Divine Emperor of Death

Yi Feng wanted to go with Isabella. There might be some secrets in the cave but unable to respond, he watched Isabella head inside the hidden cave.

Now, he had no choice but to follow that man or offend Isabella.

He sighed, walking out of the concealment spirit formation, and followed after the man.

He came across a slope, carefully sliding down and keeping up with the man in the distance. He was not that tall as he was still growing, allowing him to crouch better amongst the obsidian rocks and follow the man. He chased after the man for ten minutes straight before he eventually chanced upon a crystal region behind a volcanic mountain.

His eyes were momentarily blinded by the light they reflected before his lips parted in shock. He hurriedly hid himself behind an obsidian rock and looked at the crystal beasts swarming amidst the crystal mountains.

There were about thirty of them, making his heart swell with fear. If it was the usual him, he wouldn't be worried, but in his suppressed state, he didn't think he could take on these crystal beasts.

He could at least sense Early Stage Immortal Emperor undulations from them as they gave it off like they were emitting heat.

'They look like they're actually made up of immortal crystals…'

*Boom!~*

A battle started as that white-robed man began engaging those creatures. However, Yi Feng didn't feel like interfering as he knew he would be killed. However, he kept watch,

The white-robed man's immortal energy thrummed as he raised his hands.

Motes of light appeared around him before they turned into lasers and struck a crystal beast dragon. The radiance then flew off, reflecting towards the other beasts from the crystal, ricocheting off like lightning before hitting five more crystal beasts at the same time.

The ray of light extending out in multiple directions broke a part of their crystal and tried to pierce through them as heat surged on the point of contact. However, the crystal beasts jumped, dodging the light, and pounced towards him.

"Hmph!"

The white-robed man harrumphed and retreated to the side, stringing them along as he launched rays of light at them.

He seemed to be quite capable. Yi Feng garnered that his cultivation was at Level Six Immortal King Stage, which meant that this person should be at least brave enough to stand on the third step. His prowess also seemed to be seven levels higher, allowing him to take on these Early Stage Immortal Emperor Crystal Beasts.

However, the crystal creatures were also proving themselves to be tough to deal with, especially their crystal armor covering what would be considered fleshly weak spots if they were just flesh and blood.

He didn't know who this person was but felt like he should report this matter to Isabella.

Turning around, he left.

In the hidden cave, Isabella made it to the end.

The path wasn't big, nor was it narrow. At the end, it swelled into a dome, and there was a strange pagoda that was no more than nine meters tall, and a monument was there on the opposite side, indicating something.

[Seventh Hidden Pagoda]

[A certain amount of energy from various energy sources readily available across the Crystal World is required to access the Pagoda. However, the amount of energy required to access the Pagoda also depends on the individual.]

"…"

Isabella read the etchings again and again, but she failed to see how these Hidden Pagodas were of use to her. The letters inscribed on the monuments didn't explain how these so-called Hidden Pagodas were supposed to be of help to her.

Unlike Shirley, she had no idea what they were.

However, since they appeared unique, she knew they should be important.

'So that man went to get some energy…?'

Isabella thought before placing her hand on the Seventh Hidden Pagoda.

Instantly, some words popped up in her mind.

[Cleared the ninth step— free entry]

[Requires four people with enough energy sources to be present in order to activate]

"…"

Isabella looked taken aback. Novel Fire - novelfire.net

On the virtue of her crossing the ninth step, she possessed free entry to the Seventh Hidden Pagoda, but she required three more people to enter the pagoda.

What was that supposed to mean…?

Her anger almost flared as she had a pissed expression on her face.

'This is ridiculous…'

Isabella couldn't believe that she had free entry yet she couldn't wasn't able to enter because of the four people requirement. She could only imagine how good it would be to be able to access this pagoda and grab the rewards before anyone else could take it.

"Truly irritating, isn't it?"

"Who!?"

Isabella abruptly turned to look towards the tunnel leading towards the exit and saw a man walk towards her.

