Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim became astounded and shocked as he witnessed the turn of events! Somehow, Claire Alstreim, the woman who should've lost her life in the Forsaken Phoenix Realm, turned up alive right in front of their eyes!
He had a hard time believing the fact that he blinked at least once and confirmed it through a casual sweep of his soul sense!
It was the same for people behind him.
Grand Elder Elise Alstreim, Patriarch Eldric Alstreim and Grand Elder Krax Alstreim were stricken with disbelief!
It was almost common knowledge that one of the distinguished potential candidates for the status of Young Mistress had died in the Forsaken Phoenix Realm.
Even if she was somehow alive, it was impossible for her to return because the youths who had been trapped in the Forsaken Phoenix Realm had never come out alive! Not even once! They had all died with their life tablets shattering sooner or later! It was a confirmed fact that a cultivator got trapped in the secret entrance, then they would die, perhaps meeting some kind of danger.
That's why the appearance of Claire Alstreim left them feeling surreal!
A possibility emerged in their minds: That is, Claire Alstreim could've only found the way out of the Forsaken Phoenix Realm!
However, there was another person who didn't care about such things.
He looked at Claire Alstreim, his body severely trembling as if he were a frail old man. His eyes were becoming moist, and a smile that occasionally frowned appeared on his face, afraid that the Claire Alstreim right in front of his eyes might suddenly disappear.
"Claire..." His voice echoed in a shaky manner.
Claire's heart shook that the sword she firmly held towards Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim couldn't help but tremble. Tears fell out of her eyes that quickly became moist before she cast a look at her father.
"Father, I have safely returned."
The tears that were stuck in Edgar Alstreim's eyes finally fell, drenching his cheeks as it trickled down from his chin.
"Ah~..." A groan of relief, as well as immense elation, filled his heart.
Claire's lips quivered. She cast a look back at Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim but dropped the sword and flew towards her father in an instant!
*Whoosh!~*
"Father!~"
Claire embraced her father and hid her face on his chest, crying as her eyes became red.
Edgar Alstreim stood tall as he patted her head, trying to hold back his tears, but he couldn't. It trickled down as he consoled her.
"It's fine. It's all fine! Father's here..."
Whenever Claire cried, thinking about her mother, this was all he could utter in his helplessness. However, these same words provided immense comfort and courage to Claire that she now stopped crying but just sobbed, trying to calm down her emotions.
Davis smiled at their reunion. He cast a glance at his father, who seemed to have taken his mask off, and saw that he was also smiling widely, but his expression became a bit strange as he saw him recording it with an Imagery Stone on his palm.
'Whatever...' He could tell that Logan was overjoyed, but this was a monumental moment to miss out.
Davis was rather glad that this scene of reunion could be recorded into an Imagery Stone.
On the other hand, Elder Havle Alstreim was shocked to see that Claire Alstreim turned out to be the masked woman! He finally understood this was the reason why the masked woman refused to speak or engage in a battle in the Grand Welcoming Hall!
Lia Alstreim and Tia Alstreim had their mouth agape with shock, but a moment later, they were smiling with happiness. Their Edgar Alstreim had talked a lot about how Claire was his prized treasure and lost her to a few people's schemes.
They were not privy to the entire matter about Claire, but they were overjoyed that their Edgar Alstreim could finally let go of almost all of his burdens! Not only did Claire return, but they also managed to obtain revenge! Not to mention that Edgar Alstreim's dantian had recovered somehow!
It was as if the heavens were completely turning the tide to their favor!
After ten whole seconds, Claire separated from her father as she held his hands. She looked at his emotional face and vice versa.
"Father, your daughter has successfully returned from the Forsaken Phoenix Realm but still has unfinished business in the Alstreim Family."
She reluctantly let go of her father's hands and smiled, "Stay back and watch us..."
Claire turned around and left in a direction.
"Us...?" Edgar Alstreim uttered in momentary confusion as he watched her go back to the side of two people.
Two young men with black hair and blonde hair smiled at Claire.
His heart involuntarily trembled as he abruptly recalled a few words that she uttered while killing Immeth Alstreim.
They... were the husband and son she mentioned about!?
He deeply looked at Davis, and all that didn't make sense to him suddenly made sense! He was indeed his daughter's son as he thought! It was just that he didn't have any time to confirm it once he possessed the doubt, but now that it was revealed to be so, his body started trembling again!
