Chapter 2017 - Responding

"Mhm…" Natalya expressed at this moment, her eyes looking contemplative, "Ivy Aries could've retreated to our Soul Palace and found shelter from the Emperor Sword Sect's attack."

"Don't you remember that she rejected my help? How can she let go of her pride?" Davis smiled as he shook his head.

The Jade Lotus Valley were a prideful bunch. Otherwise, they would've opened their doors to many powers long ago instead of being secluded, only opening their doors to a few powers.

"There's no need to cling onto pride at that moment of life and death, right?" Natalya was still confused, feeling a bit sad as she had made some acquaintance with Ivy Aries.

Davis pursed his lips, wondering if his women had misunderstood his interaction with Ivy Aries. However, he could see that Natalya was worried.

"Well then, I promised Evelynn a trip to the Poison Rift Valley's rifts after the competition. Let's just wait for Myria to wake up and things calm before we go. If Ivy Aries is still alive in that place, we'll save her."

"Although there could be gains, the rifts are dangerous." Evelynn intervened, "Part of the reason that it's unexplored is that the heaven and earth energy is contaminated with poison and couldn't be absorbed even by poison users. However, if it's Ivy Aries..."

Evelynn recalled Ivy Aries's World Devouring Water Body Physique that was able to devour almost all kinds of energy to replenish herself.

"She might be able to survive by herself."

"I think so too." Davis nodded as he already thought of it, "Perhaps, Ivy Aries knows what she's doing. Who knows? It could also be because her lucky chance is there. After all, when geniuses like her get cornered, they do end up coming out more powerful. Ahaha."

Everyone couldn't help but shake their heads at Davis's imagination. The chances for that were very low. After all, countless geniuses end up perishing in danger zones. Otherwise, the world would be teeming with terrifying geniuses, making them the norm.

"However," Davis continued as a devilish grin emerged on his lips, "Myria wouldn't be waking up anytime soon unless I healed her. I'll go pay a visit to the Emperor Sword Sect now and see what kind of defenses they possess before I make a trip to the Vast Trash Palace."

The eyes of others sharply constricted as they witnessed his cold grin.

At this moment, Davis's Solitary Soul Avatar arrived before him and placed a finger over his forehead. Subsequently, the soul force belonging to the avatar was being transferred to Davis.

Davis began feeling rejuvenated.

His soul force began climbing. Thirty-two percent…. Thirty-six percent… Forty percent… Fifty percent… Sixty percent and finally ended up reaching seventy-four percent. The Solitary Soul Avatar only possessed ten percent remaining soul force, his face looking exhausted before.

With his soul force restored to mild levels, Davis felt much of his exhaustion alleviating. He moved towards Myria, healing her severed hand, and ended up using four percent of his soul force but considering that it was an injury made with Fallen Heaven's reincarnation energy, he wasn't surprised by the drastic usage.

Turning around towards the others, he declared.

"All of you stay in the Purple Guest Palace. Those magical beasts that Myria summoned would be able to know her position once Myria wakes up since I muse that they haven't shown up yet due to the different characteristics of the soul pact disallowing them to find her while weak. Also, beware of her Ice Phoenix that dwells in her soul sea. Although it's injured, it's still a menace."

After leaving an ample warning, his figure disappeared, causing the others to blink rapidly.

"Ah! Why didn't anyone stop him!? He just came back from a gruesome battle!"

Natalya made a scene and looked around, noticing that the others had just woken up from their daze. They all collectively looked at her before at Davis, or rather his avatar, and demanded an answer. However, he merely waved his hand, telling them to leave.

Failing to obtain an answer even after a few tries, they could only leave reluctantly, returning to the Purple Guest Palace.

Davis brought a chair out and sat in front of Ellia. He looked at her serene face, wondering when she would wake up and start making trouble. Nonetheless, he sat in a lotus position and began restoring his soul force that slowly began to recover.

