from this association, as those mages are typically affiliated with the Hightower."

Daniel fell silent, considering his options. Should he eliminate the cult next? He remembered that Pride still needed her original lifespan restored, but since she was currently using his longevity elixir, she wasn't in immediate danger.

"I'll deal with those cultists after formally establishing the Order of Ember," Daniel decided. "That should give the Hightower some competition and loosen their grip on those mages."

"I completely agree, my lord," Albert concurred with a smile.

Daniel left his private cabin and entered the lounge car, where his family enjoyed food and drinks while admiring the scenery passing by.

Patriarch Kim had provided this private cruise train, as the Kim family owned the company that operated these tours. They also had a private train at their disposal in the company's depot. Since the Mara Society had dared to harm his precious granddaughter, the Patriarch had joined the trip, along with Kim Yuna.

Only Kim Tae-sung remained at the estate, confined to the reflection abode to contemplate his actions and write an apology letter.

"You seem to be in good spirits, traveling with your family. Aren't you afraid of the Mara Society attacking the train? I heard they're targeting you," Patriarch Kim teased, knowing full well that the train had been modified by Daniel and its armor could withstand anti-tank missiles.

"You jest, Patriarch Kim. You knew I had reinforced the train's armor when I decided to bring my family along. Besides, I believe this train is safer than the Kim Estate right now," Daniel replied.

"What do you mean?" the Patriarch asked, his tone suddenly serious, a sense of suspicion gripping his heart.

"Please follow me," Daniel gestured for the Patriarch to accompany him to the last train cabin, inviting Kim Yuna along as well. He greeted his family, ruffling little Sylvana's hair, which earned him a playful pout, and excused himself to speak privately with Patriarch Kim.