Chapter 3298 Freedom of Choice?
Davis flew with the elders in the flying boat along with the Fire Phoenix Clan's Elders.
He appeared in another city, another Tier One City that seemed to be bustling with people but had a similar.
"This city and the lives in it… or one of your organs each…"
"Choose."
The Emperor of Death repeated the same words, but this time, it wasn't their limbs but their organs that could cost more blood essence.
Their legs had already healed upon taking healing pills, but the legs that were severed were still on the flying boat. Those limbs were only a few meters away, but they didn't dare to take it back even though it still held their blood essence. Now, they were put in a position where they had to sacrifice one of their organs, which meant the loss of more blood essence compared to losing limbs.
"One of our organs…"
Tyler Zenflame sighed ever so lightly as though resigning himself to fate.
"What about you?"
Davis looked at Levon Zenflame while still having a light smile on his face.
"One of our organs… please…"
It sounded like he was ordering food or telling him to stop, but Davis ignored all that and raised his hand.
"Very well."
Stretching out his palms, Davis's soul force shot outside like a claw. It seemed to be made up of darkness energy, rushing towards them as they stood like a statue.
Before they even realized what had happened, the claws went back to Davis as he seemed to be holding two objects. Those objects were still moving- no, twitching as though they still continued to supply blood.
The two Elders felt a faint pain on the left side of their chest. Lowering their heads, they saw that there was a bloody hole. Inside that bloody, there were no ribs to be found as it seemed to have shattered on two sides, and neither was a heart present.
Blood poured out of their bodies, finally making them realize the weight of the situation.
*Pui!*
They spit a mouthful of blood at the same time, falling to the floor.
Fortunately, they had already taken a valuable healing pill, so their wounds and organs were rapidly healing as the medicinal essence had yet to recede. Besides, they had Fire Phoenix Blood with them, so their regenerative ability was quite good.
However, their expressions went extremely pale as they lost forty percent of their blood essence with this single strike from him.
He ripped off their hearts, literally.
They spat a few more mouths of blood before their chest healed first, although the heart and bones were still in the midst of reforming and connecting.
Raising their heads, they saw that their hearts were no longer with him, perhaps crushed or thrown into the skies. It made intense anger swell in them, but they dared not show in their faces or their gazes, lowering their gaze again.
"Let's go to the next one, shall we?"
"…"
Levon Zenflame gasped in despair, almost causing blood to reach his throat again as he almost spat out blood, but clenching his teeth, he forcefully swallowed along with the shame that swelled in him.
"What? Didn't I just say elders shouldn't easily kneel?"
His words were like thunder, causing them to stand up straight like a stick of wood. Their minds felt dizzy, and they shook like they were going to fall due to the loss of blood essence, but clenching their fists, they hung on.
"Don't forget to look clean. What if a war starts because a Grand Elder saw you Elders like this?"
*Pui!~*
Davis appeared concerned as he asked, but both Levon Zenflame and Tyler Zenflame spat out blood as anger got to their heads. Their hearts that were regenerating cracked upon hearing him say such a ridiculous thing.
No- was he intending for the Grand Elders to appear and fight them to start the war? They couldn't see that happening.
Regardless, having no choice, they replaced their robes swiftly and kept standing like little children who were about to receive punishment.
They could only look at the back of his figure or lower their gaze for the remainder of their journey to another city.
Their brows hung low, knitting into a distressed frown. Their mouths drooped at the corner in a resigned way, their expression appearing pulled down by the weight of the burden, their cheeks hollow and devoid of color, entirely desolate.
They were only External Affairs Elders and wouldn't even be relegated to go search for the fourth inheritor as that was an internal matter, but now, they were forced to deal with the Emperor of Death. When they were sent on this mission, they already left, not even talking with their family, and left straight for the Emperor of Death upon his return from the secret realm, following him day and night no matter where they heard he was.
Now, it seems like they weren't even going to be granted death easily.
In fact, they could tell they were probably being used for amusement.
Their middle-aged features were losing vibrancy a bit as they appeared to have gone slightly older, although it was unknown if it was of losing the blood essence or enduring this despairing torture from the Emperor of Death that could last till he was appeased.
"We're finally here."
Despite how calm and gentle he sounded, his words were like arrows piercing their hearts, except their expressions didn't even twitch as they lacked the heart to care anymore.
Their thoughts already ran into a corner, thinking if they could die appeasing him, there would be no other greater honor.
However, they saw the Emperor of Death jump out of the flying boat.
Their eyes widened, wondering what he was doing. Had he made the choice to destroy the city even before he forced them with his choices?
Shuddering with fright, the both of them shot towards the edge of the flying boat as they looked down.
