Asura Conqueror

When Zoey heard about Marcus how he would be devastated, she steeled herself and dove into the trials. She made herself feel numb to the pain around her body. Her soul was screaming after every trial she accomplished.

"Is it over?" Zoey once again asked. She looked at the stunning woman in a red dress in front of her.

Lazula shook her head. "You still have one last trial ahead. Should we begin?"

Zoey dropped her head. Her body wanted nothing more than to give up, but something in her soul asked her to continue.

With a tired and weak sigh, she said. "Let's get this over with."

Lazula smiled and snapped her fingers once more.

Zoey's legs began to tremble as she fell to the ground. She couldn't control her body anymore. Her eyes started to close and her body started to fall. 

Lazula walked away. 'This trial will determine if we'll see each other again, my friend.'

She wasn't worried about Zoey failing. Deep down she already accepted her fate a long time ago.

After she reached a few dozen meters away, she stopped and turned to watch the ongoing trial. The so-called trials are only Zoey accepting her power, the power to control blood. After each accomplished trial, Zoey will be imparted with the knowledge of her magic, everything about her magic.

Lazula calmly stared at the convulsing Zoey who was on the ground. 

Right now Zoey is seeing her worst fears while her soul is being tested.

----

Marcus and the others waited inside the stone. They all didn't care what was happening outside anymore. As for now, their focus was on the pool. They were all waiting for Zoey to come out.

"If Zoey passes the trials and Lazula comes back, wouldn't we be invincible," Nexus spoke.

Marcus shook his head. "It's going to take some time before Lazula grows back to the powerhouse she once was."

"Still, once we get back to the higher realms, we'll crush those old bastards!" Nexus balled his hands. He could never and would never forget about what happened in the past.

Marcus chuckled. "We're gonna get there, but right now, we have to focus on regaining our strength and surpass our limits."

They now have the advantage of cultivating faster and being more knowledgeable about it. Marcus knew that this would prove important in the later stages of cultivation.

Erika, who was standing beside Marcus, had her eyes on the pool the whole time. 

She had never met Lazula before, but she knew that it was the dragon his father killed.

She, of course, had no familial feelings towards her father, even until the time when she was crowned as the empress of the nether realm.

Her father, after fighting the dragon Lazula, was gravely injured, which meant that she had to take the mantle as her father's sons were all incompetent and she was the only right choice.

However, she wasn't happy, the court controlled everything and she was only Empress by name. Although she had some say, it didn't feel like she was important at all.

She now understood why her brothers never wanted the role of Emperor.

Thankfully Marcus came and took her away. She sheltered him back to health after he failed to kill her father. They then became friends and lovers afterward.

Erika sighed. "I need to go and rest. I'll be in my room." 

Marcus nodded.

"Me too," Emily tiredly said.

They both have gone through a lot tonight and they were exhausted, their bodies were exhausted. All they want right now is to sleep.

Marcus kissed his two wives and watched them leave.

He then turned to look at the pool.

----

Outside in Estra.

"Secure everything, make sure there are no more of those creatures hiding in the city, make it known that the Strongwald family was the vanguard in capturing these abominations!" Senator Bong loudly shouted as the people in front of him.

Other families also did their job, but they didn't send a lot. Most of the soldiers owned by the families were guarding them in case something happens.

"Yes, sir!" The Commanders and Preparation Stage experts in the crows responded. 

They all soon departed and began cleansing the city for nagas and other water creatures that may still be lurking in the dark waiting for a prey to come.

"Excuse me sir, there is a call from the President." A man who stood beside the Senator respectfully spoke as he handed a circular device.

Senator Bong nodded and received it. He tapped a button and a small image of President Frieg Frey hovered in the air above the circular device.

"How are the operations?" The President asked.

"Good sir, we have already started cleaning the city, searching for remnants of those creatures." Senator Bong respectfully reported. 

"Have any of you found out why they attacked us?" President Frieg asked. He too had no idea how this all happened. From what he knew, these creatures were supposed to be peaceful and they have even agreed to live on the same planet peacefully.

"No Mister President," Senator Bong shook his head. "We will still try to interrogate them one by one and see if we can get something out of them."

"Good, keep up the great work." The President's image vanished. He didn't like to talk with Bong any longer than needed.

Senator Bong scoffed as he handed back the circular device to the person standing beside him. 

The only reason he had to be respectful to the President was that, he was only a Senator. Also, although he is one of the leaders of the Strongwald's, he wasn't really the true leader. So he had to remain respectful to Frieg.

The Strongwald's were the ones who volunteered to spearhead this operation for one simple reason, they want all the credit, they need all the credit to regain their lost reputation.

Kin's scandalous act badly damaged their reputation not only in the country but also in the neighboring ones.

----

Zoey slowly opened her eyes, she could feel her heart heavily pounding. She slowly tried to stand up.

This whole thing had been a roller coaster ride for her. She wasn't expecting to experience any of the events that had just happened to her in the past few hours.

Lazula had a bright smile on her face as she floated towards Zoey. "You passed!"

Zoey had no strength left to celebrate. A few seconds after she planted her feet on the ground, she fell back down and slowly lost her consciousness. 

Lazula chuckled. "I never expected you to actually pass."

She then bowed. "Thank you so much!"

Zoey had a slight smile on her face before she finally blacked out.

----

"You think she's fine?" Eva asked. She had already finished the potions an hour or so ago and it was successful.

"I am hoping she is." Marcus sighed.

"Shouldn't the blood shake or something if anything bad happens to her?" Nexus asked.

As he finished his question the water began to show ripples on top, the pool soon became erratic.

"You really shouldn't talk at times like these." Marcus hastily ran towards the side of the pool. 

"Fuck!" Nexus followed. He now thinks that he is cursed.

Eva wanted to laugh, but her brows were scrunched as she followed the two.

"What do you think is happening to her?" Nexus asked.

Marcus also had his brows furrowed. "No clue."

The dragon pool shook and soon they could see a figure coming out, hugging something.

Marcus smiled. "She did it. She actually did it."

Nexus blinked a few times. "No way! No way! I didn't bring any bad luck. She's alive!"

Nexus laughed maniacally. It wasn't known if he was happy because Zoey is alive or if he was happy because he wasn't cursed.

Nexus then controlled Zoey and made her float forward towards the hardwood floor.

Eva hastily covered Zoey's naked body, she then noticed that Zoey was clutching, to what looked liked, an egg.

"Could this be?" Eva looked at the blood-red egg.

"That should be Lazula." Marcus grinned. He didn't grab the egg, but he let it peacefully rest in Zoey's arms.

Eva looked at Nexus. "We should let her lay on a bed. She must have gone through a lot."

Nexus nodded and lifted her up with his spell.

They soon went to a room and placed Zoey inside.

Marcus sighed in relaxation. "She definitely surprised me this time."

It felt like a huge burden had come off his shoulders. He had been looking for a candidate in his past life, but none seemed to be the perfect one. His standards were, of course, high. 

"Now that this is all over, we should head home, or at least know what is happening outside," Eva said as she finished tucking Zoey in.

Marcus nodded. "Nexus can do that, I will be going in the chamber to get some answers from the person who works for the Strongwald's"

Nexus agreed and immediately left the stone, Zoey went to the alchemy room, and Marcus proceeded to the chamber