Divine Emperor of Death

Some time ago.

In the Burning Phoenix Ridge's seating area, Ancestor Cornelia looked at the couple with gleaming eyes. Her old face that was laden with wrinkles was radiating with an ecstatic gleam that put a smile on Davis and Lea's face as well.

"Good. A man must be like that, unafraid of what others would think." Ancestor Cornelia heavily nodded.

Since Davis dared to take the master and the disciple as his wives, his reputation would've definitely taken a hit. He would no longer be viewed as an honorable man. At least, he wasn't viewed as an honorable man before either.

Just a frivolous man who had gained deathly power and dared to do anything, displaying the arrogance of youth which could end dangerously.

The three of them walked, then walked towards the resting hall and entered a room there since there were also other disciples gathered, freaking unaware of what had happened outside.

The moment they saw the Emperor of Death and their Sect Master walk inside hand-in-hand, not only were they shocked, but their souls also threatened to flee, afraid that they would be killed to keep the secret as this was a big thing, but the moment they saw Ancestor Cornelia beside them, their hearts started to regain composure.

Only then did they look at their Sect Master, who seemed to be stricken with love in her gaze. It seemed that they were practically non-existent in her eyes.

Soon, the three of them entered an unoccupied room, and only then did Lea Weiss suddenly turn around to look at him as her veil came off, revealing her extraordinary features.

"Was it really necessary?"

Her cheeks became filled with crimson as she recalled the hot kiss she shared with him in front of the gazes of millions of people. Fortunately, Davis knew her heart and shielded that embarrassing scene from being witnessed by everyone. Otherwise, she wouldn't know where to go hide her face as the Sect Master.

On the other hand, Davis nodded his head to Lea Weiss's question.

Although she said that he could marry her when they reached the immortal world, she didn't say anything about remaining unknown that she was his wife here.

It only affected his reputation and not hers because he was strong. It was normal for women to seek strong men, and it is widely accepted. However, if he was weaker, he was sure that her suitors would appear to take his head and demean her, ruining her life regardless of her feelings.

Lea Weiss felt moved. Although she felt embarrassed to be caught in an affair with her disciple's husband, she knew that he had sacrificed more to ruin his half-baked reputation, something that the Golden Dragon Queen tried to save.

She suddenly couldn't help but remember her.

"Davis, you have to treat her good. I know Bylai Zlatan's character. As a woman belonging to the dragon race, she grew up arrogant and willful before becoming mature and composed, but her innate pride couldn't be changed. Her pride is even more arrogant than mine or Isabella's. Therefore, it is of little doubt that she might contemplate suicide if you don't reciprocate."

Davis blinked.

He understood that was because Bylai Zlatan had been once the strongest Dragon Queen of the Four Great Dragon Families and consequently possessed more pride until she was betrayed by her power and was sent to him as a sacrifice.

Perhaps, after being treated well, her pride resurfaced, but she had just to go make herself a fool in front of millions of people.

Davis wasn't a romantic expert, but he knew that if he didn't accept her, Bylai Zlatan might truly start contemplating suicide.

After all, she made a public confession while having the status of a slave. It would be absolutely worst for her if he rejected her.

Nevertheless, he looked at Lea Weiss's worried expression and couldn't help but remember a general notion about a female dragon and phoenix.

It was told that a female dragon would seek revenge if betrayed by her husband, but a female phoenix would contemplate suicide.

When Natalya tried to commit suicide because he was supposedly dead, was she further influenced by the diluted amounts of Ice Phoenix Immortal Blood Essence in her at that time?

He was also sure Zestria, possessing Fire Dragon Blood, would come to kill him if he abandoned her because her love and hate were plain to see, burning with a passionate flame.

Perhaps, it was the magical beast's nature influencing them.

But for Bylai Zlatan, he hadn't even taken her yet, and her pride had already been brought to a new low. Therefore, it was possible that she would take actions similar to what Lea Weiss said.

Still…

"Why do you care about her?" Davis asked Lea Weiss, causing her to shake her head.

