Divine Emperor of Death



Within a swirling vortex of purplish-black flames, the ethereal entity within rose out of a cocoon.

Flames burst from this spherical shell. Initially formless and chaotic, these purplish-black flames took on a deeper and more vibrant hue, their fiery tendrils reaching out to dance as though waving farewell to the previous entity that it once was.

As the fiery tempest raged on, the figure of a woman slowly emerged, her form materialized amongst the blazing dance of the flames. At first, she appeared as a mere silhouette, her buxom figure, and contours defined by the purplish-black inferno that enveloped her. These flames stuck to her body as though she knew that it wasn't fine to remain naked.

But as she hovered above, her face could be seen shimmering with ethereal luminescence.

Then, her eyes opened, revealing a lustrous crimson-gold glow, appearing to be indicative of the little bit of annihilative heavenly flames she had within. Her purple hair danced along with her purplish-black flames as she stepped out of the cocoon fully, allowing her frame to be seen.

If anyone was present here, they would be shocked to see that it was not a woman but a child walking out as the bigger silhouette subsided, revealing a small kid appearing to be no more than four or five years old.

Her skin was purple like Eldia's but had a black flame symbol adorning her forehead, along with a golden crown resting above her head, signifying royal authority over any being of the same attribute. There were also many crimson-gold stripes like a tiger's, similar to her eye color, covering her body. Despite her tiny frame, the undulations she released caused almost all Feral Beasts surrounding her to flee.

Purplish-black flames wisped around her, making her appear like a transcendental being. Her undulations were at Level One Immortal Emperor Stage, but her true prowess was far more powerful and destructive. She was a living testament of apocalyptic flames that gained sentience, causing her to furrow her brows as she sensed a greater influence that clouded her thoughts, wanting her to go berserk and destroy the realm.

"Nmph~"

Unexpectedly, she harrumphed. Although her reaction was adorable, she brushed away this destructive calling and turned to look around, wondering where that purple-robed man and the crimson-white-robed woman were. Subconsciously, she raised her hand and rubbed her stomach, feeling hungry but also a newfound emotion that she couldn't place her senses on.

She didn't know that it was loneliness, perhaps also missing a sense of security for food and shelter that came with them being around.

Nonetheless, with them absent, she tried to restrain her aura as she was taught and began to move in search of apocalyptic flames to devour. After all, she was always berated by that purple-robed man when she needlessly radiated her undulations, especially when she did it against other people, as she came to know that it signified hostility.

"…"

The land surrounding her was a mountain range. She tried to hover her way past this upward and downward terrain but somehow ended up in the same place again as she noticed the remnant undulations of the purplish-black cocoon she broke out of, causing her to pout.

Just as she wanted to ascend and look for a way out, she quickly encountered a group of cultivators making their way toward her from the skies.

"So this is the source of those massive undulations?"

"Oh! What luck…! Did this spirit just undergo its Immortal Emperor Tribulation? Let's capture it."

"Wait…! It seems to have been born recently. Perhaps it's just around a year old, wandering in the wild. We can try taming it…" A woman spoke up.

"Indeed. It probably hasn't been a few years since it was born, so watch out for its parents… They could be in the vicinity, considering that they're indigenous to this realm, but just what is this spirit? I have never seen or heard something like this existing in the Sovereign Grade Flame Essence Chart, but I'm pretty sure that this is a Heaven-Tier Spirit judging by its dense and regal aura alone."

A number of supreme geniuses surrounded her. Their numbers amounted to five, four men and one woman, their luxurious clothes indicative of their high status within their power. But here, they could be said to be one amongst many.

Still, it was unknown what faction they were from, but they were green robes with yellow stripes, forming an azure pattern that accentuated their looks. Their looks were excellent, and each of them radiated undulations that stemmed from the soul, but these undulations were also blazing, possessing fire-attribute.

"Ahaha~ Our luck is not bad. We just found an inheritance worth more than a hundred years' worth of our allowance, and obtaining this spirit is like icing on the cake. Leave it to me."

