*Pui!~*


    Blood sprang like an arrow, sshing unto the surface, painting it crimson.


    A man knelt before the puddle of blood, his expression calm andposed. He was robeless, practically naked, except for his underwear. His body was festered with wounds, and it was not just any wounds as there was an azure aura seeping around, appearing as though it was creeping poison that appeared lively, seemingly tracing like a centipede slithering over the wounds.


    There were four people surrounding this man, possessing a whip in their grasp. Each of them possessed barbs that seemed likely to have made the wounds on that man. It could be seen that these whips wereced with that poison.


    "Great Ancestor, why are you making us do this? Just act like how we want our Fire Phoenix n to flourish, and we descendants will see to it that you''re treated like an Emperor."


    One of them spoke with a tired voice, his expression unknown, not to mention his voice was also disguised and sounded hoarse.


    "That''s true. We don''t want to offend you, and neither do we want to be ungrateful bastards."


    "Indeed. Stop making things difficult for us."


    The others also echoed with a bit of exhaustion. Their identities were all unknown, and their auras were suppressed within their bodies. It was hard to differentiate them as they all exuded the aura of the armor they were wearing, which also concealed their auras.


    Still, the man looked at each and one of them slowly before opening his mouth.


    "Grand Elders, we have made our decisions and choose to act on them no matter the consequences. Therefore, we must suffer the consequences of it equally and responsibly."


    "..."


    The people who were called Grand Elders frowned as they looked at each other. One of them raised his whip, but that same calm voice echoed again.


    "That said, I''m not holding grudges against you, nor would I hold you all responsible. I tried to take a gamble with the fourth inheritor without consulting you all or hearing your position. That was my wrong. However, to go overboard in trying to retrieve our fourth inheritor by even ignoring one of our sacredmandments, by trying to separate a phoenix from her loved one for no good reason, I... am... ashamed to have descendants like you."


    The man raised his head, and the disheveled crimson hair floated above his head,pletely revealing his eyes that were seething with anger at this moment.


    *Paah!~*


    The sound of a whip screeching across the air and dealing a deafening blow resounded with iparable clearness before the sound of skin tearing part could be heard as the barbs tore the skin as the whip was pulled back.


    But despite that, the man''s expression stayed calm as one of his brows twitched.


    "For no good reason?" That Grand Elder who whipped the man spoke, "Grand Ancestor Zenme, is the glory of the Fire Phoenix n and the promise of its sess not a good enough reason for you? I''m starting to doubt whether you''re the first inheritor or a person disguising himself to be the first inheritor."


    "That''s right." Another Grand Elder echoed, "Don''t you think it''s irresponsible for the fourth inheritor to have chosen a partner before she even made it back to the Fire Phoenix n? Don''t you think that even if she had chosen a partner, it should not have been a Divergent who will only bring cmity and bad luck to our Fire Phoenix n, ultimately depriving us of the opportunity to win the Candidacy?"


    "How could he? Not only did he not condemn her, but he practically tried to make friends with that bastard who calls himself the Emperor of Death. Heh, that was the most hrious scene I''ve ever... witnessed, not to mention that brat acting all smug and high as though he could''ve done something in front of us."


    "I''m telling you. That idiot only knows how to act..."


    "So your reason is that if it is for the n, then everything is allowed?"


    "Obviously." One of the Grand Elders snickered to Great Ancestor Zenme''s question, "It seems like you don''t have what it truly takes to be the leader, just like what Patriarch said, you idealistic inheritor."


    Great Ancestor Zenme couldn''t help but sigh in response.


    "Rules andmandments are there in ce to be respected and followed, not to be taken advantage of by stating the family''s circumstance. Do you think it is fine to crawl and beg for forgiveness from the enemy because you have lost your wings?"


    The gazes of the Grand Elders flickered, their hands abruptly moving with a swift speed, causing snake-like silhouettes to il.


    Whips wereshed, and more blood was spilled, but despite that, Grand Ancestor Zenme didn''t raise a voice, still taking the hits like a lifeless rock.<novelnext></novelnext>


    One of the Grand Elders raised his hand, telling the others to stop. However, just as one of them was about to speak, they suddenly moved out of the way, and a crimson-robed man with a phoenix robe walked in pompously, having his chin inclined slightly higher than required as he looked down at the man.


    "Patriarch, have youe to see me give up?"


    Great Ancestor Zenme asked with a bloodied yet smiling face. Some of his hair was ripped apart, and his head sustained plenty of wounds.


    But looking at him, Patriarch Killian Zenme lowered his stature before him and sat with his butt in the air, smiling with a bit of suspense visible in his expression.


    "Not really." He lightly chuckled, "Your existence just really... became more... less important."


    Great Ancestor Zenme produced a smile, "What do you mean?"


    "I''m not truly able to believe it myself, but... it turns out that we have a fifth inheritor."


    "Impossible." Great Ancestor Zenme couldn''t help butugh, his body trembling for the first time ever since his torture started, "There are only four immortal inheritances of the Fire Phoenix n, and you know it."


    "Indeed, I agree with you." Patriarch Killian Zenme grinned, "That''s why I''m also shocked to learn about the Fifth Inheritor''s existence. Just now, we activated our Inheritor Tracing Formation, and guess what? It disyed two inheritors just like our spies in the Ice Phoenix n told us about their anomaly."


    "What do you mean?"


    Great Ancestor Zenme''s smile faded, finally reced with some solemness as he felt like there was no reason for Patriarch Killian Zenme to take this joke too far.


    Then, he learned about the Ice Phoenix n finding two inheritors instead of one using the Inheritor Tracing Formation and the Ice Phoenix n Matriarch stepping down to enter the Aurora Cloud Gate to retrieve the two inheritors.


    "Who... who is the Fifth Inheritor then?"


    Great Ancestor Zenme''s expression shook, finding it hard to believe yet too important to brush it away either. On the other hand, Patriarch Killian Zenme shrugged and smirked.


    "She already belonged to our Fire Phoenix n. I don''t know how she managed to stay hidden till now and even made it to the Aurora Cloud Gate, but... we''re bringing her back from the Aurora Cloud Gate without alerting anyone as we speak. As for who she is... I''ll tell you if you change your mind about the Fourth Inheritor and y your role in the uing celebration."


    Patriarch Killian Zenme produced a knowing smile, causing Great Ancestor Zenme to be shocked.


    "You''re asking me to kill Davis Alstreim at the uing celebration?"


    "Indeed. Only Great Ancestor could do it as you should have gained some of his trust and possibly the fourth inheritor''s, and don''t worry. We''ll protect you from Aurora Cloud Gate''s retaliation."


    Patriarch Killian Zenme''s smile became gentle, his eyes flickering in a cold light as he reached out his hand and patted Great Ancestor Zenme''s shoulder ever so lightly in a way that wasn''t damaging to the wounds.


    ========


    Davis read the long list of resources written down by Mingzhist two-three times beforeing up with a n to spend. He had just opened his mouth, wanting to say something, when he suddenly noticed Shirley appear taken aback greatly, blinking with confusion visible in her eyes.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Davis asked, causing Shirley to send him a soul transmission.


    "Davis... I''m being traced..."


    Davis nodded his head, smiling a bit as it was redundant of both the Fire Phoenix n and the Ice Phoenix n to try, but then, his expression suddenly froze as he remembered another person, ''merose...''


    Instantly, he couldn''t help but look around, wanting to find her within the crowd but... where was she...?