He had a son-in-law and a grandson?
How???
His mind suddenly ceased to think!
Once Claire returned to Davis and Logan's side, she stated, "I want to punish them, but it is up to them what they decide. If they surrender, then it's good. If they resist, we'll leave them now and kill them when we have the requisite power."
"Insolent!" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim took a step forward, "Little girl, I do understand that I was foolish to have committed a few wrongs but do you really think I'll wait for you to grow up to kill me?"
Claire gently smiled as if she didn't possess a dime of hatred, "I didn't ask your opinion, and whether my progeny or I would be able to kill you is something we will find out in the future."
"Progeny?" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim uttered before he turned to look at Logan before Davis, his eyes becoming wide!
"It's you!"
"Took you all long enough..." Davis almost yawned but still stretched his body, "Uh... As my mother said, surrender or be prepared to die because you wouldn't be expecting death coming your way..."
Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's eyes flashed in a solemn light, "The Dragon Queen...?"
"In case if you forgot..." Davis deeply smiled, "Where do you think your precious Nora Alstreim is?"
"Alchemist Davis!!! You dare!?" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim reacted as if his reverse scale had been stepped on, but his expression continually changed, almost becoming aghast.
"Hehe..." Davis let out a chuckle, "I wonder if she is happily training or suffering somewhere? Why don't you try reaching her through whatever messaging talisman you have? Mhm?"
Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim gritted his teeth, but he quickly reacted as he took a messaging talisman from his spatial ring. He sent a wisp of essence energy into it and shouted at it, beckoning Nora Alstreim to say something, but no matter how long he tried, there was no answer.
"Ah!" Davis suddenly shouted as if he recalled something before an object appeared on his palm, "I forgot that Nora Alstreim's messaging talisman is with me..."
"Nora!-"
Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression froze as he raised his head to look at Davis hold the other end to his messaging talisman.
His eyes went bloodshot!
"You bastard!!!"
Eighth stage essence energy flooded the entire sealed region, almost threatening to destroy the seal created by the seventh stage soul force!
*Ssss!~*
However, a hint scorching breeze flowed and eliminated Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's surge of essence energy.
"Stop provoking Valdrey like you provoke me, Davis. Not all are patient like me..." Ancestor Dian Alstreim descended to their level and looked at Davis with a frown, "Although, I don't know if I would be able to keep calm if someone dear to me is kidnapped and used to threaten."
"What's wrong with Nora Alstreim? I recall telling you two not to harm her?" He additionally cast a glance at Claire.
"Haha..." Davis carefreely chuckled, "I don't remember harming her, but if they don't surrender, then perhaps I might recall her being harmed..."
"Davis!!!" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim spoke in an icy tone as his eyes emitted killing intent, "Leave her out of this, and we'll talk..."
"What if I don't? You want to kill me?" Davis provoked, "I'm right here, but unfortunately, I don't think your Ancestor would allow you to do that."
"Aren't I right, Ancestor... Dian... Alstreim...?" Davis enunciated his words as he grinned.
Ancestor Dian Alstreim frowned but looking at Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim take a step forward again; he blocked his path with an indifferent expression on his face.
Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression dimmed. There was no way he could overcome the Ancestor!
Ancestor Dian Alstreim explained, "Just like I promised you all that I won't pursue you all for your wrongs; I gave my word to Davis that no harm would befall him and his family as long as he didn't do something extreme in the Alstreim Family like killing Nora Alstreim."
"I won't force you but surrender if you know what's good for yourself and your family, Valdrey..." Ancestor Dian Alstreim visibly sighed, "You are still my third brother's grandchild, and I don't want to see you die a meaningless death. Now that it's clear that you're a victim of manipulation, you can still barely redeem yourself."
Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression trembled while Davis stopped smiling.
In truth, Davis didn't like using this method, using Nora Alstreim to threaten Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim as it was trashy and despicable in his mind. However, the alternate method was to instakill them with Fallen Heaven.
Clearly, since his mother said that she wanted to punish them, he respected her wishes and stained his hands with something he didn't like.
Otherwise, he would've outright killed them and be done with it.
He inwardly sighed, 'To kill them is easy but to make them surrender is troublesome!'