Divine Emperor of Death

Zenova Artoria couldn't help but smile behind her veil.

"As a sign of good faith, I don't mind revealing the location of the Crystal Gate first, as confirming it in this place is impossible unless you soulscour me, and what I asked is going to be a long conversation."

She turned northeast and pointed at the volcanic mountains shrouded in fog.

"You would reach the Crystal Gate if you keep heading northeast. As for how I know it, it's because I was near it when I was teleported into this Crystal World."

"If what you're saying is true, that would be greatly helpful." Agnirei nodded, "As for the events that occurred, you should know seven Hidden Pagodas were completed as seven seals are gone. Raigen and Southstar would explain the rest."

"Huh?" Southstar made a troubled sound.

"Very happily! Thought you'd never ask~"

On the other hand, Raigen appeared beside Zenova Artoria with a fabulous expression and began talking as all four of them continued to head further.

"…"

Zenova Artoria didn't know what to say to this red-haired man who suddenly went from a peerless hero with a lightning saber armament to one of the people who looked like they were courting her, trying to get into her good books.

Perhaps he was just acting to let her lower her guard, so she maintained her senses to be more vigilant.

Although he was like a mosquito flying around her, she understood the gist of what went on.

'I see… Before Shirley finished the Ninth Hidden Pagoda, the First Hidden Pagoda was cleared by Rea Tyriel, not bad…'

She listened and managed to know the general course of the events, finally knowing she was stuck in the volcanic mountains for most of the time as the terrain was difficult to navigate. She even got trapped in a natural maze formation. However, she didn't care as she already earned a Gilded Realm Ascendant Pill enough for her to increase her prowess by many times.

It was the poor Altross, Zoltross and Fanwain who suffered because she made them act like chained dogs or even worse than that when she got frustrated enough.

"That's right. We still don't know who won the Second, Third, Fourth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Hidden Pagodas, although only two Hidden Pagodas are left among these."

"I see."

Zenova Artoria kept mum about her completing the Seventh Hidden Pagoda. However, they seemed to know who completed the Fifth Hidden Pagoda, and apparently, it was that Azure Tree woman she didn't know much about.

It was difficult for her to pinpoint which of the two were left even if she knew Shirley completed the Ninth Hidden Pagoda.

She wondered if they managed to stay safe, considering the winners were carrying something like the Gilded Realm Ascendant Pill. In fact, she was amazed that this treasure's name and effects hadn't been revealed yet.

'Or are they hiding it from me…?'

Zenova Artoria didn't know, but she never let her guard down, even if Raigen kept yapping beside her.

"What!?"

She was even shocked to hear that they armaments they possessed were at Empyrean Grade, making her want to research them. However, she wasn't willful or shameless enough to ask, so she kept quiet.

Most of all, she didn't want to owe them any favors, especially not Raigen.

She also received the information that these armaments managed to keep the Empyrean Crystal Beasts at bay, although she was told not to rely on them relying on it.

In any case, Raigen talked a lot, even about his family and his wives, as though introducing himself to her honestly.

Before her ears bled, they reached the end of the path. Further out, the land they were standing on was full of ocean water, dark, and appeared to be lacking visibility.

It made them even more afraid of the vast ocean.

"Guess we'll just travel by a boat…"

Southstar manifested his hammer and began whacking the trees by the side. Soon, he made a simple wooden construct, making the others blink. They thought it would be much more complex than that, but he just took a big tree trunk and smashed it into the shape of a boat, widening their horizons.

"Ladies first…"

Southstar gestured with a light smile.

"Make two boats. We need to scatter and escape if something attacks us."

Agnirei commanded with a frown. She didn't like the ocean.

She would prefer to head into the volcanic mountains on the northern side instead. However, since Zenova Artoria appeared from there, chances are that whatever was there was taken away.

She looked at her with some suspicion but didn't think an Immortal King, someone who climbed the eighth step, could do anything in front of others. As for Rea Tyriel, she was just lucky that she wasn't targeted in the beginning since everyone was avoiding a battle until the First Hidden Pagoda was cleared.

"Fine…"

Southstar nodded and moved towards the trees to make one more boat.

It was not a flying boat, but they could make it fly as long as they used their energy to propel it.

Soon, he was finished with another boat, so Zenova Artoria and Agnirei boarded it. As for the first one, they left it for the two men, making them smirk at each other, knowing what the ladies were afraid of.

The two boats floated in the water and were propelled forward by them.

They quickly left the shore, making their way east.

Zenova Artoria sat in a corner as she let Agnirei handle the flying boat. She couldn't help but look at her back, knowing she would've tried to woo this spirit if it weren't for obtaining annihilative heavenly lightning.

That's how delicious Agnirei was in her eyes. After all, a first-ranked Immortal Grade Spirit would make any fire-attributed cultivator go crazy if their intentions were to obtain the spirit's powers.

Originally, she had the idea of forming spirit pacts with two spirits, one lightning spirit, and one flame spirit, as they could grow together, but she threw out that idea upon meeting Davis and ended up targeting him.

However, she didn't need him anymore as she was now an Anarchic Divergent who would attract annihilative heavenly lightning and even annihilative heavenly flames if she was collected karmic sin enough.

Nonetheless, her eyes couldn't help but squint.

They crossed tens of kilometers in this sea but have yet to meet a single creature attacking them...?

Was the ocean relatively calmer than they thought...?

It was not only Zenova Artoria who found it suspicious but the others as well.

While having those doubts, they headed further. Eventually, they came across a foggy sea region. It might very well be the place of conflict they expected, causing them to be highly alert.

They entered the foggy sea and ventured further. The world around them began to dissolve into an eerie, gray clouds. They were swallowed by the fog, leaving only the muted sound of water and the occasional silence that made them feel like something would pop out the water.

"Stay close. Fogs can be disorienting, and this one seems capable of sealing our senses."

Agnirei informed Southstar and Raigen as she looked towards their wooden boat. They returned a nod and kept sticking close, maintaining a ten-meter distance. Although the fog was tricky, they could still see thirty to forty meters around them.

They continued heading towards the direction of what they perceived to be east.

They couldn't trust their own sense of direction here, but they had no choice but to try.

"We're moving east…"

Zenova Artoria commented.

When they looked at her questioningly, she explained that she could sense the marks she placed in the northern volcanic mountains, allowing her to know which direction they were taking.

"As expected of the number one Celestial Fairy of this era. She is not only beautiful beyond compare but also pretty… I mean, smart…"

Raigen chuckled.

"…"

Zenova Artoria remained silent.

They continued sailing east. The fog didn't get any thicker, but they narrowed their eyes at some strange silhouettes in the distance. As the fog shifted, they eventually saw what it was and became astonished.

It was another boat- no, three boats.

"Ah, it's the infamous Fairy Thunderblaze…"

Came a surprised sound from the distance, and Zenova Artoria also recognized them, causing her to unable to suppress a smile.

"Shirley Davis and the others from the Earth Dragon Clan, Fire Phoenix Clan. You look like you're all on a picnic to venture out on the seas…"

Her brows twitched ever so lightly. She couldn't believe these people were all able to meet up in just three days, making her wonder if this was a coincidence. And wasn't Shirley supposed to be in the far west, under the Empyrean Stage Crystal Beasts? How did she get here so soon?

Did she use an Escape Talisman?

'Or is it because I was stuck in that natural maze formation for so long…?'

Zenova Artoria wasn't amused, but she stood up and cupped her hands.

"Stay away or face our wrath, wicked people under the Anarchic Divergent."

However, Agnirei raised her right hand, summoning a giant spherical inferno in the air, looking ready to throw it on them.