Miracle Card Shop: All My Cards Can Be Actualize

News of the Heavenly Palace's disappearance struck the Immortal Realm like a thunderclap, leaving no one unaware of the shocking event.

In response, many sects formed investigation teams made up of their brightest minds and strongest cultivators to uncover the cause of the incident. Yet, despite their efforts, the reason for the Heavenly Palace's sudden disappearance remained a mystery.

Speculation ran wild: some theorized that an unknown force had entered the Immortal Realm and destroyed the palace, while others believed the Heavenly Emperor had attempted to transcend to a higher realm and failed, resulting in a cataclysm that obliterated both him and the palace. Others suggested that perhaps the Heavenly Palace had simply relocated.

Though rumors spread rapidly, no one truly knew what had happened or where the palace had gone. However, one thing was clear to everyone in the Immortal Realm—the sudden absence of the Heavenly Palace, the force that had long maintained order, signaled the beginning of a new era of sect conflict. Those with ambitions to rule the heavens saw a potential path forward.

Cautious sects chose to bide their time, observing to see if this disappearance was a trap laid by the Heavenly Palace to expose dissenters, while the more reckless and impulsive factions took the lead. Meanwhile, these cautious sects prepared themselves to seize control of the heavens if the Heavenly Palace was indeed gone for good.

Amidst this thunderous news, another development went largely unnoticed: several patriarchs and sect ancestors had also vanished. Each of these individuals had one thing in common—they were personally acquainted with Heavenly Emperor Zhou Yu Huang.

Tension in the Immortal Realm reached new heights, and the threat of a great war—one that would extend to the mortal realm—loomed on the horizon.

— A Few Days Later —

Daniel was preparing to head to the test site with Old Yuan. In the workshop, he organized prototypes and made decisions on which projects he would personally oversee at the weapons research lab. Just then, his phone rang.

"Yes?" he answered, surprised to see the caller ID. It was Lust, calling from the US.

"Lord Emberweave, have you put on the ring yet?" Lust asked.

"No, not yet. Why?" Daniel replied.

There was a pause, and he heard what sounded like a sigh from Lust on the other end.

"The one who made that ring wants to know if the leader of the Order of Ember has worn it yet," Lust explained. "Think of it as a favor for me. Please, put it on. They're constantly pestering me to confirm that you're wearing it."

"Alright, alright. Once I check there's nothing suspicious about it, I'll put it on. Happy?" Daniel replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice before hanging up.

He walked over to a shelf in his workshop, where the ring was stored in a secure container. He intended to inspect it thoroughly for any curses or jinxes.

"Prime, check if there's anything unusual about this ring," he said, addressing his highly advanced A.I.

[Yes, Master… scanning… mana testing… complete. No mana reaction detected in the ring… mana overloading process, checking for any abnormal blessings, curses, or jinxes… no reaction to mana overload… repeating process… repeating process…] After multiple scans, Nexus Prime found nothing suspicious.

[It's safe, sir. This is just a regular ring, no tricks or magic detected,] Nexus Prime reported.

"Thanks, Prime," Daniel said, nodding toward the ceiling camera, which represented Nexus Prime's presence in his workshop.

He then slipped the ring onto his index finger. It was a little snug, but that was to be expected from an ordinary ring.

With that out of the way, Daniel nodded to himself and continued attending to his business.

— Meanwhile - Card Shop —

Today was one of those rare days when the Keeper indulged in refined human arts and entertainment, enjoying a leisurely tea time with crackers and English tea. He savored the aroma, pleased with the recent purchase from a renowned tea shop known to supply royalty in Britain.

In his hand was a fantasy novel written by a WWI veteran, about a group of friends on a quest to destroy a powerful cursed ring in the volcanic fires where it was forged, as this is the only means to destroy the ring.

"Hmmm... this is quite nice," the Keeper murmured, fully immersed in the moment. He had many plans and interests, including embroidery and tea brewing. The skills he felt could use further refinement.

Suddenly, he sensed a severe disturbance from the Starry Abyss. Turning toward the vast expanse outside the large glass window, he observed hundreds of abyssal tendrils stretching toward it, siphoning power.

