Divine Emperor of Death

A ray of light appeared in an unknown location.

The light disappeared and a white-robed woman appeared in the air, dropping to the ground. However, she kicked the air and moved to the side, instantly grasping a branch of a tree that she saw as soon as she appeared before she spun around and flipped, balancing herself on the branch.

She moved back to the trunk, guarding her back as she slowly panned her gaze, recognizing that she was now in a forest instead of a volcanic area.

"How far was I teleported away…?"

Isabella muttered under her breath before jumping to another branch. She took a complete look around and made sure that there weren't any lifeforms in this area.

Only then did she draw an inscription in the air.

It manifested in the air before starting to move away in the northern direction.

'So that's the way to make it back…'

Isabella nodded, continuing to follow the fist-sized spirit formation that tracked a needle-sized spirit formation she placed behind the monument. She recollected what had happened, still having an indifferent expression, but inside her heart, she had already declared Altross's death.

If she were to meet him again, she swore that she would use everything in her power to kill him for calling Celestia a demon spawn.

However, she didn't get ahead of herself.

She understood the general direction and threw the fist-sized spirit formation into her inner world. This allowed her to sense the general direction of the other spirit formation that she placed behind the monument. It was as though she felt compelled to go that way, although the effect was negligible.

This was one of the side effects of placing items or sources of energy in the inner world. If she threw a poisonous herb inside that was of High-Level Immortal Emperor Grade, chances are that she would get sick soon.

But now, it was a spirit formation she made with her earthen energy, so its side effects were negligible.

She made her way across the forest and eventually chanced upon a shore.

In the distance was the ocean. It was silent without a ripple, making her instead doubt that countless creatures lurked underneath. She didn't go near the ocean and turned back, heading inside the forest.

However, she didn't go the way she did but moved diagonally.

"…"

Suddenly, she felt the fist-sized spirit formation inside her collapse.

At that moment, she knew that the other spirit formation had been discovered and eradicated. Otherwise, the tracking spirit formation wouldn't have collapsed.

Isabella stopped for a moment, rage seething in her heart. It just became too difficult to get back to the volcanic mountain range and enact her revenge.

However, she convinced herself that there would be another chance in the future and continued her journey. She continued winding through the forest at a slow pace, careful not to get caught again, as she only had one other Escape Talisman left.

If she used that, then she would find herself cornered and would have no choice but to retire. Then again, she had no idea where the Crystal Gate was.

Using the Escape Talisman didn't bring her to where the Crystal Gate was. As for the Defensive Talisman, it would help her escape death one time, but it wouldn't let her escape the situation. So, it was something that would only be used in battles when on equal footing.

However, she understood something.

Those strange Hidden Pagodas were something she must find and clear.

'Since that was the Seventh Hidden Pagoda, there must be at least six hidden pagodas in this Crystal World at the very least…'

She decided to focus her search on the Hidden Pagodas for the time being while also looking forward to searching for energy sources that were said to be available throughout the Crystal World. If it was an energy source, then the most common type of energy would be heaven and earth energy.

Therefore, she moved towards the direction where she sensed the heaven and earth energy increasingly growing denser.

A few hours later, the sun descended on the horizon, inviting night to spread throughout the region.

She wondered if the day and night cycle was different here because it was already night by the time the first trial ended yet it was daytime when she woke up, the sun high up in the sky as though it was noon. Now, it had just entered night, making her wonder if time moved differently or if they were somewhere else where the Solar Reverence and the Lunar Reverence didn't interfere.

The only place she knew those two heavenly entities didn't interfere was the Third Layer, from where Davis originally originated.

'It's getting denser…'

Her thoughts were brought back to the present as she sensed the increase in the energy of heaven and earth in the atmosphere. She climbed a mountain like before and slid across an opening, whereupon she entered a rock formation that headed straight into a valley.

Walking towards the cliff and looking at the valley below, her brows raised as she found a crystal mountain.

However, the shocking thing was that there were around thirty people there.

'What's going on…? They're all from different factions, but are they working together to mine the crystal mountains?'

Isabella narrowed her eyes, wondering why they were sharing resources. However, her eyes widened as she found Noctis and Crystia on the field. They were allies who would support her when it came to the Candidacy, but she didn't know the situation that was going down below, making her wonder what to do.

She hid behind the rocky walls and generated an earthen needle, pricking her index finger.

A drop of blood poured out. It didn't contain much blood essence, but she burned it. It instantly disappeared, but it sent out a few discrete waves of undulation that only a dragon would be able to sense, especially an Earth Dragon.

Due to her having Emperor-Tier Blood, it was like the call of an Empress. It couldn't be easily ignored, nor could it go unheard of in such a short range.

A few moments later, two figures ascended.

They wore white robes as well, but their countenances were fairly dashing.

"Isabella, you're here~"

Crystia skipped on the rocks and stood before Isabella, her voice appearing cheerful. She raised her hand, looking like she was going to punch Isabella, but the latter raised her hands in surrender.

"Don't. I'd die from a single punch."

"What happened?"

Isabella smiled wryly while Crystia's expression sank.

The latter then listened what came off the people who cleared the ninth step, causing her and Noctis to be shocked.

Even one's prowess was sealed? What kind of joke was that as it was akin to sealing six or even seven levels at once?

This was something that would make a huge impact on their plans.

"I need you two to protect me while I figure out how to regain my prowess."

Isabella stated her intentions openly, her sharp eyes glaring at Crystia and Noctis.