Chapter 1426: The True Hope

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim had practically frozen like a statue. The eyes of the others were also wide in disbelief, surprise, and excitement. It was only after a moment did Grand Elder Elise Alstreim dumbfoundedly voice out.

"Ezekiel...?"

*Clank!~*

"Elise... I'm back alive..."

Ezekiel Alstreim's voice resounded out. The mask he held onto fell on the floor as he smiled, looking extremely moved to see her beautiful, ever-graceful face as he called her name with a passionate voice.

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's eyes severely trembled. Her heart stirred as tempestuous feelings that she had sealed in her heart rose up like a tide. She could no longer hold herself back as her body began to move towards him without her consent.

She did not fly but ran, her tattered and dirty white sleeves dancing along with her frantic movements until she finally pounced and embraced him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his warmth swell through her body, seeping into her heart.

"Waah!~"

She gasped and cried as tears began to fall from her face while everyone looked dumbfounded at the scene, not believing their eyes other than a few people who were already in the know.

Ezekiel Alstreim felt deeply fulfilled at this moment. It was like his entire being was being revitalized with her warmth. The loneliness he had felt was being slowly taken away, and her cries made him know that she deeply desired him as he had desired her all these years.

His hands couldn't help but want to embrace her as he reached out.

*Paah!~*

Abruptly, a slap echoed as Ezekiel Alstreim's face swiveled to the side.

"...?"

He couldn't help but feel disbelief before he turned to look at his wife.

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim staggered back as she fell butt-flat to the ground, her expression severely trembling while her hand was in a position that looked like if she had slapped someone.

"How dare you...!?"

She uttered with pure hatred as she looked at her husband, no, an illusion! She turned around and scowled as she stood up.

"Who is the one who dared to show me an illusion like this!? Or is that a disguised person who dares to impersonate my husband!? Whoever it is, we can no longer live under the same sky!!! Whoever you are, step out!!!"

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim became utterly enraged as she screamed like a madwoman.

Only her undulations didn't blaze because her cultivation was sealed.

How dare they!? She was already willing to drop the matter and go her own way, but people here still dared to scheme against her, just to make her want to live again. They showed an illusion of her husband or even dared to have another man disguise as her husband to change her mind.

What's more, they really did manage to get her at her moment of weakness!

She did not expect a person with the face and body of her husband to be present at this scene! Even the voice was exactly the same, deeply attracting her! When she recalled that she could have possibly embraced a random man, her eyes turned extremely cold.

Killing intent seeped through her eyes as she felt that one of them in the crowd had gone too far with trying to convince her to live.

Why wouldn't these people just let her die!?

She looked at Ancestor Tirea Snow, directing her hatred at her.

"Is it you? You're the only one who could show me an illusion like this!"

Ancestor Tirea Snow became taken aback, her eyes blinking in confusion. She didn't know half of what was happening at this moment, and yet, why was she being blamed?

However, looking at this fearless woman, she inwardly nodded her head.

She dared to point at her and ask if she was responsible... It took a certain amount of guts to do that, and recalling that this woman was the one who offended the Aqua Flood Dragon, she couldn't help but think, no wonder.

*Creak!~*

"Old man, you can't just barge in like that... Look, I had so much trouble outside, trying to convince the guardians that it was not an enemy but an ally..."

Davis walked into the Ancestral Hall while complaining to Ezekiel Alstreim, followed by a few other people.

"It's you..."

Grand Elder Elise was taken aback by the emergence of another Davis, but she gritted her teeth as she actually misunderstood again. It was Davis's doing as she initially expected. However, her expression changed when she saw a few more people entering the Ancestral Hall, making her dumbfounded.

Nero Alstreim, Keira Alstreim, and Niera Alstreim entered the scene as their eyes looked around, taking off their masks. This time, another person had their eyes go wide, their entire being feeling like it was electrocuted.

It was none other than Nora Alstreim.

She looked at the two figures whom she was deeply familiar with and another figure who looked like herself. They simultaneously matched gazes, becoming stunned at each other's presence before Nora felt her world crumbling.

No, she felt her world experiencing a massive change!

"Nora, don't say you forgot this creep already...?"

Nero Alstreim wryly uttered, shaking his head as he smiled with a bit of expectation when Nora Alstreim abruptly reacted!

Her body moved, her hands subconsciously handing over Laura to the equally stunned Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim before she ran the same way Grand Elder Elise Alstreim ran.

"Father! Mother!!!"

She screeched as tears began to flow like a river from her eyes.