"Hmm?" Glancing at the counter on the wall, he noted with a frown that the energy points were steadily decreasing. He quickly downed his tea in one gulp and teleported from his shop to the Starry Abyss.

The Keeper examined the hundreds of tendrils connected to the Starry Abyss, steadily draining its power. This energy was primarily used to manipulate, alter, and link various universes and timelines, allowing Daniel to actualize his abilities without jeopardizing the fabric of reality. Without it, the stability of reality itself would be at serious risk.

The Keeper grasped one of the tendrils, intent on tracing its origin. Who in the Abyss had the audacity to siphon off this power?

"I wonder which idiot thinks they can steal my sustenance..." the Keeper muttered.

This power, the power of the destined fate liberated by Daniel's actions, was what nourished the Keeper. He took only a small fraction, less than 5% of the total energy flowing to Daniel. Yet these tendrils appeared intent on taking it all.

"It seems some discipline is in order..." he murmured before teleporting away, disappearing from the Starry Abyss.

— Meanwhile - Abyssal Realm - Asmodeus Castle —

Within the secret chamber, Asmodeus felt an intoxicating surge of power flowing into him, a force so overwhelming he felt he could rule the world—perhaps even surpass any god.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Here it comes! HAHAHA!" he laughed like a madman, reveling in the fruits of his scheme.

The ring he gave to Daniel, intended as a blessed artifact to secure Daniel's offerings, was far more than it appeared. It was crafted with one of Asmodeus's own finger bones as a catalyst, ensuring that every deed Daniel performed would channel power directly to him. This design was meant to create an unbreakable connection between them, as if Daniel were an anointed one or an Archpriest overseeing a cult dedicated solely to Asmodeus—solidifying their bond entirely.

When Envy forced Asmodeus to withdraw his blessing from Daniel, he had to relinquish its power as well. But the ring, forged from a piece of an Abyssal Lord, remained a contingency plan, maintaining a link between them even without the blessing.

And now, Asmodeus was reaping his reward, basking in the rush of power.

"HA HA HA HA! Power—! Unlimited POWERRRRRRRRRRR! HAAAHAHAHAHAHA!" he roared with laughter, like a madman. But suddenly, a voice interrupted him, pulling him out of his revelry.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself, Lord Asmodeus," a mysterious voice remarked.

Asmodeus immediately turned toward the direction of the voice. There, he saw a man of African descent with a bald head and a calm, smiling face. Dressed entirely in black, his bearing and demeanor resembled that of a head butler who had just stepped out of a mansion to run an errand for his master.

This man was none other than The Keeper.

"Please pardon my intrusion, Lord Asmodeus… but… how does it feel to absorb power from the Starry Abyss?" The Keeper smiled as he slowly walked toward Asmodeus and continued, "Its power… it's very intoxicating, isn't it? But consuming too much will turn you into a madman. It will eventually turn you into a being that's neither alive nor dead, moving only to consume endlessly, without any true purpose in life…. No different than a beast."

As he spoke, the shadows behind him began to writhe, revealing countless tentacles bristling with fangs and talons. Beastly and humanoid eyes opened within the darkness, glinting from the abyss of shadow.

"Who... who are you!?" Asmodeus demanded, retreating as he tried to keep his distance from The Keeper.

"Who I am is not important, Lord Asmodeus," The Keeper replied, his smile still unwavering. "What is important is that you've taken something you shouldn't have. And for that... serious discipline must be taught." The Keeper continued advancing toward Asmodeus.

Sensing dread, Asmodeus immediately shifted into his war form, but The Keeper merely waved his hand, and everything in the chamber transformed. The room became a dark, endless space with countless golden stars stretching high above, like an endless abyss.

"Since you're so fond of draining from the Starry Abyss… why don't you come with me?" The Keeper said as tentacles and horrifying figures began to emerge from the shadows around him. His eyes turned entirely black, with blood-red slits in the center.

"Welcome, Lord Asmodeus... to the Starry Abyss." The Keeper's smile widened, revealing a mouth full of sharp fangs as the horrors of the Starry Abyss began to manifest before Asmodeus. Stripped entirely of his powers, he was left powerless, unable to flee, and could do nothing but stare in hopeless terror at the monstrous entities closing in on him.