"Your punishment is already meted out. Your cultivations are nearly crippled, and your blood is corroded by cadaveric yin energy that would mostly be seen in corpses that have decayed for a long time. That would teach you all a lesson to keep quiet for some time instead of chasing vengeance all year long."
Evelynn nearly berated them but kept her cool.
To her, even if they wanted vengeance so badly and she agreed, the time to make a move wasn't now.
She didn't want to add more burden to Davis, who would ultimately be by her side no matter what decision she took. She didn't want to add more problems to their family than there were.
Before she left, there was some plan of invading other realms to conquer it.
Now, she didn't know what became of it. She could only wait and see for news to arrive from the other realms.
The eight pillars flinched. They had it better than the two Ancestors but felt more pain since they were still in good health and didn't get old.
They fearfully glanced at the Dark Cadaveric Ghost Spirit. It was ranked third in Emperor Grade Darkness Elemental Charts, capable of entering the Empyrean Stage. The top-ranked ones were capable of entering the Empyrean Stage and even above. However, there was no such case since spirits tended to mutate to a higher tier if they were to increase their cultivation and become a Heaven-Tier Spirit.
Their most preferred method of evolution was cannibalism, after all. By devouring higher-tiered spirits or many similar spirits, they could mutate past their spiritline. However, the Emperor Grade Spirits and above mostly didn't have shackles that limited their cultivation.
When the Emperor Grade Mortal-Tier Spirits became immortal spirits, they were called Immortal-Tier Spirits for this reason.
Then came the Heaven-Tier Spirits, who were born immortals.
'How is a Level Three Empyrean Spirit Stage Dark Cadaveric Ghost Spirit that powerful…?'
They all couldn't help but think.
After all, even a normal Dark Cadaveric Ghost Spirit wouldn't have a prowess that was two levels higher in the Immortal Emperor Spirit Stage. However, judging by how it easily took down their two Ancestors, they figured it at least had a prowess of seven levels higher, which was ridiculous.
Even a Heaven-Tier Spirit wouldn't be that powerful in the Empyrean Spirit Stage.
"Don't worry. She will not make a move again as long as you all behave."
Evelynn gave a few words of comfort as they stared fearfully at Wisteria.
She couldn't help but smile proudly since her Wisteria became so powerful while feeding on her soul. Her Malevolent Darkness Physique, which was aided by an Emperor-Tier Soul, seemed to be its delicacy. She was thoroughly enamored with it, never leaving.
Even while Evelynn was pregnant, Wisteria always cultivated while using her soul.
However, the most important resource that allowed Wisteria to have a great increase in prowess was ultimately the Time Law Treasure gained from the Mystical Herb Mansion in the Candidacy, the Four-Colored Temporal Clover!
With Myria, Tina, and Dalila's help, they used the Four-Colored Temporal Clover and Nethergrave Black Rose's thorns, the Death Law Treasure, as main ingredients, and they managed to make a decay-attributed pill that allowed Wisteria's prowess to soar.
In their family, Wisteria was the strongest Emperor Grade Immortal-Tier Spirit to ever exist.
She felt that it wouldn't be strange if Wisteria mutated anytime.
'Maybe when I enter the Empyrean Stage, she will also mutate from the burst of my improved Malevolent Darkness Physique, finally allowing her to take the next step…'
Evelynn thought. However, she couldn't help but think about the moment when she asked the Four-Colored Temporal Clover from Davis. He hesitated a bit but eventually said that he kept it for Jade Aurora to return a favor. However, he quickly gave it to her, saying that he would find another Time Law Treasure elsewhere.
Evelynn was moved at that time, making sure to remember to gift Jade Aurora later through her own efforts. She recognized this so-called favor should be steep. Otherwise, with the amount of help Davis provided Jade Aurora and Ivy Aries, there was no way he would be making up such an obvious lie.
"Many thanks, Empress Evelynn. From now on, we promise our life is yours to command. As the only surviving inheritor of the Three-Eyed Chromatic Hex Arachnid Clan and the one who Empress Hexena Xylusc personally approved, we know you will lead us to glory and allow us to take revenge sooner or later."
The Third Leg, Syriss Xylusc knelt and cupped her hands. She bowed her head and appeared immensely respectful.
Evelynn lacked Heart Intent, so she couldn't tell how much Syriss Xylusc's words were true, but she supposed she managed to calm these headless legs down.
