Divine Emperor of Death

"I think..."

Davis came out of his reverie as he pondered for a second. His chin was up, his expression looking solemn before he smiled.

"It's better to let it be as it is..."

Ancestor Dian Alstreim blinked before he turned to look at Ancestor Tirea Snow, who slightly had her brows creased, appearing as if she was frowning.

"Your meaning is that we have both sides fight while sustaining casualties?"

"No, the reason you send your elites to that place is to temper them, and not because you actually seek to enter the other side as it was already deemed hopeless by the world, even the Burning Phoenix Ridge if I'm right."

"Furthermore, the people in the Forsaken Phoenix Realm are not all on our side. They belong to other empires, but that doesn't matter anymore with how strong I've become; my family has become. What matters is that you two Ancestors keep that as a tempering site as it has always been in order to outwit the others from catching on to our relationship while we slowly develop and strengthen ourselves."

"Meanwhile, you two can inform your young elites that they need not battle with the other side to the death, nor do they have to do anything after entering like trying to be adventurous for that matter, as I obviously would not allow them to step inside."

Davis pursed his lips and stopped talking, indicating that he had finished.

"Davis, I understand that our sides can come to a consensus and not shed blood as a result, but what about the Towering Cloud Hall? Did you forget that they're part of the Tripartite Alliance and could enter the secret entrance as well?"

Ancestor Tirea Snow expressed her worry before Ancestor Dian Alstreim continued with the same tone.

"Furthermore, they might come to understand that we are in cahoots with the aboriginals of the Forsaken Phoenix Realm. Moreover, you must know that two women have already escaped because of the Tripartite Alliance's failure, so some people are already aware that it might be possible to enter the Forsaken Phoenix Realm..."

Davis looked at them with a focused gaze. They did not seem to care about him owning one or two Immortal Inheritances as far as their expressions went. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but chuckle at the mention of Ellia and Shirley, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he shook his head.

"You don't need to worry about that, Ancestor Dian. If you ask me why it's probably because the Towering Cloud Hall wouldn't be present in the map of the Fifty-Two Territories by next year."

"...!"

Both Ancestor's eyes widened, looking at Davis with a bit of astonishment.

"We're going to attack them...?" Ancestor Tirea Snow couldn't help but ask.

"Of course not..." Davis smilingly shook his head, "I know about the interference of the other powers like the Nine Western Territories and the Four Great Righteous Sects. What I meant was that we're going to trap the Towering Cloud Hall and make a valid and righteous reason for us to oust them out of existence."

"Oh, Davis... you're full of schemes..."

Ancestor Dian Alstreim couldn't help but smilingly shake his head before his eyes flashed with interest, "What do you have for us?"

"Ancestor is okay with following my orders?"

Davis blinked in surprise.

"What do you think that I've been doing all this time, swallowing my pride and ego to do as you say?"

Ancestor Dian Alstreim almost gawked as he had his eyes wide as if asking if he was kidding that Davis couldn't help but scratch his head in awkwardness.

"Nevertheless, with your backing, scheming, and talent, you have earned my respect, not to mention my gratitude when you saw through my Tirea's actions and made me understand. Even Mival Silverwind wants to protect you so that he could get benefits from you later. I'm the same, but my intent relies on the fact that you would take better care of the Alstreim Family if I take care of you better."

"Please don't... I don't want to take care of millions of people..."

Davis looked as if he was going to cry as he smiled, but before Ancestor Dian Alstreim could say anything, he added.

"However, Ancestor can rely on me if the Alstreim Family faces any calamities. Even the Aqua Flood Dragon should think twice, no, thrice before invading, not because of Isabella but because of me."

Ancestor Dian Alstreim's lips twitched, thinking that Davis was getting ahead of himself, but he didn't comment on it as he knew Davis didn't know of its current strength or past strength, to be exact.

"I forgot to mention this, but that Aqua Flood Dragon has been hunted down, its horn, scales, and flesh butchered as the Four Great Dragon Families split the spoils amongst themselves."

"...! So they were busy hunting down the Aqua Flood Dragon..."

Davis finally understood why the Four Dragon Families were biding their time. However, he still wasn't convinced. Surely, they had enough powerhouses to hunt it down while also being able to focus on Isabella, no?

And why now when it was possible that they've could've hunted it down long ago when it was living in the Grand Alstreim Ocean in a carefree manner?

"Yes, I was feeling uncomfortable when surrounded by their spies, so I used the All-Seeing Tower to know their tracks and movements. It seemed that the Aqua Flood Dragon broke through to the High-Level of Emperor Beast Stage, just a bit away from Peak-Level, so they hunted it down before it could reach the peak..."

Davis blinked, not able to believe what he heard, "Wasn't the Aqua Flood Dragon just at the Low-Level Emperor Beast Stage...?"

"It seems like it amassed a lot of energy before breaking through twice. On Elise Alstreim's account, it seemed like it had access to two or three Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Source, some or one of it water-attributed, which was extremely valuable to the world and invaluable to it."

