Heavenly Opposers-Chapter 352 - 351-The Journey Begins.

"Where are we headed first?"

Raena asked as they sat comfortably within the advanced chariot, the vehicle cutting through the skies above the Rexion Empire’s eastern territories. The morning sun painted the clouds in shades of gold and crimson, and far below, the verdant landscape stretched endlessly—forests, rivers, and distant mountain ranges creating a breathtaking tapestry of the Lower Realm’s natural beauty.

Azrail sat near the front viewing panel, his dark eyes reflecting the passing scenery with an almost contemplative calm. Valencia was beside him, her pink hair tied loosely, her golden eyes occasionally flickering with the threads of fate only she could see. Xuanyin sat on his other side, silent as always, but her small hand held his, her cold aura mixing harmoniously with his death-tinged presence. Raena, with her blood-red eyes and seductive grace, lounged across from them, while Adria’s phantom form shimmered faintly near Valencia, the ghost teacher observing everything with ancient wisdom.

In actuality, just twisting the light and space here and breaking into any area Azrail wanted wasn’t a difficult thing to accomplish. With Naya’s mastery over things and the spatial understanding granted by All-Seer, he could traverse the entire Lower Realm in mere days if he pushed. But Azrail was deliberately holding back, giving the whole endeavour an adventure feel, making it an overall time-consuming affair.

If Azrail really wanted, he could end everything in a month. But that wouldn’t work out at all.

The reason for such a time delay was multifaceted. First, certain events that Azrail wanted to happen would only occur across specific parts of the year. The unique fact of it being that the main members—the future Heavenly Opposers—were currently spread across the Lower Realm with different age ranges, yet for them, certain life-changing events all took place within the same year, just across different timelines and locations.

It was as if the fate of the world started to move at that specific time, threads converging, destinies awakening. Azrail had planned this spread-out journey to intersect with each of those critical moments. Plus, it would also be fun to take in some things and leave marks around, which would be helpful toward the end of his grand design.

But there was another reason, deeper and more personal.

At the end of this journey, Azrail planned to cure his sister.

Azrail knew the moment he applied the full cure—the one he’d been meticulously preparing using resources from the Realm Scrapper, treasures he’d steal during this journey, and knowledge from his past life—it would catch the attention of that woman. The Ice Phoenix Shrine’s Matriarch. The one who had taken Xuanyin away in his past life, forcefully recruiting her when her Ice Phoenix bloodline fully awakened.

In his previous life, that separation had been traumatic, violent. Xuanyin had been ripped away from him when he was too weak to resist, and she’d spent years in that cold, merciless shrine, moulded into a weapon.

This time would be different.

This time, Azrail wanted to spend as much time as possible and give the best journey for Xuanyin before everything might change. He felt a bit guilty knowing that pushing this path onto his sister wasn’t entirely the right choice—it was manipulation, after all, guiding her toward a destiny that served his greater plans. But it was also a path that would give her the best future, the strongest foundation, and most importantly, unlike last time, she would never be alone.

This time, Azrail would be with her every step of the way. No matter how far she went, with the soul connection they held—a bond he’d been secretly strengthening through shared cultivation sessions and emotional anchoring—he would always be close to her. Distance would mean nothing.

Though convincing her to go with that woman when the time came would be another headache. Azrail could already feel it. Xuanyin had become even more attached to him in this life, her cold exterior hiding a desperate dependency.

’Condolences, my future self. Deal with it.’

Sending those condolences to his future self to deal with the problem, Azrail turned his attention back to Raena’s question, a small, playful smile tugging at his lips.

"I planned the whole trip to enjoy the most beautiful and best things this realm has to provide for us while also finishing off the things I want to do. In total," he paused, letting the anticipation build, "we have eleven months ahead of us. Eleven months of adventure, danger, treasures, and most importantly, creating memories."

Valencia’s eyes glimmered with understanding. She’d already seen fragments of his plan through their discussions, and even Adria’s phantom form nodded approvingly. Raena, however, raised an elegant eyebrow, her lips curving into an interested smile.

"Eleven months? My, my, someone’s being thorough. And here I thought we’d just be sightseeing."

Azrail chuckled, his voice carrying that dangerous undertone that always made people pay attention. "Oh, there will be plenty of sightseeing, Raena. This realm, for all its lower ranking in the cosmic hierarchy, holds wonders that even the higher heavens have forgotten. Ancient ruins from the Age of Primordial Gods, secret realms left behind by fallen immortals, species and cultures that have evolved in isolation for millions of years."