Her eyes narrowed as she recognized that it was the same man who left after entering this cave.

"What happened to Yi Feng, the little kid?"

"Come on, you take him to be a little kid? He was fifteen, aged enough to fuck around with women. I heard that he had some fun with the Young Mistress of the Starmantle Family, so don't be deceived. Otherwise, the Divine Emperor of Death will be forced to lower his head, although I think the world would like to see that…"

"…"

Isabella's expression turned cold, "If you want to attack, get on with it."

"Oh no-"The man laughed, "I do not know how strong you are, but seeing that you tip-toed around instead of walking around openly, I guess you are not that strong with your cultivation, which has been sealed to the very limit."

"…"

Isabella didn't display any changes in her expression, but she had her hands ready to whip out an Escaping Talisman.

"My apologies." The man controlled his laughter and coughed, "My name is Altross, and the one you saw outside was my twin brother Zoltross. We're both inheritors of the Luminous Temple. Have you ever heard of it?"

He asked, but there was no reply, "I guess not, as we could be considered a faction that sealed ourselves in a mini realm, waiting for this era. However, it's not like we're poor. In fact, it is said that our power owns a Lower Realm in the true immortal world called the Luminous Temple Lower Realm."

"I see." Isabella raised her brows. To own a Lower Realm puts them at the same level as the Fire Phoenix Lower Realm or the Ice Phoenix Lower Realm, perhaps even stronger since they would lack a backing as the Fire Phoenix Lower Realm was said to rely on its stronger counterpart, the Seven-Colored Phoenix Upper Realm.

"Then I guess the fact that you two are together means that you are able to teleport to him through your close karmic connection as twins?"

Isabella asked, causing Altross to nod twice.

"That's correct."

"And so- you aren't attacking me because you need two more people to activate the Hidden Pagoda, which is me and Yi Feng?"

Altross's smile faded and eerily turned cold, "That's also correct."

His aura churned with a dangerous intent, "Although I don't see why it should be you and not someone else, you traitorous bitch who slept with a calamity and bore a demon spawn."

The dome was suddenly overwhelmed with light, filled with intense heat that was about to melt the rocks in the surroundings.

But three seconds later, the light faded, and there was no sign of Isabella.

"Tch… she escaped."

Altross uttered with an irritated tone before he turned to look around, eventually exiting the cave and intending to capture Yi Feng before he could use the Escape Talisman, planning to use him as a third person, only needing the fourth and final person.

"Damn, I forgot to ask her how many crystal units she required. My brother and I both need sixteen thousand three hundred and thirty-three crystal units each, so let's see how much you require!"

"Aaah! Sto-"

*Paow~*

He successfully captured Yi Feng as he restrained his hands with a chain made of his light attribute, slapping him hard each time he thought about how he let her get away.

Altross brought Yi Feng back to the cave and threw him at the Pagoda.

There, Yi Feng was forced to report how much he needed, his lips bleeding and his cheek swollen. Tears had already spilled out, but he had a cold look on his face.

"Oh, you only need nine thousand and eight hundred crystal units? So, the crystal units required decrease based on the number of steps we cleared?"

Altross wondered out loud, seemingly full of thoughts as he lowered his head and descended into contemplation.

If that was the case, then the ones who remained at the first step were truly at a disadvantage as the number of crystal units they required would be massive!

"So the initial period should be used to hunt and kill those people who climbed the upper three steps, the seventh, eighth, and ninth step..."

Altross's gaze trembled.

He had been right when he decided to kill Isabella! If he left her alone, then she could quickly gather the resources and even join forces with the ones who stood on the upper three steps to swiftly clear the unknown number of Hidden Pagoda spread throughout the Crystal World!

Nonetheless, since she had escaped, he quickly looked around, wondering if she had placed any markers, and eventually found an inscription hidden behind the monument.

"What a shrewd woman...!"

Altross breathed a sigh of relief. Now, Isabella wouldn't be able to find her way back here.