"It's not that I don't care. It's that I have to care. I presume you already made your decision, so I merely have to support you."

Davis's heart shook.

She could see through his thoughts?

Usually, after a woman confesses to a man, if he ignored her and went ahead and confessed to another woman, it would be like a resounding slap to the woman who initially confessed. This was regardless of gender. Therefore, it wouldn't be strange if all of his women decided to think that he had abandoned Bylai Zlatan, but Lea Weiss's opinion of him was different.

"If you were to abandon her, you wouldn't be the man I came to love."

Lea Weiss went on her toes and gave a daring kiss in front of Ancestor Cornelia while Davis remained frozen, feeling her soft lips feeding his increasing love for her. She moved back and lightly smiled at him.

"I wouldn't have known what I would've done if it weren't for you breaking my shell. Thanks to you, I already removed that hesitant part of me, and now, the repercussions that my sect would face following your actions isn't a problem either. It doesn't matter if someone says something, but the fact remains that I'm your woman. With you by my side, I can tide through anything, and it should be the same with Bylai if she is what I think she is."

"Now go. You can't be here too long, or the men outside will go berserk. Hehe~"

The stern yet cold Lea Weiss actually giggled as she pushed him away while Davis was still tongue-tied. Her laughter was genuine and melodious, making him able to feel that she was satisfied with what he had done even without Heart Intent.

'To be courted by the one they love… I guess every woman crave that feeling even if they do not bother about it on the surface…'

Davis smiled as he waved his hand, exiting the room as he turned to look one last time before disappearing from their gaze.

"Then I'll listen to my Lea."

Only his voice echoed out, causing Lea Weiss to smile while Ancestor Cornelia blinked.

"You're going to let him go on this joyous occasion?"

"Sigh, this matter concerns the Burning Phoenix Ridge's reputation. I can't let him stay any longer. Ancestor, this is why I said that I'm stepping down earlier."

Lea Weiss turned to look at Ancestor Cornelia, who had a hint of apology on her face, "I have no choice but to rely on you for a little longer, Little Lea."

"I know, Ancestor. I will never forget the kindness and the three drops of blood essence you bestowed to me nor the sect that had been an umbrella for me to grow under. But…"

"Don't worry. I may be a magical beast, but I still have some experience in the human world." Ancestor Cornelia cut her short as she smiled, "This matter may seem big to you, but as long as the strongest emperor demands something, it will happen, and that too without much resistance. Only the heavens can change such a fate, so you don't need to worry about other people's opinions. In truth, the Burning Phoenix Ridge is rather happy that it managed to curry the emperor's favor and the other powers are envious."

"Ancestor…"

"Child. You are free to leave whenever you want. Your destiny is no longer here, but as long as you're here, you will be the Sect Master. Even if you invoke a massacre, staining the Burning Phoenix Ridge's name, you will still be the Sect Master and also my Little Lea. The sect owes you that much."

Lea Weiss pursed her lips as tears flooded her eyes, threatening to flow out.

She had been doing everything in her power to make the sect stronger with her current prowess, so her achievements had long crossed any Sect Master of the Burning Phoenix Ridge except a few from the first few generations. However, after declining so much in the current era, she managed to bring them up so that her achievements could be spoken in the same length as theirs.

In the end, she went ahead and embraced Ancestor Cornelia, choosing to become vulnerable as though she was embracing her own mother.

=========

"My kindness had its patience, but now you've just gone and done it, Bylai Zlatan."

Davis pushed open the door with force as he sauntered inside, his voice echoing in an icy voice.

At the same time, he saw Bylai Zlatan shudder and inwardly felt that he had gone too far.

Was she that afraid of him?

Didn't Lea Weiss just say that her pride was more than them? How come she was scared? Maybe, her pride that had been restored from cultivating here all day without receiving any humiliation really did break upon doing such a thing above the battle stage.

His initial reaction was to offer words of courage, but then hardening his heart, he walked up to her.

Zestria had already stood up, appearing like she had something to say to him. However, his gaze fell on her as he simply moved his lips.

