The Annihilator: Killer Of Gods

After stepping through the portal, Karsha and Morris arrived at the Herb Garden on Snake Island. Karsha had been there before, so he could easily open a portal to this location. His remarkable ability to travel freely is incredibly powerful; all he has to do is picture his destination in his mind, and the portal will open to that place.

"Welcome back home, Morris," Karsha said with a smile as he noticed the emotional expression on Morris's face. Morris had been away for the past 45 years—who wouldn't be moved by such a homecoming?

Karsha knew this would be a joyful reunion, and he was determined to make it memorable. Although he could have opened the portal directly to the sanctuary, he chose not to; he wanted to surprise Morris's family.

"Hey, Morris, why don't we surprise your family?" Karsha said with a mischievous grin.

Initially, he planned to contact Lady Yi Ran alone and let her meet Morris first. But given his intentions to eventually bond with her daughter, Karsha saw this moment as a chance to become closer to the three Snake Fairies before taking any further steps.

He already knew the answer to whether the three ladies liked him or not. They did, but out of respect for their roles as his personal guards, they were careful not to cross any boundaries.

Additionally, they hadn't clarified if their race could accept humans as life partners, so, for now, they were concealing their feelings. But Karsha was undeterred; if he was going to walk the difficult path toward greater strength and confront whatever challenges lay ahead, he intended to embrace all the connections he could make, whether human or beast.

After briefing Morris, he let him blend into his shadow and vanish. Karsha smiled, using his connection with Lady Illo to contact her and instruct her to bring her family and the shadow guards to meet him at the Herb Garden.

With that arranged, Karsha strolled through the garden, taking in the surroundings. During a break in his sessions with his wives, he had explored the uses of the Divine Garden. He was astonished to discover its capabilities.

The first segment even included accelerated growth, meaning that if he planted something and added a monster core, it could mature within hours—or even minutes, depending on the core's grade.

The garden also enhances one's alchemy abilities. While refining inside it, his success rate is boosted by 40 percent. Additionally, he can concoct any pill below the divine grade there, free from outside disturbances. This setup allows him to experience both Pill Judgment and Blessing privately, granting him the seclusion he desires.

With these incredible benefits, Karsha could grow any herb within minutes if needed. He made his rounds in the garden, ensuring that all the pills required for Core Formation were present.

He knew that once he finished absorbing the blood from the slaughtered Bloodfiend mercenary group, his Lesser Core would reach saturation. Now that he had even more blood, he urgently needed the herbs to form a new core before the Blood Expedition.

Planning to farm for high-grade blood, Karsha wanted to maximize his strength before the expedition. He also aimed to have Xian form his first contract, giving him an edge in the contest and helping their sect secure the reward.

If he managed to help Xian contract a powerful mutant, it would enable him to kill more monsters efficiently, aiding Thundercoil's advancement to Mystical Grade Avatar. Karsha had high hopes for Xian, whose recent rapid progress assured Karsha it was only a matter of time before he became a powerhouse on his own.

He had delayed giving the other avatar to June, as he hadn't anticipated ending up with four wives unexpectedly. With his luck, he was confident he'd gain more avatars soon. Once he did, he would assign them to all his wives.

For now, he would hold onto Nedin's avatar. As for Shadowcoil, he intended to give it to Xian's mother. With its capacity for soul attacks, even Great Sages could be vulnerable if caught off guard. Karsha wished for Xian's mother, now also his mother-in-law, to live in peace, and giving her such a formidable protector was a step toward that goal.

"Karsha…"

"Big Brother…" Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire

Different sounds came from behind Karsha as Lady Illo and her family arrived. Starr immediately jumped into Karsha's embrace, weeping. Karsha was unsure how to respond. The last time they parted, he had only managed to calm her down with a briefcase full of candy. Seeing her this emotional now made him realize just how much she must have missed him.

"Stop crying, Starr. Big brother is here now," Karsha said, rubbing her back to help her settle down.

"I missed you so much, big brother," Starr said in a shaky tone, tugging at Karsha's heartstrings. This little snake was completely devoted to him, though he didn't fully understand why. Perhaps it was simply her nature, and he could only accept that.