"Nora, my child~~~"

Keira Alstreim instantly flashed towards Nora, closing the distance as she embraced her grown child with all her strength. Nora was just a little girl when she got trapped, but she was now a big woman, already a mother like her that she couldn't help but feel old.

Numerous emotions sunk as they held each other when two more arms embraced them.

Nero Alstreim had tears in his eyes, and he never felt so glad to be alive. He had already arrived here a month before and waited for this moment. It was as if he was waiting for this moment all his life that he couldn't help but shed manly tears silently as he held his wife and daughter.

"Father, mother... you're alive... you're alive..."

Nora Alstreim could only feel immense happiness as well as innumerable emotions that she had suppressed ever since her parents died. She didn't cry a single time for them after their deaths as she vowed that she would live their parts as well, becoming an Immortal while she also immortalizes their legacy.

Her words were incoherent as she couldn't really speak at this moment, only able to hug them while pouring the emotions that she suppressed all this while in her heart.

"It can't be..."

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim muttered as she saw them embrace each other. She knew who they were... How could she not?

But then... if that was the case...!!!

"Ouch... That kinda hurt..." Ezekiel Alstreim wryly spoke as he rubbed his cheek, smiling as he shook his head, "Guess you don't want me anymore..."

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim slowly turned her head to look at her husband that she mistook for an illusion.

"You... Ezekiel... You're alive...?" Her voice seethed with deep disbelief, and her body trembled, unable to believe that he could be here, present at this moment while standing in front of her like nothing happened all these centuries.

Ezekiel deeply smiled at his dumbfounded wife. It was hilarious when he thought that she slapped him to protect her virtue that was reserved for him in the first place, in this lifetime.

"Maybe I'm a ghost... Why don't you check my body, mhm?"

He couldn't help but joke when Elise instantly closed the distance as she embraced him once again. He could feel her body tremble again even though she had already trembled while holding him earlier. However, at this moment, he tightly wrapped his strong arms around her soft body and never let her leave as she deeply took in her scent, almost feeling like the tears he held back were going to come out as he heard her relieved sobs while she was crying into his chest.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I slapped you... I can't believe you're alive...!"

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim tightly held Ezekiel as she cried tears of joy while also feeling intensely apologetic.

"You still want me...?"

Ezekiel teased even though he knew the answer.

"Yes! I want you...! I want no one other than you! Don't ever leave me again! Please...!"

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim pleaded and adamantly shook his body as she held him, tears covering the entirety of her face as she wiped it all off on his robes.

Ezekiel Alstreim's tight embrace turned into one of gentleness as he smiled in a heartened manner. She was still his clingy, pampered, and arrogant Elise that he deeply missed.

At this moment, a luxuriously dressed figure entered the Ancestral Hall, looking like he had heard something crazy. His gaze roamed before he found his mother hugging a man as if her life depended on it as his eyes shot wide.

"Father..." He couldn't help but mutter as his entire body felt a chill.

Ezekiel Alstreim noticed a gaze behind and saw who it was before he turned immensely proud.

It was none other than Eldric Alstreim, his son, and also the current Patriarch of the Alstreim Family!

While all this happened, Davis's expression possessed a deep smile.

When his plans came to fruition, it gave him an extreme sense of accomplishment and judging by how these people reacted, it was apparent to him that these people would begin to praise and respect him more.

At this moment, someone sneakily held his hand.

Turning to look, he saw Niera look at him with her praiseful eyes. It was as if she already saw him as her world that he couldn't help but lean in to kiss at this moment which Niera gladly received and reciprocated with passion.

This world, one that was not dark, but bright was given to her by this man. She partook in his love, feeling herself become fulfilled, deeply satisfied.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim watched all of their reactions, that he smirked, sending a soul transmission to his woman.

"Did you see Davis's smile...? He is really extreme in his schemes, whether it may be ruthless, caring or neutral, managing to pull off everything he sought to achieve..."

Ancestor Tirea Snow couldn't help but smile as a red hue appeared on her cheeks.

"Well, he did bring us together with an aphrodisiac..."

"Hehehe..." Ancestor Dian Alstreim couldn't help but dryly laugh as he shook his head.

Ever since this brat came, it was full of good things, but whether it would continue to be so was something unknown to him, but he hoped it would stay that way. Davis was the hope he had waited for thousands of years, and he was determined to protect him even if he had to give up his life!

At this moment, he was feeling immensely proud of Davis and also the fact that the Alstreim Family has gained an additional Ninth Stage Powerhouse!!!