Shirley's shoulders drooped before she lamented, "Three blood essences of the Fire Phoenix."
Davis visibly sighed, but Shirley and Clara were dumbfounded as they saw him release a sigh of relief.
"You… you aren't angry?"
"Why would I be? Don't I always say resources can be obtained later as long as we're all alive and well?" Davis shrugged, "Besides, unless you gave away the entire Immortal Inheritance, I would not be irked, but I also would not have blamed you again. Instead, this old Burning Phoenix here would've died for her greed."
Ancestor Cornelia's expression twitched before she spoke.
"In the first place, that's one of the mini-realm we abandoned because it was practically impossible to conquer with its limitations and requirements. That's why it's called the Forsaken Phoenix Realm, forsaken by us."
Davis spread his hands, a slight smile hanging on his lips.
"Then you voluntarily gave away your claim."
"Unfortunately, that's what my ancestors did, and I can't bicker with them, neither can I bicker with you, so I settled for three blood essences of the Fire Phoenix. Furthermore, you owe us a huge debt and should help us in our time of need. That's all I want."
Ancestor Cornelia laid down her terms, to which Davis thought for a moment before he nodded.
"Since you're reasonable, fair, and wise, I will accept. But what? Are you going to use those three blood essences to attack the Immortal Stage?"
"Hahaha~"
Ancestor Cornelia couldn't help but laugh, "No, I gave everything to little Lea. Rather than me, she will ensure the survival of the sect."
"…!?"
Davis became taken aback before a glimmer of respect appeared in his eyes.
Surely, even if she was going to die, she had a fair chance to reach immortality with three precious drops of immortal-level blood essences, and she was just going to give that up for a greater chance of survival at the event of the descending Calamity Light? With the sight of dream-like immortality near on top of nearing death, who would care about their sect?
Besides, she could've asked for the three manuals of the Fire Phoenix, even more, and Shirley would've probably complied in dire need of wanting to save him. This Burning Phoenix was truly wise, knowing her limits and his limits, probably when she negotiated with him for the Incandescent Vermilion Soul Mantra.
Furthermore, Shirley possessed the token to the spatial gate back to the Grand Sea Continent, and Clara had one as well. If Ancestor Cornelia managed to capture either one of them while keeping Nadia at bay, the entire Grand Sea Continent would've been compromised. This made it clear to him that Ancestor Cornelia thought about her sect the most.
There were so many obscure details, and things could've gone wrong at any junction. He couldn't believe what he arrived in was a best-case scenario.
'Fallen Heaven, your ability to twist fate is as skewed as ever…'
He inwardly admired before he felt that he must reciprocate this Karma.
However, this wasn't the time.
"I'll show up later at the Burning Phoenix Ridge to talk to you in a formal manner…"
"Right, I've disturbed you for quite a bit long already when you just gained consciousness. I'll wait for you in the Burning Phoenix Ridge."
Ancestor Cornelia nodded before her soul body began to dissipate before it vanished. She extricated herself from this place without even having to leave through the exit.
"Don't worry, Davis." Isabella assured, "We always kept an eye on her from making any strange moves in this place."
Davis shook his head, "That old lady has the foresight to protect her sect, but as she said, she took a risky gamble that depends on my answer, so I would think that catering to me is in her best interests from that moment she made that decision, although I'll still check if she had done something funny in this place."
Natalya, Isabella, Shirley, and Clara relaxed as they saw that he approved of the decisions that they were initially forced to take. After all, they didn't want outsiders to believe that Davis was still alive. He was a threat that the entire righteous world might gang up to kill before he could completely grow up, and who's to say that the wicked path won't cooperate?
"Just how long had passed since I almost died?"
Davis finally asked, wanting to know the sequence of events.
"A bit over seven months…" Isabella replied.
"Woah, you held on for seven months in the Alstreim Family and protected everyone? You're the best, Isabella."
"Without Nadia, I couldn't have done anything and forced to retreat to the Grand Sea Continent."
"Nadia, huh…" Davis nodded, wanting to see how she mutated when a green-robed figure came running into the garden hall and pounced on him.
"Davis!!!"