Davis blinked again, but thrice in shock, "Peak-Level Water-Attributed Spirit Stone Vein Sources?"

Ancestor Dian Alstreim nodded his head as he sent a soul transmission.

"Elise Alstreim had looted a Peak-Level Water-Attributed Spirit Stone Vein Source from the Aqua Flood Dragon, and that's why it had followed her all the way to the Alstreim Family to kill her. Nevertheless, don't say about the loot to Tirea because I wanted it to be a surprise for her."

Davis was pretty much dumbfounded again. So the Peak-Level Water-Attributed Spirit Stone Vein Source was the spoil they had talked about earlier?

He finally understood why Ancestor Dian Alstreim didn't pursue Grand Elder Elise Alstreim to bring justice to Claire at that time. It was because of bringing something so invaluable to the benefit of the family.

Nevertheless, because of Isabella's achievement, he had an equal share in that Peak-Level Water-Attributed Spirit Stone Vein Source. However, discerning Ancestor Dian Alstreim's request, he instantly understood that he was planning on gifting it to Ancestor Tirea Snow, probably during their wedding.

'Ah... so the big guy knows how to woo...'

Davis felt that the person he had trained was now improving leaps and bounds. He felt that this gift would surely move Ancestor Tirea Snow, and he didn't wish to be a spoilsport, especially to a person who had been so understanding all this while.

"It's a pity that the Aqua Flood Dragon died after becoming powerful..." Ancestor Tirea Snow suddenly uttered, not seeming to bother about the soul transmission that Davis and Dian had exchanged.

"But if I'm not wrong, the four Dragon Families waited all this time to hunt it down because they would stand to gain more from it after it grew more powerful. If they had hunted it down when it was at Low-Level Ninth Stage, its value would've been way lesser."

"Makes sense..."

"Indeed..."

Ancestor Dian Alstreim and Davis uttered. The latter felt that it made a little sense for the erratic behavior of the Dragon Families before the former continued to change the topic as quickly as possible.

"Although not much, I also learned that some people had unearthed a Peak-Level Emperor Grade Artifact made from dragon bones and flesh at the Grand Viridian Beast Mountain Range. Furthermore-"

"...!"

"Ancestor, you're so awesome! You're the best! I'll compensate the wealth lost for this matter as we brought this trouble..."

Davis couldn't help but spit out praises in an instant as he smiled, causing Ancestor Dian Alstreim to smile as well, not expecting Davis to be this excited. Likely, Davis was also uncomfortable and wanted to know the movements of the dragon family. Nevertheless, he shook his head.

"No need, two million Peak-Level Spirit Stones is nothing but a small change..."

As he said that, his heart bled while he inwardly cried. He had done this not only for his own sanity but to protect Davis from sudden attacks from the Dragon Families, especially the Zlatan Family, but the information he received was totally different.

Davis absentmindedly and cruelly nodded to Ancestor Dian Alstreim's bleeding heart as he thought.

'So that's why they've been hesitant all this time to make a move on Isabella. It's not like they consider it beneath them, but those four dragon families already have their hands full with that powerful dragon artifact. They couldn't afford to concentrate on another battlefield, which is recruiting the Dragon Queen Isabella to their family. No wonder they are not domineering but waiting...'

Davis felt like he finally understood their actions. It had always been on his mind that the Dragon Families didn't seem domineering and overbearing as everyone made them up to be, and it turns out that they had their firepower concentrated over another territory, fighting against each other for the ownership of the artifact!

And unlike the living Isabella, an artifact could always be conquered without being criticized by the righteous world. It was rather clear where they choose to put their focus, at least for the moment.

However, it seemed like the Zlatan Family wanted to cheat.

'Damn it, why didn't those two bastards talk about this when I listened to them secretly...? Instead, they had to talk about some random Zlatan woman I don't even care about...' Davis inwardly cursed Raeburn Zlatan and Farus Zlatan.

If they did, he would be more sure of his plans. Fortunately, this information made him aware that he was probably going on the right track.

'Nevertheless, talk about being lucky... Could it be that my luck streak still hasn't ended? Wait, this matter has already started way back from before they could completely concentrate on Isabella, so it couldn't be considered as my luck still being here, but are they still after the artifact all this time...? It does not seem like they're coming to get Isabella as they rather seem like they choose to wait for the six months I made the spies spread without them even knowing that it was intentional...'

Davis felt confused again after the understanding. He couldn't help but raise his head and ask.

"Did someone get that artifact yet?"

"No, they still seemed to be engaged in breaking down the powerful killing formation sealing the artifact." Ancestor Dian Alstreim's expression went solemn, "Once they have cleared it and decided who that artifact belongs to through some battle format, we can be sure that they would come to disturb your Isabella again, possibly even to finish you off since you have humiliated one of them, so what I propose that you escape from this place along with her to anywhere you seem fit when that happens...!"