Divine Emperor of Death

"Where's your answer?"

Davis raised his hand as death energy surged out of his palm.

Iesha was aghast as she saw her imperial father going to be impaled by a long spear made out of the ominous greyish-black energy. She thought of stopping Davis, but at this moment, even she didn't know what kind of person he turned into as he radiated both warmth and an ominous aura that struck her heart into the stillness that she couldn't almost breathe heaven and energy.

It all happened so fast while her lips were quivering, wanting to say something but couldn't.

"I... I..."

The Frigid World Spirit Emperor was also in a similar state of fright, although he could still talk.

"Iesha has managed... to avert a... disaster?"

He uttered, feeling his icy face burn with humiliation.

"Seems like I'm still not a disaster?" 

Davis's brows furrowed, his expression appearing to be offended.

*Whizz!~*

The deathly glowing spear surged with even more power.

"You are...! You are a disaster! My daughter Iesha saved her Empire from a disaster!"

Taking the cue, Frigid World Spirit Emperor screamed with all his strength while Davis felt reminded of what he did to Iesha above the Frigid Yin Spirit Pool. Still, the Frigid World Spirit Emperor's expression turned crimson, and his humiliation was far more visible than what one would be able to see in a normal human because of his icy-white skin.

Davis smirked before he clenched his fist.

The Frigid World Spirit Emperor and Iesha's hearts fell as they saw the ominous spear tremble as if it was going to strike when it abruptly dispersed, causing their eyes to go wide.

"Emperor!"

"....!"

The Frigid World Spirit Emperor turned to look around as he forcefully ordered.

"Stay back!"

Once the Spirit Ancestors heard his firm voice, they stopped, their icy faces crisp with attention to their Emperor's health. To save their Emperor, they were ready to give up their life, but on the other hand, the single black-robed spirit from the Seeker Spirit Empire kept his distance as he wanted to no part of this.

Clearly, this human definitely didn't belong to the Renegade Human Shelter, although his powers said otherwise or made him say otherwise!

The Frigid World Spirit Emperor returned his gaze to Davis as he stared, not uttering a word.

"Don't view me with such a sharp gaze." Davis couldn't help but smirk, "The battle has already ended. Isn't that right, Iesha?"

"...? Uh? Ah, yes...!" Iesha realized, "Father, please... stop this nonsense and retract your powers. You have lost this battle."

The Frigid World Spirit Emperor's lips twitched as if he received an attack even more terrifying than Davis's as he heard his daughter's words. He closed his eyes, feeling the humiliation seep in before he retracted his Spirit Sigil and Spirit Domain.

The icy crown on his head stopped glowing, and the icy dome that stretched hundreds of kilometers also began to shatter as they precipitated into thin air.

Davis waved his hand, and the death energy encasing Frigid World Spirit Emperor dispersed, leaving him free. 

"Emperor!"

However, Iesha and the others became shocked as they saw their Emperor have no arms. Both of them were missing, with a layer of death energy still remaining over the severed part of his arms, although it was just a remnant.

"Stay where you are!"

The Frigid World Spirit Emperor grunted as he floated straight and looked at Davis. He began breaking Davis's remnant death soul force from his arms but found it increasingly difficult to erase it. Nevertheless, he did have some progress while also feeling tremendous pain.

"Who are you?"

He asked for the third time.

"A human who wandered into this spirit world. How you perceive it is up to you."

Davis smirked with contempt to this Frigid World Spirit Emperor's attitude that was still arrogant, although he did understand that it could be ingrained in him and also due to the fact that he saw through him that he wouldn't truly harm him unless he caught off all paths of retreat.

Indeed, since he was doing this for Iesha, there was no point in killing her father as she would become full of sorrow. Besides, the whole point of her wanting to protect her Empire from him would be lost, thereby limiting his actions, although he felt like he would definitely kill this Frigid World Spirit Emperor with Fallen Heaven if he made another move like ambushing him.

He no longer bothered with the Frigid World Spirit Emperor and descended, plunging straight towards the icy-blue robed woman who watched them with wide eyes, not able to believe that he actually defeated the Frigid World Spirit Emperor whom she worshipped.

However, that unbeatable figure was no longer as unbeatable in her eyes anymore. Such an illusion had been shattered by this human who arrived in front of her with Iesha still in a protective barrier.

While Iesha and Pia matched their gazes in a complicated manner, Davis took a look around and saw that no one planned to do anything funny, not even the Seeker Spirit Empire's entourage that had returned from searching for him in the wilderness he hadn't explored yet.

His senses suddenly caught a gaze of sharpness falling on him as he looked back to the Frigid World Spirit Emperor.

Davis provocatively smiled, but the Frigid World Spirit Emperor merely harrumphed and still kept healing his injuries left by inextinguishable death energy, but there was no absolute. Davis knew that the Frigid World Spirit Emperor would be able to recover with enough time, so he didn't bother.

Instead, he recalled the battle before and reviewed his newfound prowess and attacks.

Davis thought of using Fire Laws against the Frigid World Spirit Emperor, but his Fire Laws in Soul Forging Cultivation was only Level Seven Intent, thanks to Shirley's primal yin essence, but it wasn't enough. On the other hand, his Light Laws reached Level One Abstruse Intent after he digested Soul Emperor Zealwonder's Comprehension Cloud.