"Fiora…"
Davis reached out his hand towards Fiora as they both embraced. As soon as she tightly wrapped her arms around him, she began to bawl her eyes out.
"I'm so happy that you're alive!~ You… They all said that your soul sea collapsed… Elder sister even tried to commit suicide… But, third sister believed that you were alive with your heart beating every minute…"
"Huh?" Davis became dumbfounded.
Heart beating every minute? He felt incredulous, thinking if such a thing was even possible before he turned to look at Natalya, a sharp light gleaming in his eyes.
"Come here…"
Natalya took a step back as she hid behind Isabella, quivering as she shook her head.
"Davis, you must know how we felt back then…"
Isabella tried to support Natalya as she raised her hands.
"I'm not blaming, but at least, confirm that I am dead before committing suicide, duh. Even then, don't do it because I might reincarnate and come looking for you all."
Davis rolled his eyes, causing the expressions of others to freeze before they laughed at him, punching him on the shoulders and chest.
"So selfish…"
They all spoke at the same time as they smiled.
Davis already knew that Natalya would take this kind of action as she did declare that she would do it. It was just, he didn't want to admonish her at this moment when they should all be happy. After all, their anguish and joy could still be felt by his Heart Intent.
"But thank you, Isabella. Thank you for believing that I was not dead. Actually, what happened to me? Can someone explain in detail?"
Davis felt like he could ask their opinions first before he would ask Fallen Heaven its side of the story. Surely, it had a part to play with his soul disappearing.
Everyone turned to look at Shirley, causing him to look at her as well.
"Uhmm… How can I explain this…? When I… When I…"
"Saved me…" Davis helped the shy Shirley find the right words.
"Yes, saved you… your soul abruptly popped out of nowhere when I used the Fire Phoenix Soul on you, casting the Revival From The Ashes Technique to make you recover. Honestly, we didn't know if this would even work as your soul was missing but as soon as I… I…"
"Violated me…"
"Yes, violated y- You…!" Shirley went bright red at Davis, deeply smiling at her, "Uhh! I'll kill you!"
She reached out her hands and clasped his neck, trying to choke him, but in the end, she didn't and moved her gaze away.
"Hmph! We thought that you ingeniously concealed your soul, so we decided to try it anyway, and indeed, your soul popped up as if it craved my soul technique's essence and successfully made you recover, although it took two weeks for you to wake up since then as we saw your soul sea reform. Therefore, we all knew that you were alive, and it was just a matter of time before you woke up…"
Davis heavily nodded as he removed his smile.
"So for almost seven months, Isabella and Nadia protected all of us. You and Clara inherited the Immortal Inheritance, making me recover while the others stayed with me, taking turns to see my deadpan face the whole time?"
"You could say that…" Isabella pursed her lips.
Davis felt embarrassed but also moved at the same time.
When he thought these women were the people he decided to make love with in his life, he felt proud of himself. Evidently, none of them left him when it mattered the most.
However, he noticed something as he turned to look at Clara.
"Why is my little Clara still at the Law Dominion Stage while Shirley is at the Law Rune Stage? What's going on, Clara? Didn't you receive the Immortal Inheritance?"
Clara's expression changed. She truly wasn't able to hide anything as she panicked. On the other hand, the expressions of others were different. They tried to look away, trying to suppress their laughter as they placed their hands on their mouths.
"What are you all secretly laughing for?"
Davis clenched his teeth, but inwardly, he gulped. It couldn't be what he had previously thought, right? There was no way Clara could've saved him if she didn't receive the inheritance in the first place.
"Well-"
Shirley had just begun to speak with a smile on her face when Clara interrupted.
"Brother, I had no choice at that time… After learning the method to help brother from Ice Phoenix Mistress, I wasn't sure if elder sister Shirley would be able to receive the Immortal Inheritance… That's why… That's why I said that I would save brother to the Ice Phoenix Mistress but got expelled as a result!"
Clara's expression was full of embarrassment, while Davis appeared dumbfounded.
His little sister, a talented young woman, got kicked out of the Immortal Inheritance for such a reason?
"Pfft!~"
Davis's expression burst into laughter at the same time he tried to suppress it like the others.
