Divine Emperor of Death

While they were enjoying the conversation, Ancestor Cornelia and Lea Weiss appeared from a distance, quickly making their way towards them.

"Here you go, granny..."

Davis saw them approaching and flicked his sleeve, sending out a crimson crystal shield, the last remaining Legacy Artifact of the Burning Phoenix Ridge, towards them. He found it in the spatial ring of the target he assassinated, who had been escaping with Deprived Soulstir Emperor's body but became manipulated by Fallen Heaven's karmic prowess and died to his hands.

Ancestor Cornelia arrived near Davis by this time. She perfunctorily grabbed the Burning Phoenix Bonewing Crystal Shield and placed it in her spatial ring as if it was not of importance to her. Instead, she came closer, looking joyful.

"Little Davis, you finally accepted her."

Davis pursed his lips and smiled, moving his gaze to look at the shy Lea Weiss, who slowly arrived before them. 

"She told me everything. As a Sect Master, she has done something that would stain the name of the Burning Phoenix, but your strength and status alone are enough to overcome it. Being the man you claim to be, you'll take responsibility, right?"

Davis blinked.

He didn't think she would reveal it. After all, with how she was acting, he felt that she would hide it instead but was more daring and revealed it.

"Ancestor Cornelia. You have my word that I will marry and take care of Lea Weiss as one of my wives. But do know that she will be affiliated less with her sect. Is that what you want?"

"No." 

Ancestor Cornelia shook her head as her wrinkled face possessed a smirk.

"Then do you want me to join your Burning Phoenix Ridge instead?" 

Davis appeared amused as her while Lea Weiss looked troubled but didn't speak anything as she was letting her elder talk for her.

"I can only hope but know that's not going to happen either." Ancestor Cornelia shook her head again, "Instead, I want you to protect our sect more instead of just at times of crisis." 

"This demand is acceptable." Davis grinned.

Ancestor Cornelia also grinned as she looked satisfied. However, a sliver of disappointment also flashed past her eyes as their Burning Phoenix Ridge always invited powerful men to marry into their power rather than give their women away for the most part.

But for them, the thing with marrying truly powerful men who could shake the status quo was that their women would always have to move from their current dwelling to their husband's dwelling, which is now the Alstreim Family. She knew that she couldn't restrict Lea Weiss just because she was the Sect Master, especially when Lea Weiss was bent on adhering to the values of their Burning Phoenix Ridge, devoting herself to the man she decided to place her faith and love upon.

If possible, she wanted to retain Lea Weiss as the Sect Master. After all, with Lea Weiss's prowess being two levels higher, would their sect face any danger?

However, knowing that it wasn't possible, she settled for having more protection instead.

Personally, she only cared about two things at the moment, one being Lea Weiss and the other, the Burning Phoenix Ridge.

Ancestor Cornelia bit her lips before falling on her knees.

"Granny! What are you doing!?"

Davis's soul force instantly surrounded her, disallowing her to get on her knees as it pushed her knee straight.

Ancestor Cornelia trembled but then no longer forced herself as she clasped her hands and deeply bowed.

"I wanted to sincerely thank you for helping us today and taking revenge for us, killing all four wicked path hegemons who invaded us. If you hadn't come or were even a bit late, I know that the Burning Phoenix Ridge would've met its demise."

"Alright, alright. I rarely respect my elders, and you're one of the elders I respect, so don't fall to your knees or bow anymore."

Davis appeared troubled as he accepted her thanks.

This old lady in front of him was the sole reason Shirley was able to leave scot-free to help him revive from the dead. Without her flexible thinking and her mindset that was bent on protecting the sect through foresight instead of being blinded by legacy, pride, and things that he would call stupidity, events would've progressed on a different note.

Ancestor Cornelia couldn't help but smile before raising her head and turning to look at Lea Weiss.

"Go."

Lea Weiss's expression shook. Her cheeks were blushing with modesty, but it wasn't that visible since she already wore a veil, although her trembling revealed her emotions to the others. She took a step forward and flew towards him but then suddenly stopped beside Ancestor Cornelia, looking at her with a complicated expression on her face.

"Just go." Ancestor Cornelia's voice was gentle, "I'll take care of the sect and die for it as you wanted. After all, you managed to do one of the things that I wanted to happen."

Lea Weiss's expression trembled more before tears silently began spilling from her eyes. For some reason, the sect that she belonged to for over five thousand years suddenly felt so more important than ever that she did not want to leave. But more than that, this person whom she had only seen for a small percentage of her life treated her as if she was her own daughter, making her become moved to tears.

What's more, the other party was a Burning Phoenix, reminding her of Rakaela, her magical beast companion who had died long back, making her feel all the more agitated.

"Sigh, it'll be like this when you leave, but once your man treats you good, you'll forget all about us."

Ancestor Cornelia took Lea Weiss's hand and delivered her to Davis while speaking, causing her to crack a forced smile as she held Davis's hands. Suddenly, he wrapped her in his embrace, making her feel astonished, but then she felt secure and warm even when no words were spoken.

She didn't hesitate to embrace him, letting herself relax on his shoulder as she leaned.

"There, you have a shoulder to rely on, so get going already. Outsiders shouldn't stay for long in my Burning Phoenix Ridge. Shoo~ Shoo~"

Ancestor Cornelia patted Lea Weiss's shoulder before she waved her hand as though she was waving off a bird before turning around and heading back to her Ancestral Hall without sending them off.

They all turned to look at her, wondering how she felt about this, to not even demand a marriage to take place but to leave it in his hands, the hands of a well-known womanizer whose only reputation was deadly and caring to one's own, which could be subject to personal preferences that could ruin Lea Weiss's life.

Davis couldn't help but want to prove himself to Ancestor Cornelia for no reason other than he respected her actions which placed her faith in him. On the other hand, both Evelynn and Isabella had their suspicions about Lea Weiss dropping a lot.

Perhaps, they were too wary of an older woman whose notions turned out to be as similar as them?

Davis held Lea Weiss's hands, causing her to turn to look at him, her eyes gleaming with tears.

"Take me to your home."

Before Davis could reassure her, Lea Weiss spoke, her voice trembling with numerous emotions.

Davis heavily nodded as he floated in mid-air, flying side by side with her as he took her away along with the soul bodies of Evelynn and Isabella accompanying them. They left the mountain range that was out of sight and headed back to the Alstreim Family.