Divine Emperor of Death

Ancestor Dian Alstreim kept a cold expression, refusing to engage in negotiation. However, inwardly, he was laughing. The Illusory Yantra King Bell was fed and refined by countless experts of the Yantra Family. Using their blood essence and soul essence, they refined it through generations and generations, forming an immense karmic connection with it.

The blood and soul of the Yantra Family and the spirit of the Illusory Yantra King Bell were intricately connected, making it so that their karmic ties are connected as well. If he took this legacy artifact away from them, he would be giving them an invisible blow! 

Without these countless refinements, it is difficult for an artifact to possess karmic quality unless they were innately karmic through the aid of the cultivation world's mysterious elements and materials.

Nevertheless, Ancestor Dian Alstreim understood that he couldn't give this legacy artifact to them even without a valid reason since they have deeply offended him. Besides, he understood that legacy artifacts might not just be limited to one but two or more. However, he only knew of the existence of the Illusory Yantra King Bell and wasn't aware of any details pertaining to another legacy artifact that belongs to the Yantra Family.

After all, it isn't easy to refine a legacy artifact as it required time, blood, and soul sacrifice.

The Alstreim Family possessed two legacy artifacts! One was with him, and the other was with Patriarch Eldric Alstreim.

Unlike the Alstreim Family's ninety thousand years of history, the Yantra Family's history was short, only around forty thousand years. They were the new power that emerged within the Flowing Mist Sect. Hence, it made logical sense to him that the Yantra Family didn't possess two or more legacy artifacts that affected their karmic luck.

"At this point, even having dialogues is a luxury. Elizar Yantra, if you want your legacy artifact back, I would demand a steep price, but it is extremely steep that you wouldn't be able to pay up even if you empty your family's coffers."

"Just forget it!" Ancestor Dian Alstreim turned back and took a step into the air, "If you have nothing else to say, leave. The next time I see you or your Yantra Family experts enter my Territory without permission, I'll form a punitive force to kill!"

"Dian, you're making this worse for yourself! With no compromise, do you think that your declining power can survive!?"

Ancestor Dian Alstreim waved his hand, and the surroundings of the palace spontaneously caught up in crimson flames, incinerating before quickly disappearing as if it never existed. He took a step forward, disappearing into the distance.

Only the barren island existed, leaving behind a dazed person who looked as if he had been slapped by an invisible hand.

Ancestor Elizar Yantra abruptly trembled as if he had a shitload of crap to let out. His face became filled with both paleness and anger, threatening to explode with rage.

"Damn you bastard! You'll pay for this!" Letting out an enraged shout, he waved his hand, and the objects near him were taken into his spatial ring before he shot towards the north-east territory gate.

The small barren island quickly became desolate, and only the sound of ocean waves could be heard reverberating around rhythmically.

The soil was scorched, and perhaps it was unlikely for even a single strand of grass to grow in this land burned by a Law Rune Stage Powerhouse's essence energy for the next few hundred years unless a factor managed to heal the soil.

======

Davis and the others returned to the Purple Guest Palace in one piece along with Edgar Alstreim's family. Their expressions were all covered in smiles, and he allowed them to enter the seventeenth floor while he excused himself and entered the eighteenth floor.

He placed a foot on the surface of the entrance and walked in towards the hall. However, halfway through the pathway, Princess Isabella leaned over the wall, seemingly waiting for someone.

Davis smiled as he looked at her thoughtful expression. Who else could she be waiting for other than him?

Princess Isabella turned around and noticed, her face brightening up before her lips widened, her expression blossoming into a smile.

"Davis~."

Davis was still walking, but when he took the next step, he directly crossed tens of meters to arrive in front of her. He stopped and looked at her smiling expression. She waited for him in this place, and it made him heartened as well as somber.

He knew that the words she said about leaving were not an act. It was the truth. In fact, she should've left long ago, before they left the Ethren Empire, but she stayed behind, wanting to help his family obtain revenge.

'What a filial wife!'

Davis inwardly exclaimed as she truly did help him accomplish by acting her part! He reached out his hand to hold hers, his lips moving.

