(A/N; GUYS, THIS IS Chapter 41, PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE READING THE TWO PREVIOUS ONES!)

...

"So..."

Emperal tilted his head towards Dresh, wondering why the woman had put him in this strange situation.

"It was she who insisted on meeting you!" Dresh pouted and turned her head away. Vara couldn’t help but glare at her when she said that.

"Miss Var—"

"Vara"

"I understand, Miss Va—"

"Vara"

"...Vara, is there something you need from me?"

Emperal cleared his throat and asked, to which a beaming smile blossomed on Vara’s face.

"It’s nothing, Emperal, I just wanted someone to escort me to the Phoenix Empire. I am just a lonely woman."

"Yup, a gigantic red flag alright."

"Red flag? Kid, I suggest you stay at least a thousand miles away from this woman. She is a bit not...ok in her mind. And don’t even ask me about her identity."

The Infernal Dragon’s voice echoed in his head, and Emperal swore he heard a small gulp somewhere.

But...

"What do I get in return?"

Emperal questioned back, his expression unchanged. He didn’t understand why he asked this when he even knew a bit about her from the Infernal Dragon.

There was just a spark of something inside this woman that reminded him of Vraelyn.

"I could offer myself—Ahem! I will offer anything you want, and don’t underestimate me. I have connections with the royalty there."

Vara spoke while barely controlling a grin; her breathing somehow went from calm to chaotic when she heard that Emperal would tag along with her.

Emperal conveniently ignored the first part, but focused on the second.

"Connections with the Royal Palace, huh? I’m sure someone in the higher-ups could have knowledge about the Consciousness Mirror."

That was his first thought when he heard the woman’s words. At this point, he had nowhere to go, nor did he have any clues regarding the mirror.

He might as well tag along with this woman, despite her...quirky antics. Her cultivation was reliable.

Stage Three Verth Wielder.

Despite not having Dresh’s level of strength, Emperal was damn sure this was not her real cultivation.

"Obviously, her real cultivation is far beyond what you can comprehend."

The moment the Infernal Dragon’s words echoed in his mind, his eyes widened in horror.

Phoenix Empire, higher-ups, connections, reward, and...

Emperal felt a chill down his spine as he shakily tilted his head towards Dresh—specifically the claw mark on her face. Then back to the smiling face of Vara.

"Yup...I am dead."

Emperal admitted honestly, he had, of course, concluded the right thing. But he had already given his word; he couldn’t back down at this point. Looking at her, his eyes hardened.

"I want information, can you give it to me?"

"Emperal...you??"

The Infernal Dragon was stunned when he heard the boy’s words. "Does this brat have a loose screw in his head? No, he is too smart for that. What is he even thinking?"

"Information? Yes! I will give you everything you need!"

Vara hurriedly nodded her head and once again took his hands. At this point, even Calder could see it, sneaking back at Emperal, he couldn’t help but whisper.

"B-Boss, it seems this woman is, uhh, interested in you."

"No shit, Sherlock."

Emperal’s brows twitched violently. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Vara, specifically his hand.

"So, when do we leave?"

He slightly attempted to shrug off the grip, but it was too tight to just shrug off unless he applied force.

"I can even leave now!"

Vara spoke excitedly. Squeezing his hand even tighter, she obviously ignored his attempt to pull his hand away.

"Alright, we will leave tonight."

Calder had a strange expression when he saw the duo. He looked at Emperal’s purple-tinted hand and at Vara’s...unhealthy stare at Emperal. And at Dresh, who had already taken three steps back.

"Tonight, huh?" Calder repeated. "We are leaving tonight...with her."

"Yes," Emperal nodded.

"For the Phoenix Empire"

"...Yes"

"Uhm, I think your hand is, it’s not really looking well."

"Oh, you think? Why don’t you smell it to confirm."

"...No thanks, I will look for supplies in Gorven’s camp. Meanwhile, you both can have some private time!"

Calder nodded with a sagely expression, and the bastard even cupped his hands.

A vein popped on Emperal’s forehead when he saw him walking away.

"This betrayal, this Emperal shall forever remember!"

Calder walked away with the speed of a man who had been discovered by his wife, cheating.

Emperal sighed and looked at Vara, her expression was strangely filled with satisfaction and something far...far darker. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Release my hand, I won’t repeat myself."

This time, Emperal spoke in a much harsher tone, prompting Vara to reluctantly leave his hand.

Turning towards Dresh, he waved his hand.

"See you"

...

Later that night in Dresh’s tent, despite being called Dresh’s tent. There was no Dresh inside to speak of.

Instead, Vara stood in the middle of the tent, staring at her hand intently. Slowly, her black hair began to transform. Turning from midnight black to glowing white hair.

Her aura, her expression, her body language. Everything shifted astronomically; even her height increased.

Bringing her hand closer to her nose, she...she began sniffing it!

"T-This smell! Ahn~ I’m wet just sniffing it. I want more!!"

Unknown to her, the floor on which she was standing was drowned in...sacred liquids.

Its smell caused surrounding cultivators and beasts alike to drop down unconscious.

Even Dresh was no exception.

Vara sniffed it as if it was some divine perfume, her eyes soon turned intoxicated. Her entire body trembled as her pale white skin slowly turned rosy.

"Emperal...that bitch really kept you inside her prison for so long! I-I can finally have you, and look at you, grown into such a handsome young man, Mhm~."

Vara began muttering his name inside her mind like a broken tape. After continuing this for two straight hours, she finally calmed down. Though her breathing was still uneven, she glanced at the pool beneath her and waved her hand, evaporating every single drop in less than a second.

Slowly, her eyes hardened. "Vraelyn, that insufferable bitch. How could she even think of giving him that Debauched inheritance? I will...kill her."