The woman spoke in a confident demeanor.

Surprisingly, she was one of the two Kingly Monarchs amongst them, but she didn't radiate any King-Tier undulations, which meant her cultivation and Law comprehension were extremely good, probably at the level of Level Two Quiddity, or she had a unique physique. Either way, she confidently approached the little spirit, her hips shaking as she walked before she stood in front of it.

"Little one, have you become aware of the Sky Word Language yet? I'm sure you can understand my words, so hear me out carefully. As long as you come with me, I'll treat you to these wonderful flames."

The woman spoke like an elder sister, cajoling the little flame spirit while the four men watched her take out a Low-Level Sovereign Grade Flame Essence that was ranked forty-eighth in the Flame Essence Charts, causing their brows to twitch.

It was something they all craved, yet it was going to be fed as food to this little spirit.

They inwardly soothed their hearts by telling themselves that they would gain more than they would lose, considering this was a Heaven-Tier Spirit, a species amongst the spirits that were rarer than the ordinary Mortal-Tier Spirits because of their unique nature, which allows them to have prowess, perhaps even as much as them.

However, this was a newborn. What kind of prowess would it have?

They weren't on their guard at all and, instead, watched their Queenly Monarch feed the Low-Level Sovereign Grade Flame Essence to the Heaven-Tier Spirit with amusement in their gazes. As expected, the little spirit accepted the treat with her two hands reached out and started gobbling up the terrified flame essence with no hesitation.

Seeing this scene, their eyes flashed with interest and greed as this Flame Essence they fed was already at its deathbed from resisting them but was feisty and stubborn, never choosing to submit, but in front of this Heaven-Tier Spirit, it simply accepted its fate, being eaten without offering any resistance whatsoever.

"…!"

The young geniuses looked at each other's faces, knowing that they truly hit the jackpot. If one of them could successfully befriend, enslave, or digest this spirit, then their status and fame would be far-reaching, allowing them to fulfill their ambitions.

Even if they were not allowed to take advantage of it, they knew as long as they handed it over to their sect, then riches and status would follow, allowing them to pursue that same ambition in a different route.

"Peh~"

But suddenly, the little spirit spat out some flames to the side and dropped her black tongue out.

"Not… tasti…"

She let the Low-Level Sovereign Grade Flame Essence go, but it still stayed, shivering as it hovered in the air. On the other hand, she appeared confused and hesitant, appearing as though she wanted to communicate something but couldn't as she fumbled around before her tiny crimson-gold eyes finally lit up.

Extending her hand, she carefully summoned a bit of purplish-black flame as though not wanting to offend them before pointing at that flame.

"Want… this…"

"…"

The Queenly Monarch and the others watched the little spirit cutely ask for a flame that they wouldn't dare go anywhere near. They were stupefied, even frozen in pure terror, as they finally realized what sort of spirit this was, but their minds were yet to catch up as they had never heard of a spirit that was essentially the reincarnation of destruction.

"Spirit Formation: Roaring Flame Seal!"

The Queenly Monarch suddenly formed hand seals and quickly put up a wall of flames between her and the Heaven-Tier Spirit, causing the latter to be surrounded by a wall of flames on all six sides. At the same time, the other Kingly Monarch in the group and the three others also reacted, strengthening the spirit formation she put up with extreme synchronization as though they had done this many times.

Inside the sealing spirit formation, the Heaven-Tier Spirit narrowed her brows, knowing that this was hostility the purple-robed man spoke about, the only moment she was allowed to attack.

"Phew… that was close… if those destructive apocalyptic flames were directed at me-"

The Queenly Monarch just turned around and wryly smiled when suddenly, the entire hundred kilometers were enveloped by a purplish-black sphere that appeared like a solar eclipse, causing heaven and earth to lose color within a second as silence reigned in the region.

When this purplish-black solar eclipse shrunk, and its edges returned to the epicenter, the mountain range below was gone as though a circular void was left, leaving behind a little spirit holding on to a Flame Essence that she took a bite out of reluctantly and continued her peckish journey.