=========

A silhouette arrived in the Emperor Sword Sect Territory, breaking through the Territory Fog and rushing towards the distance. Soon, that figure arrived in front of a grand location above a cliff. From the cliff led to a tall flat mountain, and there were giant structures everywhere.

In the center was a giant sword that pointed at the heavens.

Of course, it was not a sword but a building. However, layers and layers of powerful swords were surrounding that building stacked upon each other. At this moment, this killing formation that was touted as the Emperor Sword Sect's greatest defensive formation was already activated.

Davis scoffed at their defense and arrived at their gates, an arch etched with many types of sword patterns. Just by looking at it would cause a cultivator to feel pressured, causing their eyes to receive a stinging pain, but to Davis, it was nothing.

Since Ivy Aries killed many Emperor Sword Sect elders, including Ancestor Shard, he ruminated that she fulfilled some part of her ancestral duties. With that, he was inclined to complete the revenge, but most of all, he was here to plunder their wealth!

Unceremoniously, he hovered forward and directly executed a punch, his fist traveling straight towards the arch gate.

*Boom!~*

The gates were sent flying into the sect while many shuddered from the impact, only now noticing that they had an invader flying into their Emperor Sword Sect!

"Halt!"

"Stop! You're intruding on the sacred grounds of the Emperor Sword Sect!"

Various outraged shouts echoed, causing Davis to narrow his eyes. Didn't they know who he was?

"I've come to lay waste to the Shard Family. Anyone who doesn't belong to the Shard Family can scram."

As Davis spoke, his eyes turned red. His targets were everyone who possessed 'Shard' in their names.

But at this moment, twenty cultivators with swords rushed towards him, their eyes gleaming with a sharp intent. However, before they could even get near Davis, they dropped dead like flies, thrashing their way to him before they stayed unmoving on the ground.

If one looked properly, one could see indistinct strands of death energy had penetrated their soul seas, destroying their souls.

Davis felt annoyed as he glanced at their corpses but didn't stop hovering forwards. They weren't Shards but disciples and elders of the sect. He already told them to escape, but since they didn't heed his words, he killed them, and indeed, that caused the others to know the difference, their expressions severely changing into one of horror.

"He-he's the Emperor of Death!"

With someone finally noticing him, the expressions of the others changed. They instantly scrammed for their lives, not remaining to become sacrifices. However, some of them ended up levitating into the air, unable to control themselves.

"No!! Please spare me! I'm not a Shard!"

"You dare renounce your family name?" Davis gawked as he saw the people whom he had captured with his soul force.

The ones he captured were all Shards. Heck, even if he couldn't see their names, their luxurious white robes possessing a unique emblem alone said that they were Shards.

Was this supposed to be the Emperor Sword Sect's bravery? How could these trash rule this place that was said to be full of unbending and righteous men?

Even his blood couldn't help but boil over witnessing such characters who'll do anything when they're in power but hide and cower when facing a real threat, not taking the same authority and accountability they held over in times of peace.

*Bzzz!~*

At this moment, hundreds of swords rushed towards him. Their undulations were at Peak-Level Ninth Stage. However, the prowess they unleashed was comparable to two levels higher than Peak-Level Ninth Stage.

Davis sneered and was just about to strike when the swords stopped in mid-air, hovering vertically.

*Whoosh!~* *Whoosh!~* *Whoosh!~*

Behind them, many white-robed powerhouses appeared, their expressions alternating between nervousness and sternness as they held their swords. The atmosphere around them was thoroughly gloomy, but it did nothing to vindicate them of this problem as Davis put down his hand and laughed.

"Aha! You actually didn't die?"

In the middle of the Grand Elders and the Sect Leader of the Emperor, Sword Sect stood a pale-faced, white-robed man. The blood on his face was drained as though he had used plenty of blood essence, and his gaze was full of rancor.

Looking at this rat, Ancestor Shard somehow surviving Ivy Aries's attack, Davis felt that he had some skill to be fooling Yotan and the All-Seeing Emperor.

"Emp-Emperor of Death…! Let's… let's make a deal!"