He leaned forward slightly, his enthusiasm genuine. "We’re going to visit the Crimson Gorge, where fire and earth elements collide in eternal battle, creating gems that sing with elemental fury. The Verdant Abyss in the south, where beast kings rule territories larger than empires, and the very air is thick with pure Qi. The Glass Desert to the west, where entire cities exist as mirages during the day but become solid at night. The Eternal Winter Mountains in the north—"

He felt Xuanyin’s hand tighten slightly at that mention, and he gently squeezed back, his voice softening just for her. "Where the most beautiful ice formations in the entire realm exist, places where even time seems to freeze in awe of the scenery."

Xuanyin’s cold eyes, usually so empty to others, held a faint glimmer of curiosity. She rarely showed interest in anything, but the promise of seeing such wonders, with him by her side, seemed to stir something within her.

"And the people?" Valencia asked, her strategic mind already working. "You’re not just planning to sightsee. You have targets."

Azrail’s smile widened, impressed as always by her sharp perception. "Eleven targets, to be precise. Eleven individuals scattered across this realm, each currently facing their own tribulations, their own turning points. I plan to give them a push; they will be helpful in the future."

He paused, his eyes darkening with intensity. "Many of them will suffer needlessly. Some will loose everything before finding purpose. Others willbe broken and barely held together by revenge. I’m going to change that. I’ll be there at their critical moments, not as a saviour, but as someone who gives them a push, a choice, a reason to believe that opposing the heavens is possible."

Adria’s voice, ethereal and wise, drifted through the space. "You’re planting seeds for an army you’ll never officially lead. Clever. They’ll see you as a mysterious benefactor, maybe even a brother figure, perhaps even an idol. But they won’t know you’re orchestrating their convergence."

"Exactly," Azrail confirmed, nodding toward the phantom form. "By the time they all meet and form anything on their own, they’ll be stronger, more prepared, and more unified than what fate means for them. And when the time comes that I need them, when my own opposition to the heavens reaches its peak, they’ll stand with me not because I command them, but because they want to."

Raena laughed, the sound both beautiful and dangerous. "You really do think ten steps ahead, don’t you, boy? But tell me, what about the risks? Surely interfering with their fates will draw attention. The Heavenly Immortals, corrupt as they are, still monitor destiny threads."

Azrail’s expression turned cold, and the temperature in the chariot seemed to drop. Black and purple flames flickered briefly around his form—Persefone and Astrid reacting to his emotions.

"Let them watch. I’m already marked as an Irregular, a Forbidden existence. My fate thread has been severed and hidden by All-Seer. As far as the Heavenly Immortals are concerned, I’m a blind spot, a static anomaly they can’t quite pin down. And besides," his smile turned predatory, "I’ll be working through proxies and coincidences. A treasure that ’happens’ to fall into someone’s hands. A crisis that ’coincidentally’ brings me to the right place at the right time. The art of manipulation is making people think they’re living their own story."

Valencia added, her voice smooth and analytical, "And I’ll be watching the fate threads. If any divine attention turns our way, we’ll know in advance. Between Azrail’s concealment abilities, my Heavenly Eyes, and my teachers’ teaching, we can navigate this without triggering any major alarms."

"Plus," Azrail continued, his tone lighter now, "this isn’t just about recruiting future allies. This journey is for us, too. For Xuanyin to see the world before her path changes. For you, Valencia, to experience things beyond politics and strategy. For Aunt Raena to find peace in adventure rather than vengeance. And for me..." he trailed off, his eyes distant, "to make sure I live my life to the fullest, there is a lot to see across the cosmos after all."

A comfortable silence fell over the group, broken only by the soft hum of the chariot’s advanced propulsion systems. The vehicle itself was a marvel—created by Nayan using resources from the Realm Scrapper, it could fly, dive underwater, phase through certain barriers, and most impressively, had a dimensional door that connected directly back to a secure room in the Yun Manor.

That door was currently closed, but Azrail knew his mother, Yun Lan, would be checking in periodically. She’d been both excited and worried about this journey, torn between wanting Azrail to spread his wings and fearing the dangers of the wider realm. But ultimately, she’d given her blessing, especially after knowing Azrail’s skills and having demonstrated the chariot’s defensive capabilities and emergency teleportation functions.

"So," Raena pressed, leaning forward with genuine curiosity, "where are we headed first? You still haven’t answered."

Azrail pulled up a holographic map from the chariot’s interface—another of Nayan’s brilliant additions. The map showed the entire Lower Realm in stunning detail, with various marked locations glowing in different colours.

