Divine Emperor of Death

They were able to see the many rifts floating here and there as though they were abandoned.

Threelotus led them through many paths, crossing many rifts that they felt curious enough to enter as some were big, like twelve meters, while some others were small, just about half a meter or so.

"Haha, this place is outlandish..."

Davis's glaring voice resounded in this silent land, causing a few people to almost falter as their eyes shook at him, gleaming with trepidation. He panned his gaze around and saw people wearing a plethora of robes, indicating that they were all from different powers.

They were all Ninth Stage Powerhouses.

"Palace Master, not only do we and the Jade Lotus Valley continue to search for Ivy Aries and Valley Master Jade Aurora, but many other powers are also searching for them as well. Most likely, I think they want to obtain your favor by saving them."

Threelotus explained, causing Davis to nod his head. The apprehension in their eyes towards him told many things to him. He didn't bother with them and continued to head towards their destination. By this time, Davis was truly wondering what kind of place these rifts were and where it was connected to because he had already rushed past a thousand rifts.

This was a dangerous place, but people, especially Ninth Stage Powerhouses who trained in Poison Laws, carried their feet to this place to be blessed by a lucky chance.

It seemed that Evelynn's Three-Eyed Chromatic Hex Arachnid Inheritance was also found here, making him think that he would have to thank the Poison Lord Villa's idiots for their outstanding service.

But different from the Poison Lord Villa, the Poison Rift Valley owned this land and space. He had killed the Spatial Blight Emperor before during the invasion of the Burning Phoenix Ridge and looted his entire sect as well as their remnants a few days ago, so there was no one coming to block them.

They continued to travel until they reached a three-meter tall rift situated in the entrance of a lone cave. It appeared to have been carved out by someone of yonder, but it was of no importance as the place where the rifts spawn was apparently random, at least according to Evelynn.

Until one enters the rift, they wouldn't know where it led to, be it riches or death.

Beside the rift were two women from the Soul Palace. They bowed upon catching sight of him, only raising their heads when he told them to be at ease.

From them, he could feel emotions of gratitude and loyalty and a bit of reverence. After all, he was the one who allowed them to become Soul Empresses. It seemed that Threelotus had also advanced to the Emperor Soul Stage, becoming a Soul Empress.

'Next is to have them obtain Mortal Sigils, but that can wait...' He briefly pondered.

Moreover, Davis saw that his Heart Intent could be precisely controlled now. It was not just the range that had increased to hundred meters but also its precision, allowing him to garner the emotions from a single person situated within his range rather than the entire group of people within his radius.

Such a thing caused him headache before as it was a mix-match of chaotic emotions striking his heart together, but now, he could clearly feel them without those feeling his own emotions reeling in chaos, although he knew that it wouldn't be the case if their own emotions become chaotic. Nonetheless, it was the difference between seeing through a water body's ripples and ripple-less surface.

Davis, Evelynn, and Myria followed Threelotus into the rift. Their bodies disappeared into the spatial tear, reappearing on the other side where they saw a dark, barren land without light.

The only source of light was the crystalline structures aligning the corners.

Davis and Myria looked around, using their soul sense as they surveyed their location. Quickly, they found that this dry land didn't extend for more than a few hundred kilometers, and what's more, the outer edges were fully covered by walls made up of poisonous ores.

Above them was a ceiling, making them understand that this space could be a cave, an arid place without much vegetation because of the lack of rain.

However, some outer edges were open ends where the chaotic swirls of space existed. One step into it could mean the death of a powerhouse.

This place was pretty much lifeless except for two more people on a corner of this barren cave.

Davis and the others flew towards them in a straight line while following Threelotus before the two of them near the rift caught sight of them and bowed.

"Palace Master!"

Davis nodded as he turned to look at Evelynn, "So out of the four rifts here, one of them leads to the exit, and one other will take us to the place where you found the lead."

"Yes," Evelynn nodded, "But unfortunately, our destination is many rifts away. Besides, it's not guaranteed that the rifts would stay open, so we should be as quick as possible to start from where I found the lead."

"Alright, lead the way."

Davis and the others stepped into that rift and arrived at another space surrounded by a barren cave with a ceiling. This time, there was a pond of murky water, but it was clear that it was a pond of powerful poison.

The air was contaminated here by poison, but they were not affected by it as usual, while Threelotus also seemed to be able to curb it from affecting her.

At this moment, instead of being met with more of Soul Palace's people, they found a sign, a pillar that indicated that they should take this rift.