"Go outside."

Zestria's expression changed. She lowered her head and took a step forward.

However, she suddenly clenched her teeth and looked at his face, gazing into his eyes as she sent a soul transmission.

"The moment I caught her hand and even till now, the trembling didn't stop. Her love for you is genuine as mine, so please consider her feelings, my emperor."

Davis became pleasantly surprised, but not at Zestria's words but her attitude. Looks like embracing her in front of everyone and giving her the boost she needed was already displaying its effects. The fiery woman he had heard about was returning, daring to talk back to him.

This was a piece of good news to him. After all, regaining their pride after being treated as slaves was not an easy thing to do. It would even form a heart demon in many cases, but fortunately, he could see Zestria didn't seem to have something of that sort just from her resolute gaze.

After sending the soul transmission, Zestria took a step forward again and left, but Davis suddenly captured her wrist, causing her to freeze. A light kiss landed on her cheek, causing her to become dumbfounded, but a soul transmission entered her ears.

"Well done. One should not forsake their allies. Your heart has not fallen but remains the same, Zestria."

Zestria's neck became a shade of crimson as she felt her heart flutter. However, knowing that she should no longer stay, she walked outside and closed the door.

Davis turned to look at Bylai Zlatan, who still had her head lowered. She was sitting on a bed, which almost made him think if this was pre-planned. Perhaps, it was Zestria's idea to make things smooth. Nevertheless, he flicked his sleeves and sat beside her, causing her trembling to freeze.

"I don't really comprehend your feelings towards me, Golden Dragon Queen. Isabella killed Zestria's father, and I killed your father. Usually, we could never see eye to eye, much less live under the same sky, but yet, you confessed to me under the gaze of millions. If you merely want freedom, I'd say that you're free to go-"

"No!"

Bylai raised her head at him, her eyes wet with tears as her lips quivered.

"What I want is… you…!"

Their gazes matched for two seconds before she looked away.

"I hate myself for being like this… but there's never been a man who made me feel like this…"

No matter what kind of man she met, her attitude was one of indifference. Not only her, but most Dragon Queens exhibit this trait, unable to take a man seriously because they were always superior, fed with resources as they become the strongest in the younger generation. No man could practically make their prideful heart shake, and it was usually the arranged marriages that changed their mind, but now, a man had genuinely managed to encroach her heart somehow, and that was after he almost ironically destroyed her Zlatan Family.

Even as a slave, she was determined to resist.

However…

He had the power to force her but didn't.

He had the power to ruin her but didn't.

He had the power to utterly humiliate her while making her wish that she could die but didn't.

Such kindness had caused her heart to fall, but the mixed feelings she had for him didn't make it any better. She truly hated herself for becoming like this, feeling that she might go crazy from the contradiction.

"…"

Davis's pupils exhibited an incredulous gaze as he looked at her. He felt like he made the biggest concession when he told her that she was free to go, but it was out of expectations for her to retort and reveal her vulnerable feelings, blasting him with it as he sensed with Heart Intent.

Sometimes, he wished they were scheming, so he could also ruthlessly reciprocate, but he would always be put in a spot because their emotions were genuine. Bylai Zlatan was no different. She was shedding tears, looking like her world was going to tear apart or not with his answer.

Davis took a deep breath to calm down, but her flowery fragrance filled his nostrils. It sent waves of temptation to his heart, and he merely decided to accept these emotions.

Bylai Zlatan was weeping as much as she wanted to stop crying. Even now, she was aware that she was making a fool out of herself by showing this vulnerable side of hers but being in his presence, her heart had zero defense. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted before being dropped on the bed as she bounced on the soft surface.

A finger wiped off her tear-drenched face with gentleness before she saw a handsome face through her blurred eyes.

"Since you want me so bad, let me fulfill your wish, Golden Dragon Queen."

*Puchi!~*

A wave of soul force shot downwards and shredded the Karmic Robe of Purity as though heralding her end, but it left a naked yet shocked Bylai Zlatan under Davis.