"Our first stop," he said, pointing to a location in the eastern territories, still within the Rexion Empire but far from the capital, "is the Crimson Gorge region. Specifically, a city called Scarlet Peak. There’s a young woman there, currently seventeen years old, named Lin Mei."

Valencia’s eyes immediately focused on the location, and Azrail could see fate threads beginning to shimmer around her vision as she looked deeper.

"In three days, she’s going to face an assassination attempt," Azrail continued, his voice serious. "She’s the daughter of a declining noble family, betrothed against her will to the young master of the Burning Sky Sect—a corrupt, arrogant bastard who wants her only for her beauty and legacy. She even has a special bloodline, though she has no idea she even has that bloodline. The assassination attempt will be orchestrated by the young master’s other fiancée, who’s jealous and wants Lin Mei out of the picture."

"And you’re going to save her?" Xuanyin’s soft voice surprised everyone. She so rarely spoke unless directly addressed.

Azrail turned to his sister, his expression gentle. "Not exactly. I’m going to give her the tools to save herself. There’s a difference. Lin Mei needs to awaken her own power and discover her own strength. If I just swoop in and solve everything, she’ll become dependent. But if I appear at the right moment, give her the right push, show her that she has potential beyond what this small corner of the realm believes..." he smiled, "then she’ll rise on her own. And that rise will be glorious."

Valencia nodded in understanding. "I feel her fate is tied to a certain Empress of the past, even to me; she feels formidable. Her ambition and ruthlessness are inherent."

"She will go through hell first. Her family will be slaughtered, she will be enslaved, humiliated, broken a dozen times over before finally awakening and taking revenge. By the time she would rise, her heart had turned to ice, trusting no one." Azrail’s eyes darkened with the weight of knowledge. "This time, I’ll spare her that suffering. She’ll still face challenges—she needs those to grow—but she won’t face them alone and broken."

Raena studied Azrail’s face carefully, her years of experience reading people showing her something others might miss. "You care about these future allies more than you let on, don’t you? This isn’t just a strategy for you."

Azrail was quiet for a moment, then admitted, "Maybe, I know them from a past life."

He looked at each of them—Valencia, Raena, Xuanyin, and even Adria’s phantom. "This journey isn’t just about building power or gathering allies. It’s about making sure that when the final battle comes, when we stand against the corrupt heavens, we do so surrounded by people who chose this path, who believe in it, who won’t break when the pressure becomes unbearable."

Valencia reached out, placing her hand over his. "Then we’ll make sure this journey succeeds. Together."

Raena nodded, her usual seductive smile softening into something more genuine. "Consider me invested, boy. Let’s turn this realm upside down."

Even Adria’s phantom seemed to solidify slightly, her ancient eyes showing approval.

Xuanyin simply squeezed his hand tighter, and that was enough.

Azrail felt something warm in his chest—not the cold calculation he usually operated with, but genuine emotion. These people around him, they weren’t just tools or allies. They were becoming something more.

’Maybe that’s okay,’ he thought. ’Maybe having people I care about isn’t a weakness. Maybe it’s the strength I was missing in my past life.’

"All-Seer," Azrail called mentally, "adjust our course. Take us to Scarlet Peak City, but slow down the approach. I want us to arrive tomorrow evening, just as the sun sets. The timing needs to be perfect."

[Acknowledged, Master. Course adjusted. Estimated arrival: 3 hours, 47 minutes.]

"Perfect." Azrail stood, stretching slightly. "In the meantime, let’s make use of the journey. Valencia, I want to discuss the information network we’re building through Oblivion’s Embrace. Raena, we should talk about the specific sects and organisations in the Crimson Gorge region—your expertise in social manipulation will be crucial. And Xuanyin," he smiled down at his sister, "you and I are going to train. There’s a technique I want to teach you, one that will help you control your cold even better."

The chariot continued its journey through the skies, carrying its occupants toward their first destination. Below, the Rexion Empire’s landscape slowly transformed—forests giving way to rocky terrain, the temperature gradually rising as they approached the volcanic region known as the Crimson Gorge.

Huifen sat there, listening and feeling the chills around her body. For a moment, she wished she hadn’t heard any of what she did, her instincts screaming danger.

Behind them, unnoticed by mortal eyes, several fate threads began to shimmer and twist, the very fabric of destiny adjusting to account for the variable that was Azrail D. Xavon.

And far away, in realms beyond mortal comprehension, certain ancient entities felt the faintest disturbance—like a ripple on a still pond—and wondered what new storm was brewing in the Lower Realm.