After storing the living Nefarious Darkwill Rakshasa's soul safely, Shirley turned and headed towards the supreme geniuses.
She gave a momentary glance at them before she moved towards the little darkness spirit who practically crouched and huddled into a ball as she saw Shirley coming towards her.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you. I'm here to tell you that you're safe and no longer a tribute or a sacrifice."
Shirley reached out her hand, caressing the little darkness spirit's cheek.
The little spirit was silent. However, her expression appeared confused, as though sensing a new kind of warmth that she had never felt before. Her dark blue eyes turned moist, letting out dark tears. Her lips kept pursing like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"Silly child~"
Shirley couldn't help herself and hugged the little darkness spirit, "That must've been scary. There is no need to worry. Elder sister is here."
The little darkness spirit nodded. She kept nodding and hugged Shirley back, appearing like she didn't want to leave her.
"…"
Shirley blinked. This little darkness spirit was absorbing her energy now.
Perhaps it was a reaction to the influx of emotions. Spirits tended to do that- cause winds to blow and mountains to form. A darkness spirit might engulf the surroundings in darkness, and depending on their nature, they could also siphon energy, so she didn't think too much about it.
It was negligible to her.
After a minute, the little darkness spirit finally calmed down.
"What's your name? Where are you from?" Shirley asked.
But as though responding to her words, a few darkness spirits appeared around her, manifesting from the remnant fog that was still dispersing slowly.
"Her name is Rioxys Plume. Although she's not a Plummeting Midnight Sky Rover, she is a part of our tribe."
Shirley turned to look at a man. Her eyes narrowed because she recognized him. He was the spirit who warned them not to head further because there was the Greater One. Now, he looked kind of reverential as he looked towards her.
She stood up, glaring with her crimson eyes, "You people dare to send a child as a tribute?"
Shirley walked towards them, rearing to teach them a lesson.
However, a hand suddenly held her back.
"Shirley, you knew the Nefarious Darkwill Rakshasa was too powerful. For these spirits, it was either collectively die or offer a child every one hundred years. Clearly, that Realm Calamity couldn't get out due to bonding with this fragmented world, so it treated this place as a livestock pen."
"Even so-!" Shirley turned to look at Isabella, "…"
She looked like she wanted to say something but didn't have any words, her expression contorting. She took a deep breath, turning to look at the little darkness spirit that looked so scared.
"Leave it. Spirits devour each other most of the time. Even if they are saddened, to sacrifice kin wouldn't be considered a cardinal sin among them. It's useless to impose our human morality on them." Isabella could only comfort Shirley.
She was also angered, but after battling the Nefarious Darkwill Rakshasa, she could understand why they would engage in this behavior. It was just too strong, an unbeatable existence within the Immortal Emperor Stage.
Even as they overpowered it, its regenerative capability was insane when being supported by this fragmented shard world. They launched hundreds of attacks, each one capable of grievously harming a Level Six Empyrean or even causing them to die but the Rakshasa endured them all.
It wasn't until they sealed the core they managed to defeat it. If their prowess wasn't higher than Level Six Empyrean Stage, then it would've been very difficult for them to subdue it.
"Strange beings," The Plummeting Midnight Sky Rover spoke, "The ten settlements in this fragmented shadow world all send tributes every hundred years. It was merely our turn this decade. However, that child isn't the tribute we have prepared."
"…" Shirley didn't even want to listen to their reasons when she abruptly swerved her head towards them.
"What?"
"Rioxys is my brother's daughter he had with another darkness spirit of unknown nature. We do not know what kind of spirit Rioxys is but we never mistreated her. However, she took pity on the child who was reared for the tribute and went to play with her every day. However, it was unexpected that she would leave the settlement as the day for the tribute neared. She nearly sacrificed herself vainly. We were helpless to stop it. Perhaps if I hadn't stood guard near the entrance, then I would've been able to stop her, but it was too late."
The Plummeting Midnight Sky Rover appeared emotional and regretful.
He raised his hands high and bowed all the way down while still in the air.
"We of the Plume Tribe thank our benefactor for vanquishing the Greater One. We have finally been freed. Please accept our fealty, O' Greater One."
The ones behind him and the other spirit tribes in the distance also began to kowtow, making Shirley taken aback. She suddenly felt a bit of understanding for them.
After all, spirits weren't the ones to know to stay and swear fealty to a new master like that. They were fleeing at the chance of freedom. Now, they were bowing down to her, making her understand that fear has been thoroughly instilled into them by the Nefarious Darkwill Rakshasa.
Only they knew what kind of torture they endured for century millenniums.
"Fmph! Who needs your fealty? Just give us treasures, and we'll be on our way out."
Shirley fumed.
She turned around and walked to the supreme geniuses, leaving the spirits baffled.
They tried to talk to Isabella, willing to accept her as the new Greater One but she shook her head, leaving them confused. It was as though they did not know of another way to live.
Isabella couldn't help but feel pity and helped advise them as gently as possible.
On the other hand, Shirley appeared near Young Master Ragoon and started kicking him down, hurling curses at him. Her mood wasn't good. However, she was still sane. She didn't deal him a killing blow and stuck with physical abuse with the intention of causing pain.
With his face beaten black and blue, blood flowing from his lips, Young Master Ragoon leaned on a wall, gasping for breath. He felt so miserable since he hadn't been asked anything yet continued to be beaten. It made him so angered yet also fearful for his life that he just blurted out that he had information on the Divine Emperor of Death, finally causing this phoenix demoness to stop.
It gave him a brief moment of reprieve before suddenly being surrounded by all the beauties. However, their expressions were frighteningly cold. It was as though if they found out that he was kidding, they would end him without bothering to know more.t