A day later, she even waited for news from the Verdant Vale Lower Realm to arrive and came to learn that there were no casualties from innocents. Only Heaven's Warriors seemed to have died.
This left her confused. She felt complicated, wondering if the Divine Emperor of Death acted like this for her sake or if that was just his normal way of doing things.
Nonetheless, it seemed like the stalemate Mingzhi mentioned was in the Verdant Vale Lower Realm, and the remaining forces of the Heaven's Warriors also gathered in the Ghostly Crow Lower Realm, intending to protect the Realm Core from being usurped by the Divine Emperor of Death's people.
Finding nothing to incriminate him with, Fairy Runalise had no choice but to return to the mini-realm empty-handed.
At the entrance, she met with Davis's avatar.
"Satisfied?" Davis's lips curled in amusement.
"…"
"Why are you… allowing me to do as I please after what I did?"
"What?" Davis frowned, "I don't recall allowing you to do as you please. I wouldn't have let you go if I didn't agree."
"…"
Fairy Runalise made a look as though she said never mind before she walked past him and flew away.
"She's cute~"
After Fairy Runalise left, Sophie giggled. She was still guarding the entrance.
"Don't sympathize with her. If she does something stupid, I won't hesitate to kill her this time."
"Y-Yes…"
Sophie blinked at Davis's words. She couldn't help but feel sad, "I guess manipulating a maiden's heart can't be avoided with whatever you're trying to accomplish."
"Maiden's heart, what?"
"Huh?"
"Huh??"
"Huh???"
Davis and Sophie sounded back and forth, looking confused than the other.
He had his Heart Intent active. He was pretty sure that he found no such feelings from her, so how could he be playing with a maiden's heart? Utmost, he knew he was gathering sympathy from her for his life and his family and making her consider his opinion by manipulating her into thinking he considered her opinion and considered her important.
Besides, he did feel some debt towards her since she revealed Lucian's imminent destruction in the future, so what he said was true. He hadn't lied to her.
Did Sophie misunderstand his intentions?
He didn't doubt she misunderstood, considering he hadn't told anyone other than Myria, Tia, and a few others of what he was trying to do, but only vaguely.
Sophie raised her hand and scratched her head, "Hehe~ I may have looked too much into it. Forgive me."
"No need." Davis shook his head, "I'm not looking to build that kind of relationship with her since we are fated to be enemies. Besides, I wouldn't be so reckless as to see a heaven's flower and lose sight of the flowers in my garden that I painstakingly nurtured with my love and affection."
"Oh, you~"
Sophie swooned at him. If he wasn't an avatar, she would've closed the distance and given a passionate kiss.
"Is it true that we're going to take the Ghostly Crow Lower Realm's Realm Core? More than that, I wonder what big sister Evelynn is doing now. Do you have any news?"
"…"
Davis went silent.
The Heavenly Blight Hall couldn't be everywhere. They were in most Lower Realms but in fringes and minor realms, not so much unless they needed to be there. Still, he had them collect information of the happenings in the fringes of the Azure Tree Lower Realm, so if any huge activity popped up that concerned his people, he would come to know.
However, there was nothing so far, leading him to believe that Evelynn may not have reached the destination or has reached it but is still working on gathering the Three-Eyed Chromatic Hex Arachnid Clan together.
"Yeah, mostly, but there's a chance we might gain it without a battle. Within seven days, we will know what is the response of the Ghostly Crow Clan's response to their Realm Master who is in my hands. As for Evelynn, I…"
*Bzzz!~*
Right at that moment, Davis sensed his main body receiving a message from the Heavenly Blight Hall. It was about Evelynn.
============
Somewhere near the Azure Tree Lower Realm
A ring of asteroids stretched endlessly, appearing like it was a shattered cosmic rock that was once part of a whole celestial body. However, some of these big asteroids were just more than floating rocks. One could see a lot of people flying to and fro from a particular ring of nine asteroids.
These asteroids have been hollowed out and reforged into sprawling habitats, cities carved from rock.
Among these drifting worlds, one asteroid clearly stood apart as it was not only bigger but also painted with bioluminescent veins that appeared like an interwoven fabrication of hundreds of webs. Fascinating tunnels bore deep into its core, leading to a fine hall.
It appeared like a throne hall.
It had been carved from the heart of the asteroid, its rough, uneven walls adorned with murals of a spider with three eyes. Silk-like banners hung from the jagged ceiling, woven with shimmering silver thread. At the center of it all, a massive throne loomed.
Its backrest was sculpted into the shape of an arachnid's fangs, its armrests etched with interwoven strands of web.
In front of the throne, many people stood in attendance.
They were poorly dressed, not in terms of virtue but wealth. However, they were powerful.
At this moment, they bowed their heads as they heard the sound of footsteps on the platform of the throne.
A fine buxom beauty walked through the platform along with a few more women and finally sat down on the throne. She leaned back and put her long leg over the other, and as she placed her elbow on the armrest, she rested her chin on the back of her palm.
Her purple-green hair swayed gently along with her elegant movements. Her pair of purple eyes, along with the third eye, were like calm pools of twisted hex vortexes, ready to wreak havoc at a moment's notice.
"At ease~"
"Long live the Chromatic Hex Empress!"
"Long live the Chromatic Hex Empress!!"
"Long live the Chromatic Hex Empress!!!"
A chorus of cheers erupted as her melodious yet sinister voice fell. The people raised their heads and threw their hands or blades high up into the skies, cheering for the return of their Chromatic Hex Empress, who will lead them to glory and riches but, most importantly, earn back the prestige they had lost and attain revenge.