They saw he was no longer there and, in fact, breached the city-wide barrier somehow, not even making a dent or an alert as though he essentially slipped into it. It made them alarmed, causing them to jump out of the flying boat and descend.
They were not impeded by the barrier as they were Elders, and their aura should be recognizable by the city-wide barrier formation spirit, allowing them to enter easily without alerting anyone. They quickly looked around, trying to find him, but one of them froze like he had gotten the biggest fright of his life.
"What is it? Did you find him!?" Tyler Zenflame asked Levon Zenflame, who acted strange.
But a moment later, Tyler Zenflame also recognized this city.
Because they despaired, they didn't even pay attention to where they were going, but now, they finally saw in which city they were.
*Whoosh!~*
Levon Zenflame shot in a direction like a madman. Flames soared, and his undulations radiated as he flew like a speeding meteor, causing countless people in the city to be shocked, wondering why an Immortal Emperor was making a scene. If the aura wasn't that of a fire phoenix flames, then they would've all been alarmed, but since it was just an Elder, they went about their day.
Tyler Zenflame followed Levon Zenflame as he picked up a storm again.
Their undulations certainly alerted the authorities, but they didn't seem to bother much as these days, it became common to see Immortal Emperors hurrying here and there.
Levon Zenflame and Tyler Zenflame soon appeared in a palace.
It was extremely luxurious, to say the least.
On the balcony of the palace, Levon Zenflame saw a purple-robed man interact with a group of people. This group of people consisted of men and women, even children. The men and women were Immortal Kings and Immortals, but in front of that purple-robed man, they seemed to be standing around in despair.
Their expressions were half-smiles and half-panic, something that one would consider funny, but to Levon Zenflame, it was the most frightening sight he had ever seen in his life.
'How… just how did he find my family…?'
Did the Emperor of Death investigate him before this matter? Even in that case, he had already told his family to leave days ago, so the Emperor of Death shouldn't know the whereabouts of his family, so how was he here, and why didn't his family still leave yet!?
"Hehe~ Purple-robed big brother, you're so funny."
A little child, no more than five or six years old and looked a bit pudgy with adorable cheeks, smiled at Davis with the most innocent smile he saw in this city.
"There's no way an elephant would be bothered about killing ants. Isn't that right, mother?"
She gleefully asked as she turned to look at a woman, appearing to want to receive praise.
"Yes… yes…" The mother tremblingly nodded, her eyes already teeming with tears, but she didn't dare let them fall.
The little girl finally saw her mother acting strange and blinked, but Davis hid her view as he knelt before her and smiled.
"Of course. An elephant wouldn't bother. You're entirely right- hmm "
Davis inclined his head, causing the little girl to giggle.
"It's Leia Zenflame."
"Leia, huh…"
Davis couldn't help but shake his head at the bit of similarity in the name, but he looked around, patting the other children who carefully gathered around him in order to receive his gifts since he gave the little girl one.
At this moment, Levon Zenflame finally entered the balcony from the air.
His foot landed on the surface, but he trudged on with a blank look on his face.
"Grandpa!~"
The little girl instantly noticed Levon Zenflame and waved her hand, although she held a jade container the size of her head as she waved it.
"Look! Look! I received a gift from this purple-robed big brother!"
"Leia…" Levon Zenflame voiced out with longing, but he hid his tremble, not wanting her to know, although he couldn't imagine what kind of calamitous thing was inside that jade container.
Once she opened it, would it be poison or an explosive?
He didn't want to imagine, suddenly stopping to keep his distance from her as he raised his hand.
"Let's open it tomorrow. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fun…"
"Mhm?" The little girl inclined her head, looking suspiciously at her grandfather.
"Don't tell me you want to snatch it from me…?"
"No… I-"
"Listen to what your grandfather says, Leia. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun tomorrow…"
Davis patted the little girl's head and stood up, turning to look at Levon Zenflame.
"Grandfather…"
"Father…"
"Father-in-law…"
At the same time, numerous despondent voices echoed in Levon Zenflame's head, causing him to no longer be able to control his shudder and frightened expression, which the little girl finally saw.
"Grandpa…?"
She softly echoed, moving back a bit step by step until she was in her mother's embrace.
*Thud~*
She could feel the heavy tremor from her mother, finally causing her to drop the jade container as she also held her mother in fright.
That frightening thud caused the entire family to shudder as they took a step back, and even the other children froze in place, their instincts kicking up, their minds telling them if they moved, something could go wrong.
As they froze, Davis appeared beside Levon Zenflame and touched his shoulder.
"This city and the lives outside this lovely home… or your family. Choose who you wish to sacrifice…"
Levon Zenflame's shivering stopped as he heard the sigh in the Emperor of Death's voice.
Forgetting his body, his entire soul… chilled.
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