Chapter 1696 - Tributes Show Up
Sometime later, Davis and many others gathered in the Welcoming Hall of the Purple Guest Palace on the ninth floor. This location was the place where he also once hosted the youths of the Alstreim Family and made little interactions with Sophie Alstreim that made him like her a bit before he began to love her later in the Hundred Devil Thunder Archipelago that now belonged to him.
Of his women, there were Evelynn, Isabella, Natalya, Fiora, and Mo Mingzhi gathered while others were in seclusion.
As for the others, there was Ancestor Dian Alstreim, Ancestor Tirea Snow, and his father and mother, protected by the Silverwinds. Indeed, after Davis granted them with Soul Forging Cultivation Pills, they went one step ahead and told them that they would become protectors for his parents since they were no longer capable of protecting him.
Davis didn't stand on ceremony and accepted their help, promising them rewards to keep them safe.
At this moment, Davis found something peculiar in his father's soul, becoming astonished to find the same darkness in his soul. His soul had mutated too. Nevertheless, Davis didn't make a big scene out of it but waited for the Dragon Families to arrive as he began thinking about this strange mutation.
All he managed to learn from the soul palace was that such a mutation was almost impossible to occur; the likelihood of it occurring was not even a single percent..
Soul, it had been such a fantastical concept for him until he discovered his own soul sea, making it an abstract concept. When he read about what could've caused this mutation, he came across the alignment of souls of humans towards darkness and light.
Normally for Soul Forging Cultivation, the common cultivation law for the righteous path was Light Laws, and the wicked path took Darkness Laws.
People were told that if they practiced Darkness Laws, they tend to become evil, although only a few took it seriously, bordering it on superstition. Nevertheless, it was true that most of the righteous path practiced Light Laws and laws and the wicked path practiced Darkness Laws for Soul Forging Cultivation.
In the Alstreim Family's case, the practiced Light Laws and Fire Laws for Soul Forging Cultivation. If he looked at the Soul Palace, almost all of them practiced Light Laws. Soul Emperor Zealwonder, in particular, practiced Light Laws and Wind Laws as seen in the comprehension clouds he salvaged.
However, it was considered impossible or difficult to learn both Light Laws and Darkness Laws for Soul Forging Cultivation, which he himself was able to do because of Fallen Heaven. It was not that he was special, but he had also seen many cultivators use both laws.
For example, Soul Emperor Hadrian Cross was said to have trained in Light Laws, but later, when his misdeeds were out in the open, he revealed his Darkness Laws and became a traitor of the righteous path due to the preference of the Soul Palace to see Darkness Laws as evil. Usually, a soul that is accustomed to Light Laws would experience pain if Darkness Laws are used with it, but Davis now learned that as long as their soul's inclination slightly swirled towards darkness and invoked the dark inclination within their souls, it would become possible for them to use Darkness Laws while still using Light Laws, although it still wouldn't be as powerful as their Light Laws even if the comprehension is at the same level.
Possibly, it could be learned that Soul Emperor Hadrian Cross's soul had inclined towards darkness to be able to have such powerful Darkness Laws while sacrificing the prowess of his Light Laws.
Nonetheless, many inclinations were written about the duality of souls, but he finally got to find out about two extremities within that duality.
Malevolent Darkness Soul and the Consecrated Light Soul.
These were the two terms and soul mutations concerning darkness and light attributes he managed to find from his study on darkness souls.
It was said that a character possessing the Consecrated Light Soul was said to be full of compassion, kindness, and sympathy for others, but on the other hand, a character with the Malevolent Darkness Soul tended to be full of hate, contempt, and apathy.
These were Unique Physiques or Constitutions, just like the Transcendent Truth Eyes and Karmic Guardian Physique, aiding the cultivator with comprehending Light Laws or Darkness Laws more efficiently.
It was supposed to be something almost impossible to occur, and yet, Evelynn, Sophie, Mo Mingzhi, and his father Logan were all enveloped with such a soul constitution, the Malevolent Darkness Soul, over his death.
It told him how hateful they felt towards the world for seeing him fall.
Honestly, he felt glad that they thought of him that much, but he didn't want them to fall into darkness.
Hate, contempt, and apathy?
If they were only able to carry these emotions with them for the rest of their lives, that was just too sorrowful.
Fortunately, Isabella was there for Evelynn, Niera for Sophie, and Schelya for Mo Mingzhi. As for his father, his mother and Nora Alstreim were there for him, making him feel thankful to them.
