Returning to the Etherium Realm, Maximus's family celebrated his return with joy.
Having not seen him in person for tens of thousands of years, they dearly missed Maximus.
Although the Virtual Realm allowed them to see each other frequently, it couldn't compare to reality.
Seeing how much closer Maximus and Iris had become, it seemed their trip had been successful.
While Maximus was surrounded by his children and grandchildren, eagerly asking about his adventures, his wives pulled Iris aside for a private talk.
"How was your trip with Maximus?" Hazel asked with a teasing smile.
"It was wonderful. I wish it could've lasted forever…" Iris murmured in reminiscing.
"You wish, the next time, you two won't be alone."
Letting the two of them have tens of thousands of years alone had been more than enough.
"I know… Please take care of me, sisters~" Iris said humbly.
Despite her higher cultivation realm, Iris showed unprecedented patience and respect toward Maximus's other wives.
Seeing Iris's obedience and her lack of intention to suppress them with her power, the women sighed in relief.
It seemed their husband's charisma remained as strong as ever.
Even a woman as exalted as Iris had been completely captivated.
As the women shared conversations only they could understand, time passed swiftly.
A few years later, Maximus finally completed the renovation plans for Shadowcrest Castle.
With Iris planning to undergo seclusion to advance to the Absolute Realm within the castle, Maximus needed to make major adjustments.
The Etherium Realm itself could barely handle the presence of a master of the Ocean of Law, let alone accommodate one advancing to the Absolute Realm.
Any instability in the environment could become a critical issue during Iris's breakthrough.
When Maximus presented the blueprint he had designed, his family was stunned.
"This—Father, isn't this a bit too extravagant?!" Lux exclaimed, swallowing nervously.
Shadowcrest Castle was already the most expensive and formidable structure in the Etherium Realm.
But according to his father's plans, the castle would be entirely reconstructed using Tier 12 materials. Such extravagance surpassed almost every other structure within the Dimensional Alliance.
And that was only the beginning. His father also planned to incorporate dozens of Tier 12 Ultimate Materials into core areas of the castle.
Although these materials couldn't be fully integrated due to their lack of skill, their mere presence would grant the castle extraordinary properties.
Finally, Maximus proposed embedding a network of micro-Tier 12 dimensional arrays, rivaling the barrier that encapsulated the entire Etherium Realm.
"Can we even complete this in a million years?" Liam frowned, pointing out the impracticality of the plan.
The Tier 12 dimensional barrier of the Etherium Realm had taken over 40,000 years to construct, even with immense manpower and the advantage of vast space.
The castle, by contrast, was a much smaller structure. No matter how much manpower they could mobilize, working within such confined dimensions would be nearly impossible.
Seeing their shock and doubt, Maximus smiled confidently.
"We only need to replace the castle's materials with Tier 12 ones and build a series of Tier 11 micro-dimensional arrays,"
"The follow-up enhancements can be handled over time."
While designing the plan, Maximus had let his imagination run wild, treating it as a fun challenge.
He wanted the Shadowcrest Castle to become one of the greatest architectural marvels in the Aeon Plane—an unparalleled structure made from the finest materials, equipped with the most powerful arrays, and showcasing the most exquisite design.
Unfortunately, Maximus's abilities were not yet up to par.
Furthermore, his time was truly insufficient.
Let alone building the castle, he hadn't even completed integrating the Seal of Truth.
His trip with Iris had interrupted the process, and although his family continued the task in his absence, progress had been slow without his coordination.
In the past ten thousand years, the integration of the Seal of Truth had only advanced from 30% to a mere 35%.
After explaining his plans, the family quickly got to work.
Iris, unwilling to be left out of the efforts to rebuild their residence, postponed her advancement once again.
Fortunately, renovating the castle's materials and constructing the Tier 11 arrays didn't take too long.
After approximately seven thousand years, the renovations of Shadowcrest Castle were complete.
Looking at their creation, they couldn't hide the amazement on their faces.
Building a castle entirely out of Tier 12 materials was beyond extravagant.
Every detail—from the most common elements like the floors, soil, grass, and water to the trees and various decorations like lamps, chairs, and tables—was crafted from these materials.
Although the Tier 12 materials didn't possess many properties beyond their hardness and the energy they radiated, the beauty they exuded created an unprecedented spectacle.
As they toured the castle, they passed a man-made lake filled with Tier 12 Ugur Water, a specialty of the Fritz family, renowned as the purest water in the Aeon Plane.
"Little fishy~" Maxine drooled as she watched the lake.
"Let's cook some later!" Erica muttered excitedly.
Swimming within the lake were various delicious fish, all no lower than Tier 12 realm.
These species were the result of modifications by the Alchemy Alliance, which had taken the essence of Tier 12 plants and various materials, infusing them into small aquatic species.
While these fish didn't have any special abilities or strength, they were unbelievably delicious.
Each fish cost billions of origin coins, and with billions of them swimming freely, just the fish alone is worth hundreds of sextillions.
Passing by the garden, their eyes lit up at the sight.
Looking at the sea of flowers stretching endlessly, smelling the refreshing breeze, their hearts couldn't help but rejuvenate.
Shades of trees also spread in the garden, making a perfect spot for a picnic.
"Let's eat for a while; I want to taste the little fishy from before!" Maxine finally couldn't hold back and requested.
Hearing this, the other quickly agree to take a short break.
"This-" Sitting down while they wait for food, Alice couldn't help but look at the familiar majestic tree in disbelief.
Seeing the treasured World Tree of her family reduced to a mere ornamental plant, Alice felt speechless.
Although the tree had been forcibly advanced to the Tier 12 realm and lacked most law, its presence was still shocking.
When they reached the training room, they found it outfitted with various Tier 12 machines they had long coveted, neatly arranged, and ready for use.
"How is it? Does it feel more like home?" Maximus asked with a warm smile.
Renovating the castle had cost him ten free spots to those top organizations in the Dimensional Alliance.
This was worth ten ultimate treasures, enough to form a foundation of a sect or a few families.
Using such worth to build a mere castle was insanity, even making him a talk for a while.
Initially, he also felt lost, thinking he was too extravagant.
But seeing the joy and amazement on his family's faces, he felt no regrets.
"It's beautiful… Our home…"