"Other than the fact that I could usurp control of this place easily, why were you all so eager to activate this massive hex formation? Surely, such a huge amount of energy couldn't be wasted just because you wanted to bring me here…"
"…" Syriss Xylusc looked embarrassed and angered as she raised her head, "My apologies, Empress Evelynn. Our people were kidnapped by the Pyraxis Ember Arachnid Clan once again. Even though they are aware that we're somewhere in this strata, they are not serious about locating us and instead are totally toying with us. It is as though they are treating us as livestock, not for food but as playthings…!"
She shuddered, her eyes turned red.
"We could no longer endure. Although we couldn't find you and bring back Empress Hexena, we knew you were in good hands with the Divine Emperor of Death. We were emboldened to launch a powerful attack those damned arachnids wouldn't be able to recover from even if their flames worked against hexes. It combines the collective hatred of our race, fueling the hex to be much more powerful. We do not care anymore if our hideout is exposed and all major powers decide to siege us like back then in the war."
"We can… no longer endure, or we would be nothing but empty husks…"
"However, you somehow made it here, and we were lost. We imagined we needed the guidance of our late Empress no matter what and had become desperate enough to… entrap- we have sinned! Please forgive us!"
"…"
Evelynn frowned, "What became of the ones who were kidnapped?"
"If it is men, they are tied up and humiliated until they are beaten to death under the pretext that they're purely evil. If it is women… they… are played with until they die off… even the children born from violence are killed… They were kidnapped half a year ago. I doubt they are still alive…"
"…"
Evelynn took a deep breath, finding it harder to contain her rage.
"Yes, Empress Evelynn…" Fahzi woke up, his eyes tired and his face pale, "I decided to give them my blood after hearing about this matter. There's no way I can lead the clan as some of you wish, so the only thing I can do is give my royal blood and make the formation become much more complete and powerful."
"Ridiculous. You have just healed your Spirit Blood and already dare to donate blood to this degree? It seems that you don't want to cultivate, or are you also emboldened that the Divine Emperor of Death will heal you?"
"…"
Fahzi hesitated for a moment before he lowered his head, "I dare not, but it did indeed cross my mind."
Evelynn nearly harrumphed.
Davis wished for Fahzi to lead the Three-Eyed Chromatic Hex Arachnid Clan so that she may not be burdened. Therefore, Fahzi's cultivation was funded by the Davis Family, but after coming here, he threw it away, probably knowing that Davis would heal him. She felt like he really needed a beating.
Besides, he nearly got fooled. What if his royal blood was used against her with that Inverse Hex Revival Formation instead of powering the massive hex formation?
Wouldn't he have no room to cry then? Wouldn't he be killed by Davis, then?
After waking up, he didn't even realize that she had been in danger and still thought his blood was being used to kill their enemies.
Nonetheless, she decided to put that matter behind her and focused on the matter at hand.
"Since the kidnapped are no longer alive, endure for a bit more time. Once the time is right, we'll launch an attack, decimating the Pyraxis Ember Arachnid Clan. We may not be able to take back our Minor Realm, but we'll reduce them to vagrants who have no choice but to hide and live like us."
"Yes!"
The eight pillars excitedly roared as they heard her words.
Considering Evelynn's powers, especially her spirit's, they knew she wasn't kidding at all. She was here for a short time, but they were already starting to understand that she would do what she said.
The two Ancestors also walked closer, their bodies limping.
There were already many dark spots on their skin, their cells decaying. They might not have long to live, perhaps a few thousand years which is extremely less considering peak Empyreans could live up to a hundred billion years if they perfectly maintained their health and didn't get in bloody fights.
"Empress Evelynn, please guide us…"
"Please guide us."
Ancestor Alissara and the other Ancestor knelt and kowtowed while shuddering.
Evelynn flicked her finger, lifting it up. She also indicated for Wisteria to remove her decay energy since she felt they suffered enough. She knew the old ladies would not be able to take it and drop dead in a week if they didn't use any medicine to stop the decay from spreading.
Wisteria pouted but still listened, completely removing her energy from them as she dispersed it.
The two Ancestors were about to thank Evelynn, but she quickly cut them off.
"Tell me about the history of the clan. Why did the war against the Three-Eyed Chromatic Hex Arachnids start? Why were you all persecuted?"