"I missed you too, Starr," Karsha replied, continuing to rub her back to help her calm down more quickly.

"Good to see you again, Karsha. It's been less than a month, but you've somehow grown even more handsome," Lady Illo said with a slight smile.

"Oh, who are you kidding, Lady Illo? You're practically glowing. I wouldn't even believe it if someone ever said you were over 30. To me, you're still a beautiful young lady," Karsha countered awkwardly. To his surprise, Lady Illo blushed a little, and even the three women behind her showed a rosy tint on their cheeks.

The only one truly surprised was Lady Illo's mother, who could only shake her head and smile. Karsha inwardly cursed himself, realizing his subtle flirtation with someone who looked like his mother had backfired. Perhaps snake people were just that sensitive, or maybe his charm was simply too strong.

"Anyway, I have a surprise for you all," Karsha said quickly, shifting the topic to ease the awkwardness in the air.

"Everyone, look who has returned."

Right on cue, Morris emerged from Karsha's shadow, just as they had planned.

"MORR!" Shouts of shock, joy, and even a touch of disbelief filled the garden as Morris appeared. Lady Illo, abandoning all decorum, leaped into her son's embrace with tear-filled eyes. Morris held his mother tightly, his own tears streaming down his face.

Soon, the others joined them, all with teary eyes—even Lady Illo's mother. Karsha stepped back with Starr in his arms, feeling that his presence wasn't needed in this emotional reunion. Since Starr didn't know who Morris was, so he didn't want to push her into the group hug.

"Morris, how are you still alive? Where have you been?" Lady Illo asked, gripping her son's hands as if she'd never let go. Ayarr, her head buried in Morris's chest, continued crying like a child.

"It's a long story, one I'll share with you all soon," Morris replied.

"But for now, I want you all to help me thank Karsha for everything he's done for me. He saved my life and gave me more than I could ever ask for." His voice was thick with emotion, and Karsha felt the depth of his gratitude.

"No need to be so formal, Morris. We're brothers here," Karsha replied with a shrug.

"And remember, you saved my life first. I'm sure you'll save it again, so don't be too courteous."

Morris looked at Karsha for a moment before his gaze shifted to Starr, who was curiously watching him.

"Starr, this is your other big brother, Morris. He was away on a mission but has finally come back. Without him, I wouldn't be here today. Go on, say hello," Karsha encouraged gently, knowing that Starr would eagerly listen to him.

"Thank you for saving Big Brother Karsha's life, Big Brother Morris," Starr said, looking up at him. Morris could only smile and pat her head. It would take time for them to grow close, and Karsha understood that a bond would blossom naturally over time.

Starr quickly nestled back into Karsha's arms, and Morris turned his attention back to his family. Karsha quietly withdrew, strolling once more through the herb garden with Starr held close.

"Big Brother, I'm coming back with you. I missed you so much," Starr said softly, and Karsha could only smile in response.

"I promise to take you back with me, but not today. Big brother has to deal with some bad people who are chasing him. Once I'm done with them, I swear I'll come back for you. I promise."

"Big brother, I can help you fight them. I'm strong now," Starr said, determination shining in her eyes. As a Great Mutant, she indeed had the strength to back her words.

"I know you're strong," Karsha replied with a smile, "but I don't want you fighting these pests. You're a princess who deserves all the love in the world. Fighting those bugs would only stain your image." Starr fell silent, and Karsha, a bit surprised, pulled her back to look into her eyes. He could see that his words had moved the ten-year-old deeply.

"I'll listen to you. But once I'm as big as Big Sister Ayarr, I'll start helping you fight those bugs. I'll never leave your side," Starr said firmly.

"I won't stop you then. But for now, just stay my sweet little sister and eat more candy," Karsha said, patting her head as they continued through the garden.

About 200 meters away, four women turned their gaze toward Karsha. Three of them shared the same thoughts, while the fourth looked troubled, a single thought echoing in her mind:

'What is wrong with me?'