Divine Emperor of Death

White hair gently flowed down over her shoulder while a white veil adorned her face. Her sharp, curved eyes seemed piercing but also seductive, her appearance on par with a supreme yet wistful beauty who appeared like her thoughts were above this world but still radiated a wisp of sorrow to the tragedy in this world.

Such a woman stepped forward and looked at the icy-white-robed woman in front of her.

"Yeyin, I assume it's the first time we've seen each other?"

"Yes…" Mistress Yeyin responded with a pause, "… but I have seen Matriarch a few times in the main city."

"Is that so?" The Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch nodded before she scanned her down, realizing that Mistress Yeyin showed up in a soul body, "Are you secluded right now?"

Mistress Yeyin's eyes flickered as she cupped her hands and bowed.

"My apologies, Matriarch. I'm recovering from my injuries right now. If I had known-"

"You're injured? Quick, bring your main body here, and I'll treat your right now."

The wistful beauty seemed rather a bit panicked and urged Mistress Yeyin, causing the latter to blink before she bowed again.

"I'm graced by Matriarch's goodwill. However, I've almost recovered, so it's unnecessary, and I only have a little bit of time to get back in shape."

"I see." The Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch nodded genially, "Go on. Explain what happened in the Mercurial Blitz Ice Valley."

However, Mistress Yeyin wryly smiled.

"I didn't think the Matriarch herself would pay a visit to ask me the details of the mission."

"That's how important it is to us, the Unfettered Ice Fiend carcasses, I mean. I'm here to buy them in bulk from the Aurora Cloud Gate and hope to haggle as we gain the details of the mission. The difficulty of gaining these would help me better calculate the prices."

"Ah~ I understand." Mistress Yeyin nodded before her eyes darted as though contemplating.

"If I have to begin from somewhere, then I would choose to begin from the day where the Emperor of Death set foot into the Mercurial Blitz Ice Valley-"

She started narrating the events she knew about, such as the time when they fought for a treasure in a dense icy river. From the little squabbles to the matter about the Unfettered Behemoth Ice Fiend's heart, she left no stones unturned.

She finished explaining, causing the Ice Phoenix Matriarch to nod her head.

"Well done, Little Yeyin. That was beautifully detailed, which I am convinced would greatly help me reduce the prices of the Unfettered Ice Fiend carcasses."

"I'm honored." Mistress Yeyin smiled.

Being able to report to the Matriarch herself, it would be a lie if she said that she wasn't happy. To serve one's power was one of the greatest honors one could receive, and to receive praise from the head of the power, she was feeling delighted despite the icy expression on her face.

The Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch turned to look at Elder Aradiel Furiose, raising her hand to her bust as though wanting to talk, but then, she lowered her hand, suddenly appearing like she remembered something, and returned her gaze to Mistress Yeyin.

"I am also here to recall our disciples, but Elder Aradiel Furiose told me to go through many procedures, which I'm unwilling to do so. However, elder allowed one or two disciples to leave, so since we're here together, I'll just bring you with me."

"…" Mistress Yeyin couldn't help but blink, "I'll come back lat-"

"Also, the Unfettered Ice Fiend is said to cause illness in our bodies. Since you have been there for a long time and have been injured, I'm afraid that you might have been infected. I need your blood and everyone else in our clan who entered the Mercurial Blitz Ice Valley to investigate and put our concerns to rest. I hope you understand."

Mistress Yeyin watched her Matriarch take a step forward which made her feel like she was practically towering over her. She took a step back, appearing rather intimidated as her eyes shook.

"Matriarch, why are you… lying?

The Ice Phoenix Clan Matriarch's eyes gleamed before she looked away and heaved a breath.

"Seems like I have embarrassed myself. The elders have always complained that deceit is far from me, and I shouldn't resort to this method even though I thought it was for the best, sigh."

The Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch raised her hand and brushed her free-flowing white hair to the side, revealing her alluring beauty as she took another step forward, inching closer to Mistress Yeyin.

"Yeyin of the Ice Phoenix Clan, I, as the Ice Phoenix Clan Matriarch, order you to come back to the clan."

Mistress Yeyin took a step back as she shook her head. It was just like he said. They were here to take her for some reason, a reason which she didn't dare try to find for fear of losing her identity.

"You cannot deny."

The Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch raised her hand and stretched out, her ice energy swirling toward Mistress Yeyin. However, it was suddenly blown away like a breeze, unable to even near Mistress Yeyin, causing the Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch to turn to look at Elder Aradiel Furiose.

"She's just a soul body."

"Soul body or not. You can't harm our disciple while being here, especially not on my watch."

"I'm not foolish enough to harm her." The Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch frowned, returning her gaze to Mistress Yeyin.

"So you won't come back to the clan? To not heed the words of the Matriarch to return to the clan, do you know that is akin to betrayal?"

"I.. I'm..."

Looking at Mistress Yeyin react rather panicked, the Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch loosened her shoulders and lowered her hand.

"I did not mean to scare you. If you are what we think you are, I promise we'll give you full protection and resources that will allow you to grow much faster. The clan is with you, Little Yeyin."

"Ice Phoenix Mistress, I'm going to have to stop you from destabilizing our disciple's mentality and coercing them into doing what they don't what to do."

Elder Aradiel Furiose's voice resounded from the side, which ultimately caused the Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch to turn to look at him once again.

"Elder Aradiel Furiose, this is a serious matter, one that could bring us into war, and I sincerely don't want that to happen."

"Go on." Elder Aradiel Furiose frowned, but he gestured, causing the Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch to purse her lips.

She had heard about Elder Aradiel Furiose's lawful, fair and brave conduct that drove away the Fire Phoenix Clan and the Earth Dragon Clan when they came to retrieve their inheritors. She knew if she played the fool like them, there would be no progress, but she could even be kicked out.

"She… is one of our inheritors." She decisively spoke after a moment of hesitation.

Elder Aradiel Furiose raised his brows at Mistress Yeyin. To think she had hidden from the eyes of the Aurora Cloud Gate… he couldn't help but give Mistress Yeyin a thorough look once again before opening his mouth.

"The situation has become more complicated. This is a disciple with a special status, but neither of us has acknowledged that in our records, have we?"

"She hid it from us as well, so that is indeed true."

"I see."

Elder Aradiel Furiose became contemplative, but on the other hand, Mistress Yeyin finally reacted.

"What…? I didn't hide such a thing."

"Is that so?" The Ice Phoenix Matriarch lightly smiled, "Then tell me, when did you clear the inheritance trial, Little Yeyin? Why did you not report to us?"

"I…"

Mistress Yeyin turned to look away but what she saw was Shirley through the vision of her main body. Her eyes couldn't help but tremble, finally realizing that if she wasn't the one who had taken the trial as she had no recollection of such a thing, then it should be Shirley who shared her blood. But then… that would make herself the…

"I am the… inheritance master…?"

Davis's heart clenched as a cold feeling enveloped him. However, he realized that it was just an illusion as nothing arrived when seen through his karmic eyes. His mind was playing games on him.

But at this moment, Mistress Yeyin was stunned again. Their silence and averting eyes could be taken as a yes. However, Shirley also had her half-sister Zahara's blood, not to mention she was designated as the Fire Phoenix Clan's inheritor!

Everyone knew that, but Shirley also had her blood, which meant Shirley was an inheritor of both the Fire Phoenix Clan and the Ice Phoenix Clan!?

What kind of ridiculous notion was this!?

Mistress Yeyin's eyes violently shook, her soul even starting to shudder and feel dizzy as her fingers shook as she caught onto something else.

If she was the inheritance master and Shirley was the trial taker, then was she the one who approved of Shirley carrying both inheritances…? Or was it Zahara?

What was going on?

"You… who gave you the Fire Phoenix Clan inheritance to you?"

She violently raised her hand and pointed at Shirley, her eyes deeply wanting to know the answer to the findings she had speculated.

"There could be only one, someone whom I'm connected through with blood, and that goes the same to my other blood..."

Shirley wryly smiled, causing the light in Mistress Yeyin's eyes to fade, understanding that this meant that she and Zahara truly were the inheritance masters of the Ice Phoenix Clan and the Fire Phoenix Clan.

In that case, how were they… how was she still alive? Her widened eyes and gaze full of disbelief automatically turned to fall on Davis, whose expression seemed part worried and part guilty.

"Yeyin, why are you shaking?"

"…!"

Mistress Yeyin came out of her reverie as she turned to look at the source of the voice, seeing the Ice Phoenix Clan's Matriarch look at her deeply.

Taking a deep breath, Mistress Yeyin suppressed the shaking and curled her lips into an unknown smile.

"Matriarch, I am..."