The Sea Dragon Empress was taken back to the Duke's Palace where she was kept in a heavily guarded cell.
In the cell, there was no window, and the walls were made of thick, cold stone that seemed to absorb any unfamiliar essence that touched it.
Heavy iron bars reinforced the door, which was locked with a mechanism so intricate that only the Duke held the key.
The cell was dimly lit by a single torch flickering in the corridor outside, casting long shadows. The floor was uneven and cold.
A small wooden bench, worn and splintered, was the only furniture in the room. Despite its simplicity, the cell was designed with one purpose. It was to make it impossible for anyone to escape.
Every detail, from the reinforced ceiling to the hidden traps were made with perfection in mind.
Even the guards outside the cell were chosen for their loyalty and strength. The cell was, in every sense, a fortress within a fortress.
The Sea Dragon Empress was tossed inside the cell, her arms still tied to the shackles that were attached to the high hooks on the wall.
The Duke didn't spare a second glance to the Sea Dragon Empress as he left the hall, not wanting to spend the entire night being a babysitter of someone who had no hope.
On the way back, he didn't forget to remind his men to keep an eye on the Sea Dragon Empress throughout the night, his expressions appearing quite pleased.
At first, he was upset that the False Priestess had managed to escape from his grasp. However, now that they had caught the Sea Dragon Empress, it could be considered to partially make up for that mess.
His contribution in this was almost negligible but it still happened in his city so he was quite pleased.
"Is his existence the reason that the sword has become so unstable recently?" She dried her hair with a towel as she stepped out of the shower, wearing nothing around her slender body.
"The bad omen... Is it him?" She wondered.
Everything seemed to be falling into place, even though she didn't understand how it was possible.
There was also an indistinguishable feeling within her heart. It made him feel a sense of danger whenever she looked at Eren. The more she felt it, the more she realized that she couldn't let this man exist.
Unfortunately, she couldn't kill him either. He was not a normal guest. He was a representative sent by Feng Yu. At least that's what she thought.
Even if she had to kill him, she had to do it in such a way that it couldn't be traced back to her. Otherwise, all the chess pieces that she had carefully arranged were going to be destroyed when that crazy woman came to blame her.
....
"You want me to enter the Holy City as an envoy?"
Back in the Great Demon Sect, Xiu Ying had returned from her trip to her ancestral ground.
She first went to meet Eren, only to find out that he was not there. Then, she went to meet Feng Yu who told her that Eren had gone on a vacation to explore the lands. He didn't tell her where he was going or when he was going to be back.
Xiu Ying also came to learn about all the conflict that occured with the Ancestral Elders in her absence. In the end, Feng Yu asked her to finish a task that could only be assigned to her.
"That is right. Although I already have a guess what's happening there, I want you to go and confirm it." Feng Yu nodded.