Divine Emperor of Death

"Why did you even enter?"

Davis turned to look at Myria, who seemed to have already had one of her eyes that was missing back in her socket already, appearing as beautiful as ever, except there was still a leg missing, which made him aware that she prioritized healing her eye first.

Nonetheless, was this returning back his words to her?

He didn't bother about that, but his lips couldn't help but curve as he couldn't help but make use of this rare chance to…

"Just to let you know that I could last longer…" to crack a lame yet provocative joke.

"…"

Myria looked quite taken aback before she shook her head, her voice sounding exasperated, "I see. Quite childish as your imitation said..."

'Hmm, I don't think you understood the nuance in it.'

Davis inwardly shook his head, thinking that it was a wasted gag, but since Myria didn't seem to be provoked, he didn't bother anymore and opened his lips.

"Do you still want to try again?"

Myria smiled as though she had heard the funniest thing in the world.

"I'll do all nine challenges or die trying. I refuse to believe that I can't win against myself even though it's a prowess higher. There must be some kind of way."

Davis raised his brows in response, "Didn't you say that you had some tricks up your sleeves?"

"That would require time, and it was precisely because of that my imitation was more ruthless than yours, barraging me with all it got without a care for accidentally dying first..."

'Mine is more cautious, like me...' 

Davis shrugged but narrowing his eyes a second later, he couldn't help but ask.

"If you don't mind telling, what kind of method were you about to employ to defeat your powerful imitation?"

"A spirit formation."

Myria didn't even hesitate to reveal while Davis appeared taken aback.

"…? What kind?"

"A simple one, one that increases your Soul Forging Cultivation's prowess by a bit but by sacrificing my soul essence, I can allow my prowess to increase by a level."

"…" Davis couldn't help but gawk.

If Myria used blood essence, it was obvious that the imitation would do the same as it seemed to be made of the same flesh and blood, although the severed flesh was transformed back into chaotic energy and was pulled back into the formation.

Nevertheless, even if the imitation used blood essence and used the same spirit formation, there was something called a restrictive limit put on it, which made it so that its prowess could not raise above eight levels unless the original directly used their blood essence to improve their prowess rather than use a spirit formation to increase their prowess!

This was a freaking loophole, and Myria found it, causing him to become stunned!

"However, its cast time is five seconds, which is small considering that it's a spirit formation but not for battles like these. I almost got slaughtered halfway into concocting my plan into reality. It's not viable, to say the least."

Myria's voice dryly echoed, surprisingly seeming to be in the mood for a discussion as she opened up about her plan.

Perhaps, his way of acknowledging her battle by going himself to battle had moved her slightly?

Davis didn't know. However, he also didn't understand, his brows frowning.

"In that case, why didn't you use such spirit formations during our battle?" 

He was also aware that Ellia gave a lot of spirit formations to Yotan and Threelotus but naturally, how could they compare to what Myria was about to use.

That spirit formation was probably at the Immortal Grade, but still, she should still have a spirit formation that allows her to increase her prowess at a lower level when they battled.

However, Myria smilingly shook her head, not believing he actually brought it up at this time.

"Then you would've resorted to using that damned treasure's killing prowess on me, not to mention that I didn't have cast time in the end once I realized that you have that damned treasure. Knowing you, you would've reacted the same as your imitation did, not letting me construct an unknown spirit formation and barraged me with all you got. Besides, how could you best me at using Reincarnation Laws?"

"I didn't expect you to use it quickly at all as I said once before that it's impossible to properly use Reincarnation Laws before Immortal King Stage, much less overwhelm me. Although I was careless, I accept that it's my loss, but it won't be the same in this trial, so you better watch out."

"…"

Davis remained speechless.

Did she hold back or not back then?

He took a deep breath, knowing not to underestimate her as back then, he only won by a slight margin, taking her by surprise.

Nonetheless, now that he knew that the advantage he held in this trial was only by a slight margin again as she found a loophole that she could use as long as she found the time to cast that spirit formation that increased her prowess to eight levels while using reincarnation energy, he felt the urgency that had disappeared, return.

If he kept slowly grinding to find a viable way to defeat his imitation, then it was obvious to him that she would quickly find a way to cast that spirit formation and emerge as the victor. 

'Damn it. If I at least had my Supreme Immortal Runes, I could at least temporarily unleash a technique that's eight levels higher but sacrificing those two Supreme Immortal Runes is the price to pay for creating this heavenly physique. Although the runes are sacrificed, I still have the insights. As long as I could create a powerful technique using the same insights...'

Davis couldn't help but wonder as he brainstormed.

Runes were something that resonated with the heaven and earth energy, acknowledging their insights and unleashing tremendous energy contained within it on top of using a large part of their essence energy. However, battle techniques were different. They were unleashed through the learner's own insights and practice. Although it was possible for them to borrow heaven and earth energy while using these battle techniques, they were mostly unleashing their own energy quite literally.

But still, if his imitation also got hold of that technique, although its prowess would be limited to the peak of eight levels in prowess, it wouldn't fare much better when he unleashed unless he released that battle technique at a point-blank range.

However, his imitation was cautious enough not to get closer to him while barraging him with powerful techniques.

Moreover, now that Myria had revealed her tricks, he knew he lacked the time and couldn't wait to develop a technique of such power.

'Is there no other way to rely on Fallen Heaven…?'

Davis couldn't help but feel disheartened, but he instantly shook his head.

'No, I want to win by myself and prove to myself that I'm stronger than her!'

Davis felt that it was a pity that he couldn't win against Myria last time using his own powers, but now, since they were competing for a treasure, if he won using his own powers, it would naturally make him the winner. That battle was a tie on his knot and perhaps Myria as well.

However, just because they wanted to make it clear who was the exact winner, as Myria claimed to have been careless, they couldn't have a rematch to the death. That would break the precarious relations they built so far, but to compete for a treasure they both wanted, and the trials appeared somewhat fair, then it became fair enough for whoever came out on top to declare themselves as the winner of both battles! 

Davis and Myria both eyed each other from the corner of their eyes, seemingly having their own gripes about that battle and wanting to prove themselves. However, with both of them appearing heavily injured, they didn't go battle again anytime soon as they focused on healing.

After a week, they decided to try again.

The third chance; naturally ended in failure!

However, Myria was able to survive her imitation's onslaught for well over twenty minutes, while Davis survived for thirty minutes straight.

They were again heavily wounded, even missing some organs but made it outside nonetheless.

Evelynn and the others who occasionally came to check up on him couldn't help but shed tears as they saw his bloodied figure, worried and restless that he might die if this continued. However, they didn't dare try to change his mind, afraid that he might become discouraged if they pressed him to leave and eventually fail because of them.

After all, these battles only required an intrinsical breakthrough to change the tide and evolve within the battle like Shirley did, although in her case, it was easier as she could achieve a similar prowess by combining ice and fire while Davis and Myria couldn't still reach that level.

Time passed again, and it was a long while before they used their fourth chance to challenge the trial.

But once again, they were met with failure and heavy wounds. It wasn't long before they used their fifth chance, but they failed to defeat their imitations likewise. 

However, their injuries were far less and less harmful, their bodies, or rather, instincts, becoming used to dodging their own strengths and taking advantage of their own weaknesses! 

But still, their brows couldn't help but hold a deep frown as they were no longer immune to being killed by their imitations!