Divine Emperor of Death

In the distance, Evelynn flicked her sleeve and took a look at the Gilded Realm Ascendant Pill again.

Her gaze shook, knowing this was no different than the fabled Realm Pill. How come such a significant thing was being given as a reward here for clearing a Hidden Pagoda was beyond her, but perhaps that was the reason for the whole wait.

'This type of compensation would sure be appreciated by those powers that fail to win the Candidacy…'

Evelynn nodded in thought, but then she stole it from Rea Tyriel, which left her cheeks burning.

However, holding the pill in her palm, she couldn't stop imagining how he would praise her when she would present this to him.

She began climbing a mountain and wound her way up amidst the valleys and hills. It took her an hour to leave the area she was before.

Soon, she eventually chanced upon some activity in the distance, but looking to her side, she kind of wanted to slice and dice.

"I said if you follow me, the promise is void, right?"

"Jeez, you can have it. It's my loss. On the other hand, I'll get something else from your husband."

Rea Tyriel behaved like a junior sister, pouting and looking wronged, which left Evelynn blinking.

"If you dare backstab me, then expect no mercy."

"If I did that, then I can expect to die not from you but from your husband upon leaving~"

Rea Tyriel flipped her tongue at Evelynn, looking like she was cursing her in some strange hex language or just teasing her.

"As long as you understand…"

Evelynn hid behind a tree and peeked with her third eye. It allowed her to remain hidden well, as only her forehead was barely visible. The deadly eye with a purple-golden hue surveyed the scene before her.

She recognized two people who had led the crystal beasts away from the crystal mountain she had been hiding in.

One of them slashed open a person's throat, seemingly torturing another Candidate.

"An Emperor-Tier being like you need to learn how easy it is to fall from grace…"

*Bang!~*

That man got kicked and sent flying, blood oozing out from his throat all the way to the rock he crashed upon, his mouth spurting a lot of blood as he held his throat, seemingly glaring at his foe with hatred.

Evelynn looked at this scene and recognized that person who was getting played with was the Blaze Wolf Fey. His fire surged out like a wall in order to defend against the next attack but seemed weak and dispersed as quickly as it appeared as though it seemed to have expended his energy against these people, possibly having been captured some time ago.

After all, his upper body was mostly maimed, with crimson cuts and wounds all over the chest and his back.

These Level Nine Immortal Kings were now just toying with the Blaze Wolf Fey, a Level Two Immortal King, humiliating him as they tried to put him in his apparent place.

"Don't take it too far, Ilyas." The other man who stood watching calmly spoke, "We still need him as bait for the crystal phoenix that occupies the nearest energy source."

"Dammit." Ilyas, the person who beat up the Blaze Wolf Fey raised his hand and clenched his teeth, "Just its bird face infuriates me, but it is a good thing it got rid of Marpitas and Kain. Otherwise, the two of them would be acting like the leader here. Fortunately, I got teamed up with you, brother Raon."

"Indeed. Those losers always tried to suppress us instead of competing fairly." Roan nodded with a smile before he returned his gaze to their prisoner, "You got that? We'll allow you to live, but on one condition: lead the crystal phoenix away. As long as you can escape from it, you will get to live."

"Gyu-"

With his throat slashed, the Blaze Wolf Fey was unable to speak properly. He could only glare at them with unconcealed hatred in his eyes, but the two of them didn't seem to be offended; they even smirked at him with expressions full of derision.

"…"

Evelynn watched all this and didn't think she could do anything to interfere, considering the two of them were Level Nine Immortal King Stage cultivators right now.

She felt that it was better to leave since neither she nor Rea Tyriel could take them down.

However, once she saw what was behind them, right above the rock formation, she bit her lips.

"Is that one of those Hidden Pagodas?"

Evelynn turned to ask Rea Tyriel, causing the latter to blink, "I'm not sure. It must be… let's see if there's a monument nearby explaining its details."

"Wait…"

Evelynn halted her as she raised her hand, her brows frowning, "You have a Summon Talisman, right?"

"Huh? What is that?"

"You didn't get one?" "If I had it, I sure would've used it when it sounds something awesome like that~"

Rea Tyriel rolled her eyes, causing Evelynn to frown more.