It still wasn't enough, but as it was at the level of Abstruse Intent, combined with his natural soul prowess that reached four levels above, it was more than enough to battle against this Peak-Level Spirit Ancestor who was able to battle a level above.

Nevertheless, with Iesha in tow, he knew that he could not afford to be careless and used his death energy. Even if it was still at Elementary Intent according to his speculation and not much powerful than his current Fire Laws, if one took prowess out of the equation, the shock factor of its ominous life diminishing nature at a sudden turning point sure did scare the spirit out of the Frigid World Spirit Emperor, allowing him to catch the spirit off guard and put an end to this battle that would've otherwise lasted for hours.

As for these light-attributed techniques he used, they were all techniques learned from the Soul Palace's Treasury, and they were all at Peak-Level Emperor Grade in rarity, power, and value. Those two were not the only two techniques he learned, as there were more.

Iesha didn't speak anything but took a step forward and waved her hand.

*Paah!~*

A slap fell on Pia Noel's cheek, causing her head to swivel. However, she didn't make a sound but bit her lips as tears fell down her eyes.

"With this, you understand who was correct, right?"

Pia sniffled, "I was wrong, Princess."

Iesha's shoulders shook before she calmed and dropped her arm. However, she reached out her hand to the side and lightly pulled on Davis's sleeves.

"Forgive her, for she had her parents killed by humans." 

Her tone and expression were one of pleading, imploring him to show some mercy.

Davis shook his head.

"I figured that it could be like this when she displayed unreasonable hate towards me when I enslaved you all, which is understandable but still strange. However, she wronged both of us. I'll be taking her as my slave for real for breaking her part of the word."

He flicked his hand, and an Obscure Ghastly Bind Slave Seal fell again on her spirit sea, causing her to shudder, but previously from before, she didn't raise her voice, nor did anyone come to her rescue, although their expressions did change.

"Are you unwilling?"

Davis asked, but it was not towards Pia but Iesha.

"I..."

Iesha didn't know what to say to this person who ultimately saved her from the problem he created, and she inflated, knowing that without his mercy, none of them would have survived if he intended to kill them and leave with his strong concealment prowess.

"Your kindness is precious but don't be naive. Not everyone is like me. You were just lucky that I have a soft spot for women of pure heart, but even then, I have my limits. This woman broke her words, and I will see to that she works as a slave for me."

Davis was no longer resistant to the idea of having slaves.

At this point, he had powerful slaves like Yotan and Elusivemist, although he did consider eventually releasing Yotan from enslavement as long as he reached Peak-Level Ninth Stage Cultivation Base.

As for the Blood Thorn of Poison Lord Villa, and other people whom he had previously enslaved, their slave seals all broke with as he confronted a near-death state. But Ancestor Dian Alstreim was smart. He found the people who knew about his heavenly tribulation and enslaved them all again with the help of Ancestor Tirea Snow's King Soul Stage Cultivation. Apparently, he had already marked those people just in case something like this happened.

That's why many people are still not aware that he, the Emperor of Death, encountered a heavenly tribulation and survived to tell the tale.

"I understand." Iesha bit her lips, "Please don't treat her badly."

"Badly?" Davis couldn't help but shake his head, "That completely depends on the behavior of the slave. If she makes a mistake, she will be punished, and if she tries to betray, she will be killed. On the bright side, if she attains enough achievements, she will earn her freedom back."

Iesha raised her brows before she heaved a sigh.

"Pia, please understand your situation and act accordingly."

Pia Noel didn't whine nor cry. She had her tears already wiped and stood up as she tremblingly went on one knee.

"Pia greets master."

"At ease."

Davis gave a simple command, but he gazed towards Princess Iesha.

His way of doing things had always been like this: If someone showed him respect, he would reciprocate. If someone wronged him, he would pay it back without fail. If someone treated him well, he might even go out of his way to return their kindness. However, if someone intended to hurt his family, he would most likely torture them to death!

This time around, this ice spirit moved his heart with her understanding and pure heart, although he didn't approve of her actions that bordered on severe self-harm. If she stayed hostile, he would've left her, left from this place already, but she even went as far as to understand him to the best of her ability that he felt bad for harming her in ways he didn't know were possible. 

That's why he felt the need to return the favor by protecting her for her kind heart, but at this point, he perceived that she had no place to go as she would be prosecuted in her own Empire for taking his hand.

"Alright then, since you're safe and it is publically known that you saved your empire by acting the way you are, I think I have at least cleared your name."

"Mhmm~" 

Iesha nodded, but her expression was different.

"You may or may not be targeted after I leave, so I can't say if you will be safe."

Iesha appeared taken aback.

Was it time for them to separate?

Davis closely looked at her expression before he spoke again.

"Do you want to come with me if you don't feel safe? I can provide you a safe space to cultivate. I'm telling you that this dark light above our heads is the real disaster, and I don't think you'll survive if you stay here. Your imperial father is abandoning you all by leaving this spirit land anyway."

Princess Iesha gazed at Davis intently with her white pupils. Her lips moved, but no sound came out that she became embarrassed as she lowered her head. However, she reached out her arm and held his hand.

Davis: "..."

Her hand was chill to the touch, but to Iesha, his hand was extremely warm.

"I'll follow you~"