Raising an Empress as a puppet was far more convenient and worry-free than being the Emperor himself.

If Aurelia was loyal to him, or even became a person of the Hale family, then under his command he would possess the only powerhouse in the entire Heavenly Flame Dynasty whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Supreme Realm, aside from himself.

Moreover, it was equivalent to directly taking control of the Heavenly Flame Capital’s imperial court.

He could make Aurelia issue all sorts of imperial decrees according to his own wishes.

For this fifty percent possibility, Alex did not hesitate to offend Alistair and Malakai, willing to take this gamble.

Just as Alex narrowed his eyes, silently pondering, Cedric stepped forward, asking cautiously.

"Saint Lord, why exactly did you do this?"

"What?" Alex asked back with deep interest.

"Do you, First Elder, also think my actions are inappropriate?"

"No, no. Since the Saint Lord did this, you definitely have your own plans. This subordinate dares not question it." Cedric hurriedly waved his hands.

"It’s just, this subordinate wants to ask, does this mean our Hale family will become loyal subjects of the Heavenly Flame Imperial Family from now on?"

Alex shrugged and laughed. "Do you think being this kind of blindly loyal subject fits my style?"

Cedric wanted to shake his head, but then felt it wasn’t quite appropriate, leaving him at a loss for a moment.

Alex smiled faintly. "The reason I did this is absolutely not to pledge loyalty to the Heavenly Flame Imperial Family. Every single action of mine is considering the interests of the Hale family."

"Think about it. If the Heavenly Flame Dynasty truly falls into chaos, all the Saint Lineage families will have to choose a side. If our Hale family stands on the wrong side, not only will we fail to gain profits, but we will also draw fire onto ourselves."

"That being the case, it’s better to continue letting Aurelia sit on this imperial throne."

"After this royal rescue, Aurelia is definitely harboring gratitude toward our Hale family. And by giving her that pill, I practically saved her life twice over, making her even more deeply grateful."

"From now on, our relationship with the imperial family will enter an unprecedented happy period. Compared to the various princes and heroes fighting for supremacy, isn’t it much more beneficial for our Hale family if Aurelia continues to sit on this secure and stable throne?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Cedric nodded thoughtfully, finally comprehending. He pondered for a moment before asking cautiously. "Then what about Saint Lord Alistair and Saint Lord Malakai?"

"The Saint Lord’s actions are equivalent to monopolizing the merits of rescuing the Empress for yourself, while excluding them completely. These two are also people who never rise early without a profit. Being played like this, how could they possibly be happy?"

"Whether they are happy or not, what does that have to do with me?" Alex shrugged and smiled.

"This time, we eliminated Albert and Nova, two Supreme Realm combat powers. Of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty’s thirty thousand Mahayana Realm experts, nearly ten thousand were also wiped out. Most importantly, the three great ancestors who protected the Heavenly Flame Imperial Family have all fallen."

"Even if Aurelia fully recovers, as long as I wish it, I can rely solely on the Hale family’s strength at any time to suppress the entire Heavenly Flame Capital and snatch the imperial throne."

"This dispute within the Heavenly Flame Dynasty has only just begun. With my layout and planning, I can definitely make the Hale family the ones who laugh last."

"As for the Blackwood and Sol families, if they are willing to follow me, once I become the common ruler of the world, I will naturally let them get a share. But if they turn against me because of today’s matters, then I don’t mind letting them be erased from the ranks of the Saint Lineage families, just like the Noir family."

Hearing these words, Cedric couldn’t help but shiver slightly.

The Saint Lord’s words were simply far too domineering.

Just a single year ago, the Blackwood and Sol families were existences capable of wrestling with the Hale family. Even the Hale family couldn’t afford to offend them lightly.

Yet right now, in the Saint Lord’s eyes, these second and third-ranked Saint Lineage families were no longer allies that must be roped in, but entirely dispensable, marginal figures.

However, this wasn’t surprising. Just how terrifying the might of the Calamity Supreme Being was, the entire Hale family crowd had seen with crystal clarity.

Whether it was the Three Firmaments Supreme Beings or the combined Calamity Supreme Being, they possessed the ability to slaughter an entire family relying on single-handed strength alone.

The current Saint Lord could already suppress the entire Heavenly Flame Dynasty through martial force. Looking at it this way, it was actually Alistair and Malakai, who had left in a fit of pique, who appeared somewhat unwise.

"Cedric, it is still that same sentence." Alex narrowed his eyes, smiling mysteriously.

"This dynasty of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty might not necessarily be unable to take the surname Hale."

"However, a dynasty seized solely through martial force will sooner or later be seized by others using martial force. Right now, Aurelia’s destined lifespan is not yet exhausted, and the common people still largely lean toward the Emberhal family in their hearts."

"For long-term plans, we must endure and hold back for some more time. We cannot rush. Haste makes waste in all things. As for time, we have plenty of it."

"This subordinate understands." Cedric asked probingly.

"Saint Lord, then should I send people to prepare congratulatory gifts and deliver them to the Heavenly Flame Capital in your name, to celebrate the Heavenly Flame Empress’s full recovery?"

"It is necessary, very necessary." Alex nodded, smiling approvingly.

"Cedric, you are indeed my most capable right-hand man."

"Not at all, the Saint Lord praises me too highly." Cedric smiled embarrassedly and asked again.

"Also, what about Saint Lord Alistair and Saint Lord Sol’s side? Should we also send some gifts to ease our relationship with them?"