It seems that Rea Tyriel didn't have a Summon Talisman despite having Black Tyriel as her magical beast pet. This meant that magical beasts weren't allowed to be companions or Immortal Emperor Level companions weren't allowed to enter the Candidacy.

"Wait- it's that thing where a Candidate brought out his magical beast pet, a Twilight Fragrance Cat. It was at Level Nine Immortal King Stage but was shortly killed after a Level Eight Immortal King found its scent annoying. At least, that was what he commented. If I'm right, he was known as Southstar of the Righteous Horn Sect."

"Southstar…"

Evelynn didn't know who it was, so she guessed that person must be from an ancient power that had sealed itself until the Candidacy.

Then again, such a person wasn't important as she focused on what the Summon Talisman entailed.

From the information she had gained, she could probably summon Wisteria at the Level Nine Immortal King Stage, but for how long? She didn't know since that cat was killed.

"Tell me more about what happened at the First Hidden Pagoda…"

"About what?"

"Anything that could be useful."

"…"

Rea Tyriel wondered why she decided to follow Evelynn while Evelynn turned to look at them again, starting to form some kind of plan in her head.

========

*Bang!~*

Shirley glared at Dewzai as nine blobs of flames hit and exploded, engulfing in devilish flames that were extremely hot and even destructive. However, a layer of yellow light covered her, defending her from Dewzai's attack and absorbing the impact.

Watching the scene unfold without the slightest bit of fear, Shirley jumped back and gained distance.

She had used the Defensive Talisman to mitigate whatever attack that came her way, and to her surprise, it worked.

She was unharmed. Perhaps, that was also what Dewzai was hoping as she didn't instantly pursue her.

Instead, she pointed outward, indicating for her to leave.

"Don't be stupid, Dewzai. Do you really think I'm going to back down after coming this far?"

Shirley bit her lips as she smirked at Dewzai.

She didn't think of lying to Dewzai as she wanted a fair battle. However, that didn't mean she would reveal everything.

Shirley knew if she just backed off and collected the required crystal units, she could instantly return and enter the Hidden Pagoda. However, she looked up.

The fact remained that there were vicious crystal creatures up there having spotted her and Dewzai, possibly waiting for them to exit so they could slice them with their crystal claws or crush them to meat paste with their huge, crystalline body.

"So you also noticed…" Novel Fire - novelfire.net

Dewzai walked out of the systematic underground connection of the crystal roots and inclined her head.

"Yeah…" Shirley smiled lightly, "This area is most likely off-limits to the Empyrean Stage Crystal beasts, although I would only limit it to the base of the trunk. If we carelessly exit this space, then we might as well dig our own graves, as there's a huge chance those creatures will descend and destroy us in one fell swoop."

"I think so, too."

Dewzai nodded, "So don't waste my time and leave through an Escape Talisman. I'll find some way to go out and mine to obtain the crystal units."

"How could a pampered lady like you possibly hope to do something here?"

Shirley scoffed, "You should be the one who needs to leave since it is I who is stronger."

She straightened her back and looked rather proud of herself, causing Dewzai's brows to twitch. She didn't know where this woman with King-Tier Fire Phoenix blood was getting her confidence from.

She was an Emperor-Tier Fey, for heaven's sake. The battle result would be quite obvious that she couldn't find entertaining herself with it. She only felt pity as she saw Shirley's Defensive Talisman fail to hold up after nine whole seconds.

"…"

Shirley clenched her teeth. So, nine seconds was the limit for this Defensive Talisman?

She didn't know if she should be thankful or cursing it since the time seemed so short. Still, since it managed to save her from an attack, she inwardly thanked and took a step back, preparing to escape into the woods and weave her way through the crystal mounds.

Only, she needed to find a blind spot first! A blind spot that is privy from all Empyrean Stage Crystal Beasts.

*Tack!~*

She was just about to take her second step when something like a wooden tile broke in her dantian.

It was none other than the ninth seal that was placed on her, causing her eyes to turn wide as she quickly understood someone had already managed to clear a Hidden Pagoda already.

It made her infuriated, but at the same time, her prowess began to grow exponentially, causing a huge smile to appear behind her veil.

"Are you ready for some more humiliation, Dewzai?"