On that note, he also felt thankful to Schleya as well because, without her, Mo Mingzhi wouldn't have been able to control her Malevolent Darkness Soul while going on a frenzied killing spree in the Blood Pledge Villa as she practiced her Darkness Laws, wanting to make herself powerful amidst life-threatening situations as soon as possible.
Still, the change that took place in their souls was irreversible as far as he could learn, although it seemed that they could get rid of their hateful emotions through self-control and realization like Mo Mingzhi did. He was well aware of how Evelynn and Mo Mingzhi's personalities were more aggressive after his supposed death, so it could be said the same about Sophie and his father.
Nevertheless, such traits in them drastically reduced after seeing him come alive, so it could be said that they were all more or less in control of their Malevolent Darkness Souls.
What he wanted to know was how he could change this transformation or perhaps, make them benefit from it, but such matters were written vaguely with caution, causing him not to be able to share this information as most of them looked like nothing but theories and hypotheses to him.
As he was thinking about all these matters on his renewed throne, a resounding voice echoed out.
"The Orcha Family from the Four Dragon Families have arrived with their tributes and apologies."
The announcer at the gates spoke in a loud voice, reducing the greatness of the Dragon Families while also mentioning what they came here to beg for mercy.
The entourage of the Orcha Family, consisting of five people, stepped inside the Purple Guest Palace as they glanced at a white-robed Low-Level Law Rune Stage Powerhouse, but the latter provocatively smiled and even tried to anger them into attacking him by displaying his middle finger to them.
However, their brows merely twitched before they moved on.
As for the announcer who provoked them, it was none other Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim, who was extremely proud of his grandson-in-law, Davis, the Emperor of Death, that he didn't give a fuck about the Four Great Dragon Families anymore. The command to provoke them also came from the Earth Dragon Queen, so he was fearless and intentional in provoking them.
Nevertheless, looking at them walk past him, he felt that it was too bad that they didn't come to attack him.
As the entourage of the Orcha Family walked towards Davis, the sapphire-robed person in the forefront possessed a calm and stoic expression as he stared at Davis, measuring him up before he lowered his head and stopped.
Clasping his hands, he bowed ninety degrees.
"The Orcha Family has come to express its deepest apologies regarding the situation a year ago and are sincerely regretful of our misbehavior. We hope that with these tributes, we will be able to earn your majesty, Emperor of Death's forgiveness."
Looking at one of the Four Great Dragon Families bowing their heads to Davis, everyone almost got a boost of adrenaline and a feeling of superiority. Nevertheless, they didn't say anything as they let Davis handle it, their eyes watching that Peak-Level Emperor Grade Spatial Ring move towards him.
Davis reached out his hand and captured the unbound spatial ring. He unceremoniously bound the spatial ring and saw its content, an imperceptible smile appearing on his lips as he looked quite satisfied.
However...
"I assume that your apology is insincere since your Patriarch hasn't personally carried his lazy feet here to apologize, not to mention that when begging for mercy, shouldn't one be at their knees?"
Davis spoke with an indifferent voice, causing the Orcha Family's person at the forefront to lower his head again.
"I, Basti Orcha, Grand Elder of the Orcha Family, on behalf of Patriarch Allecti Orcha have come to express-"
"Nope. Get your Patriarch to kneel here." Davis shook his head.
"..."
Basti Orcha shook, his wide sapphire eyes looking at Davis with hidden resentment that he couldn't help but speak up.
"Emperor of Death, you are going too fa-"
"I won't say it thrice."
"..."
With his body trembling, Basti Orcha clenched his teeth heavily and slowly lowered his knees, all the while knowing that this location and their actions were being broadcasted to the entire Alstreim Family and also for the whole human and magical beast world with the All-Seeing Towers capabilities.
Following him, the four others who were behind him, bowing and clasping, also knelt. However... one of them suddenly stood up as he waved his hand, his sapphire eyes looking bloodshot!
"Emperor of Death, my ass! He is just a phony who has his soul injur-"
*Boom!~*
A cloud of blood shower exploded, staining the refined and luxurious surface of the Welcoming Hall in gore and carnage.
On the other hand, everyone turned their heads to look at a woman, whose forehead split to reveal a third eye that glowed crimson red in color.
"So you people chose death~"
Hearing the Hex Demoness's sexy yet cold voice resound in the hall, the members of the Orcha Family trembled, especially Basti Orcha, who felt his scalp turn numb as he could feel targeted by that wicked Collapse Hex!
"W-Wait...!"