Divine Emperor of Death

Chapter 5063 Hidden Intentions

”Is that so?

Styx raised her brows with some surprise but didnʼt comment on it.

She had tried alchemy and decided that she wasnʼt good at it, causing her to giggle, ”Then your freedoms will be restricted from now on until we reach the new lands in a few days or a few months. Even then, you will probably never get back to this continent. Get into my life ring if you agree.”

Thamana Deuce bit her lips, ”Can we at least clean ourselves in the nearby lake?”

They were splattered with the blood of the members from their power.

Styx paused before she smiled, ”Sure. Also, donʼt get swallowed whole by the magical beasts in the lake. Enter shallow waters.”

”Understood. Thank you for the warning.”

”In truth, feel free to escape so I donʼt have to be burdened.”

Styx waved them off as she already had a lot of refugees in her life ring, but it caused the women to become speechless.

Thamana Deuce cupped her hands, and her gaze followed in the direction where Noctis pointed. Her sapphire gaze lingered on him for a few moments before she headed to the lake along with a few others. However, many stayed, their looks hesitant, but eventually some moved to enter Styxʼs life ring.

She was the only woman here who saved them, so they felt like a bit of trust could be placed. However, their killing methods and the energy they used were frightening, making them appear as though they were ghosts. They could only wonder where they would be led. As long as it wasnʼt a cemetery, they thought it might be fine.

Soon, the campfire was cleared of the refugees, and Ragna even gave an idea of pranking the ladies who went to take a bath by concealing themselves and watching them panic after they returned.

Styx was speechless.

If he wanted to prank them, shouldnʼt he go conceal himself to take a look at them in full glory?

However, she didnʼt know Ragna was just about to do that after concealing himself and making his way to them, inwardly laughing wickedly.

Suddenly, a figure came running back to them from the forest.

”They- they escaped. A female guard who concealed her cultivation base as a Level One Empyrean knocked me down and escaped…”

”Sheʼs probably one with the bandits…” Ragna was a bit dumbfounded, but his expression turned savage, ”Iʼll go hunt her down.”

”Only kill her if sheʼs one of the bandits.” Styx reminded him.

”Understood, elder sis.”

By the time these words resounded, Ragna had already disappeared.

Styx watched him leave before she sighed at Noctis, ”Our little brother has trouble hiding his killing intent while hunting.”

”Yeah, mother said he has the most potential of us all when it comes to becoming an assassin.”

”His choice of weapon made it evident, I guess. But still, our potential isnʼt fixed.”

”Indeed.” Noctis smiled lightly.

The two of them smirked as the three of them were all highly competitive.

”Even after this, can I still clean myself?” Thamana Deuce asked.

”You still want to go clean yourself?” Styx beckoned her, ”Come here, Iʼll just pour water over you and make you stand beside the fire to warm you up.”

Thamana Deuce retreated with a forced smile, ”I wonʼt run. You can accompany me if you want.”

”No, you can go by yourself.”

”Alright.”

Thamana Deuce turned around to leave.

Styx turned to look at Noctis, and they both appeared to have thought the same thing.

Thamana Deuce could be the hidden bandit. Perhaps Thamana Deuce was already dead. In that case, she mightʼve killed the other women who went along with her.

”Is this her way of separating us?”

”Canʼt be too sure. Iʼll go check out.” Noctis stood up and disappeared, leaving behind his soul body.

Styx blinked before she shot him a knowing smile.

Noctis didnʼt respond.

Nevertheless, they werenʼt worried that the refugees would be one of the bandits or someone dangerous since they would all have to get past Mother Mingzhi or Ancestor Dian Alstreim before entering the sanctuary.

Noctis followed Thamana Deuce to the lake. After a few minutes, he found her standing before the lake, before turning around to look at the forest as though waiting for him or Styx to appear, or perhaps she was just wary since she looked like she was about to undress.

”You can come out now.”

Thamana Deuce said, her voice resonating melodiously.

Noctis raised his brows, wondering when she found him.

”The scent of blood is unbearable.” She uttered with a curl of her lips.

Noctis frowned. He was sure he had washed up before setting up the campfire. He smelled himself, wondering if the bloodstains remained, but that even that wasnʼt something that could be detected while he was using the Hateless Ghost Emperor Steps, much less by a Level Six Immortal Emperor.

Just as he was about to exit, he saw a figure emerge from the forest while having three severed heads in his grasp.

”It wasnʼt one bandit but three bandits. I couldnʼt find the rest, but they are probably inside the Dark Horn Cheetah I found following these three women. They were probably used as bait to delay the magical beast. Hmm, do you want to pull them out and bury them? I have it in my spatial ring.”

”…”

Thamana Deuceʼs heart pounded with fear. She once again forced a smile, ”Yes, if possible, but if you canʼt get them out, itʼs fine.”

If they were in the spatial ring, then chances are that they were already dead.

”You want me to get them out?” Ragna blinked before he shrugged, ”Alright, itʼs my turn to skin and butcher the beast anyway.”

He walked into the forest, returning to the campfire.

ʼDammit!ʼ

After gaining some distance, he nearly howled out loud in disappointment that he didnʼt get to see her bathing naked because he wanted to scare her with the three heads. He discarded the severed heads in the forest, leaving them for magical beasts to eat later on.

Thamana Deuce had to calm down her speeding heart. This wolf fey was terrifying. How fast was he to catch up to them so soon?

She felt short of breath as fear had nearly taken root over her body, rendering her vulnerable. Her bosoms heaved as she tried to take deep breaths before finally calming down.

Noctis inwardly sighed, thinking he and Styx were wrong. This woman was truly Thamana Deuce and not a hidden bandit who had overtaken the identity of Thamana Deuce. He turned to leave when he heard her voice again.

”Youʼre still here, right? Come out.”

Noctis paused. He turned to look at her and saw she was still looking in the direction where Ragna had left.

He smiled, knowing her fear was real and extremely difficult to control since he also had experience scaring the other kids at school. Every person had fear of death. It was intrinsic to every living lifeform and not karmic or inherited from parents or previous incarnation, like fear of heights or fear of snakes, for that matter.

Even those who controlled death energy seemed to be fearful, but since their bloodline itself was death-attributed, they didnʼt feel such fear. To them, using death energy was natural.

He smiled and was about to leave when he heard her voice again.

”The dual axe wielder…. Are you still here?”

Noctisʼs brows went wide as he saw her searching for him. He wondered what was up with her before he descended and revealed himself to her.

”Whatʼs wrong?”

Thamana Deuce saw him appear in front of him from nowhere. For a brief moment, she said nothing before opening her mouth.