"Not all rifts can have people. This place is poisonous, and one couldn't stay for too long lest they become poisoned, and on the other hand, some rifts fluctuate, which is a sign that it is going to disappear." Evelynn explained.

"So some safe rift spaces have our people standing so that they can report the disappearance of that rift while some dubious and dangerous rifts have this pillar as a waypoint?"

"Yes."

"You've thought this through, Evelynn. Excellent." Davis looked at her with fondness, causing her to blush slightly.

"You're welcome."

"My guess is this place is a collision between two or more mini realms, forming an entire space but full of holes and instability. It's a miracle that it still manages to exist."

Myria's voice suddenly echoed, garnering all their attention.

"The rifts, on the whole, are unstable, no, rather than the rifts are unstable, I would say that the rifts follow some kind of spatial law that allows them to appear and disappear under a certain time limit, although I garner that after a long time, they tend to adopt a new rule, opening up rifts to new locations which would mean new dangers."

Evelynn stared at Myria with visible astonishment before her eyes flashed with understanding. If she didn't know that Myria's comprehension of Space Laws was extremely good, she would think that Myria had secretly visited this place before.

After all, her own knowledge was accumulated after spending time exploring the rifts, and yet, Myria dissected the workings of this place within a few minutes of entering.

Davis looked at Evelynn and saw her astonishment which could mean that this information could be true, assuming they were both right, stumbling upon the same conclusion.

They continued traveling, passing through many rifts after entering new rift spaces that were also crowded with many rifts leading to somewhere else.

The fourth rift, fifth rift… eighth rift… thirteenth rift…

By the time they were at the fifteenth rift space, they had still not arrived at the destination, but they encountered a strange being that stepped out from one of the many rifts in that particular rift space.

Threelotus quickly stepped in front of them, wanting to take care of the intruder. However, she saw that it was a strange lifeform, one with a goo-like body, stretching and slithering its way through the grounds towards them.

"What the heck is that?" Davis's expression became amused but also uncomfortable.

It appeared similar to a slime, but the uncanny thing was that it had the human-like face and the unsightly expression of a man as it neared them, its watery eyes dripping with blood as though it came out of some horror story.

"Watch out, Threelotus. Once this creature wraps over your body, it will be over for you!"

A Soul Empress guarding the rift and a Soul Emperor shouted for Threelotus to be careful. After that, she nodded and raised her hand, her soul force surging with an intense momentum before it turned into a ray of light and struck that grotesque face that kept changing shapes.

*Szzz!~*

The light glared with power and sizzled the creature before not a single bit of its goo-like body was left, having completely vaporized.

Threelotus smirked. Unlike the others, she naturally had made a Mortal Sigil upon breaking through, which made her proud because not even Soul Empress Merlight had reached her level. However, she believed that this was thanks to the person behind her, turning to look at him with awe and reverence.

"We apologize for the disturbance, Palace Master. We suspect that the rift over there could be their lair because they keep invading this rift irregularly for a while now."

That Soul Emperor bowed his waist and explained, causing Davis to nod his head.

"Guard this place well."

"Yes, even if it takes my life!"

He went on one knee, causing Davis to sweat inwardly as he could feel this person's blazing reverence and trepidation. Perhaps, they all wanted to follow someone strong like him despite what he had done to the Vast Sky Emperor Palace?

He didn't know as their loyalty could intrinsically be just for resources but still inwardly appreciated their enthusiasm to work for it.

"You… where are you going?"

Suddenly, he saw Myria heading towards that rift that said to have those slime's lair.

Myria stopped before she turned to look at him, "I never said that I'm going to search for that woman with you, did I?"

Davis nodded, "You did say that you could find something interesting- oh..."

Myria smirked behind her veil and arrived before that dangerous rift. However, before she left, she turned around and spoke.

"They're plant lifeforms. Accurately, they're the sap of a carnivorous plant called the Wretched Rotten Nightmare Tree that could grow to the level of Peak-Level Emperor Grade. It hunts humans and everything with life equally and produces a poisonous, goo-like sap from its leaf-like vines, which are these lifeforms you've just seen. As you can tell, I want this tree and the fruits it bears so that I concoct something worthwhile later."

Her voice resounded in a bland tone before she disappeared from their gaze.

"Is this the cooperation you two have?"

Evelynn couldn't help but grin, causing Davis to shrug.

"Well, she at least explained why she's leaving. That's a good start if she's not planning anything crazy."

Davis smirked back at Evelynn and stepped into the next rift, followed by Evelynn while Threelotus gawked, wondering what was Davis's relationship with this mysterious Myria, also known as the source of the Calamity Light, before she hurriedly ran towards them, entering the rift.