Divine Emperor of Death

Ancestor Dian Alstreim walked into the room without making much of a noise, possessing an indifferent expression on his face. Looking at the people in this room, adopt a defensive posture against him as if he was their enemy, he inwardly shook his head.

*Pa!~*

The sound of a knee hitting the surface could be heard.

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim abruptly went on his knees as he clasped his hands, "Ancestor, please find it in your heart to forgive Grand Elder Elise Alstreim! She didn't mean to bring the Aqua Flood Dragon to the Grand Alstreim City and was just intent in escaping from the dragon's maws. I am sure that it was her subconscious that made her escape towards the Grand Alstreim City to seek protection, unwittingly bringing the Aqua Flood Dragon with her."

"I ask the revered Ancestor to forgive my Elise... my daughter... Please..."

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim kowtowed as he begged.

Patriarch Eldric Alstreim looked at his grandfather as his eyes shook. He was about to follow suit when Ancestor Dian Alstreim waved his hand as they all stood up straight and remained tall.

"Calm down... I still haven't heard about Elise Alstreim's health condition from the apothecaries as I have come here after cleaning up a bit of the mess. Do you all want me to be hasty in giving a judgment?"

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim instantly shook his head while the others did the same. In front of the Ancestor, they seemed as if they were no better than teenagers, regardless of their ages.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim turned his head towards Grand Elder Elise Alstreim and saw how weak she looked. Honestly, he found it a bit disheartening to see her like this.

A stunning and capable Grand Elder of the Alstreim Family becoming like this didn't sit well with his inclinations.

What's more, Grand Elder Elise Alstreim was his little brother's great-granddaughter and an excellent talent who was once equal to the current Young Mistress Nora Alstreim at that time. Even though she was mostly disrespecting him on various occasions, he didn't take it to heart because of these two reasons.

Once Ancestor Dian Alstreim heard Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's health condition from Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim, he was honestly relieved.

He was pleased that Valdrey Alstreim didn't provide many excuses for this blatant crime and quickly kowtowed as an apology while covering for his daughter, asking him to forgive. He was immensely gratified that Valdrey Alstreim didn't resort to any schemes at this moment and bring in a scapegoat, or accuse anyone of plotting against his daughter.

However, crime was a crime. He had to deliver the punishment even if he approved of Valdrey Alstreim's actions.

"Almost two hundred thousand people died of which, at least around thousand of them are confirmed to be Law Dominion Stage Cultivators. As for the rest, they differ from the First Stage to the Sixth Stage."

"The financial damage is severe and is the worst we have encountered in this millennium. The defensive formation, Volcanic Crystal Wall Barrier, and the offensive formation, Eight Ashfall Arms alone took the most while the damage done to the northern region of the Grand Alstreim City would cost a quarter of that amount. Altogether, we have lost millions of Peak-Level Spirit Stones according to my guess, but Krax Alstreim would arrive with an estimate soon."

"The crime of inviting a calamity-level threat to the Grand Alstreim City is severe enough to be awarded an execution, and on lesser yet dangerous cases that could've been resolved by me alone, life-imprisonment. Furthermore, there were no warnings given to us by Grand Elder Elise Alstreim, giving her no credit or the validation to confirm that she held no thoughts of harming the Alstreim Family."

"All of the above crimes is enough for Grand Elder Elise Alstreim to be stripped of her title, publically executed by beheading while having her descendants up to three generations meet the same fate!"

"Ancestor!!!" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim and Patriarch Eldric Alstreim screamed in shock.

Nora Alstreim and Weiss Alstreim's expression became aghast, but the latter secretly heaved a sigh that he was not on the list. Although these two were not included in the three generations list, Nora Alstreim couldn't help but fret for Grand Elder Elise Alstreim and Patriarch Eldric Alstreim.

"You two know extremely well that I'm not making this up..." Ancestor Dian Alstreim spoke with his hands behind his back.

"Furthermore, if not for me, the other two Ancestors and most importantly, the Conferred Queen who drove the Aqua Flood Dragon away, the losses would be enough to completely uproot the foundations of our Alstreim Family, rendering the formations useless from the lack of spirit stones."

"It wouldn't be long before another power arrives and lays claims to our declining power. Perhaps, even the Yantra Family of the Flowing Mist Sect would come knocking on our doors if this incident went down in a disastrous path."

"Hence, I assume that you can all understand the significance of this incident, right?"

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim became increasingly aghast. Even Patriarch Eldric Alstreim was unable to provide any kind of retorts, even though he also became a target to be executed. After all, it was his mother who brought upon a calamity to the Alstreim Family, and as the Patriarch, he possessed the responsibility to uphold the rules and execute his own mother before killing himself.

What kind of a cruel fate was this!?

It was too much of a ruthless future that all blood on his face left when he imagined it, leaving him speechless in despair and hopelessness. As the Patriarch, he knew that Ancestor Dian Alstreim's words were true without any falsehood.

His lips trembled, trying to speak out, but no words came out.

"I-Is... Is there no way to overturn this conclusion?" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim blankly asked with a voice filled with despair. Even he was hopeless to change anything with regards to the verdict.

If he was going to struggle against this decision, it would mean that they were completely offending the Ancestor, which would leave no room for anyone in his family to survive!

Ancestor Dian Alstreim hesitated for a few seconds before he nodded his head, "There is..."

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression changed, and he looked as if he was going to jump and grab on to the last straw of hope!

"What is it!? I'll do anything I can! Even if it's a life or death mission that requires me to lay my life down without obtaining a profit in the end for the Alstreim Family, I'll do my best to fulfill!"

"Are you sure?" Ancestor Dian Alstreim narrowed his eyes.

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim gave a firm nod as he clenched his fists.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim visibly sighed, "I am far too reluctant to let any of you in this room die other than a single talent-less person. Each of you is irreplaceable in your own way, and I would not like to see our Alstreim Family's overall power to decrease not by a single bit anymore."

"However, Elise Alstreim's wrongs can still be severed by some of you taking responsibility for her."

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim was relieved at hearing Ancestor's thoughts about them, but he furrowed his brows on hearing the last statement, "That means...?"