"Thank you, Isabella..."

Princess Isabella blinked before she giggled, "What are you thanking me for? I tried my best to act according to your plan, but I still ended up making some mistakes..."

"You are not an expert..." Davis chuckled, "Besides, your awkwardness was even more of an advantage, making it look realistic..."

"You scoundrel~" Princess Isabella lightly hit his chest yet quickly burst into a fit of suppressed laughter.

Davis used this chance to sneakily pull her into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist. However, as if expecting it, Princess Isabella placed her head over his chest and embraced him back, feeling his heartbeat reverberate and speed up in reaction towards her existence.

When she felt that, a satisfied smile inadvertently lit up her face.

Both of them didn't say a word but just embraced as if they were without a care in the world. It was unknown how much time had passed when Princess Isabella suddenly spoke.

"Honestly, when you suddenly appeared before me in front of everyone and grabbed my hands, I felt my heart waver... I really felt as if I was going to leave you for a long time..."

'So that's what her sudden pause was for...' Davis laughingly mused before he agreed.

"I also vaguely felt my law-heart tremble when you said you were about to leave! I know you interchangeably mentioned about returning to the Ruth Empire to clear the 'trial', but I almost thought if I didn't retrieve you back from your mysterious power, I would receive a heart demon from it..."

Even though they were acting, it could be said that they became too engrossed in it. Their acting was enough to consume themselves in their own delusional world of separation. At that moment, their true feelings for each other naturally yet silently appeared, almost ruining their depiction of separating lovers.

'Fuck!' Davis inwardly cursed again. 

"The soul, feelings, and emotions is truly a mysterious thing... We shouldn't often play with it." Davis advised, but this advice was for also himself, mainly himself.

Princess Isabella solemnly nodded her head before she separated. She possessed a contemplative expression on her face, and within a few seconds, she posed a question.

"Do you think that our play has managed to fool them all?"

Davis thought for a second before answering, "Judging by their reactions, I think they bought it. Although there are many holes in our made-up story, I don't think that they would be able to find it anytime soon."

"What if they found out if we're both from the Forsaken Phoenix Realm...?"

"If they found out, they found out..." Davis shrugged.

"Because by the time they find out, I am confident that we would already have the ability to battle against a Low-Level Law Rune Stage Powerhouse..."

"Perhaps, even killing shouldn't be a problem..." Davis solemnly rubbed his non-existent long goatee like an old man.

"Pfft!~~ Hahaha!!~"

Isabella could no longer take it that she ended up burst out laughing. She found that his actions and mannerisms were completely shameless contrary to how he portrayed himself to be.

He was always scheming, scheming like an evil mastermind behind the scenes but looking at his childish mannerisms of imitating, she found it extremely funny.

Davis shook his head as he saw her laugh. He continued, "But with this... Your mysterious background will not be asked into question. I wanted to tie up loose ends so that you could be free to leave and clear the 'trial', so I can only prepare a half-hearted plan such as this whilst taking advantage of the situation."

Princess Isabella rolled her eyes. She felt that he was humble for no reason again.

"Nonetheless, I think you would have never had to act again. I apologize for selfishly burdening you, Isabella."

"Well," Princess Isabella wryly smiled, "I did dislike it at first, but it was fun while it lasted..."

Davis's heart shook. He took a deep breath and asked.

"When are you leaving?"

Princess Isabella's expression froze before she answered.

"Tomorrow at sunrise..."

Their eyes met, but they ended up simultaneously looking away. 

Perhaps they both wanted to tell each other to stay or follow them, but they couldn't. Each had their own aspirations, and it was insufferably difficult to part. Their embrace that seemed to last for a long while was a direct manifestation of their longing for each other, yet when it was time... Princess Isabella was unable to digest the separation that two drops of tears appeared in her moist eyes. 

It seemed that she was almost about to cry.

When Davis glanced at her with the corner of his eyes, he noticed it. His heart shook, and he reached out his hand to wipe away her tears. His lips moved, and his voice echoed out.