Eternal Thief

Chapter 1569: Start of Evernight Trial! (4)

The Yin Duchess quickly stabilized herself, but the rage and hatred in her eyes burned stronger than ever with clear humiliation. She wasn’t expecting Dread Duchess to sneak attack her in front of everyone, and now she couldn’t retreat.

”Varathia, you damn bitch!” She spat through gritted teeth.

However, Yin Duchess also knew that if she attacked now, she would suffer even greater humiliation, and at that time, Dread Duchess might not hold back and use her full strength.

Dread Duchess was closely observing the Yin Duchess as if waiting for the latter to do something. Still, when she saw Yin Duchess turning red and blue without daring to act, her eyes narrowed for a split second before satisfaction washed over her.

But before the tension could fully crystallize...

”Hehehe~ this is getting delightful.”

The Enchantress Demon Duchess clapped her hands lightly, eyes shining as if she were watching her favorite play unfold.

”Oh my, oh my... how could I let such fun happen without joining in?” She leaned forward eagerly. ”If we’re letting the youngsters play, then my little sisters would feel terribly left out.”

Her statement made Dread Duchess frown as she knew this couldn’t be good, while the Yin Duchess furiously twisted her head in the Enchantress Demon Duchess’s direction as she felt the latter was making fun of her.

The Enchantress Demon Duchess pretended as if she didn’t see Yin Duchess at all as she snapped her fingers.

The next moment, pink mist bloomed beside her crescent palace, and three figures emerged gracefully.

There were three succubi, each breathtaking in her own way. One with obsidian horns and glowing rose eyes, another pale and silver-haired with wings like velvet night, and the third with ghost-like pale skin and curling horns adorned with soul-silver chains.

When Ace saw the third succubus, he was astounded because he was pretty familiar with this one, for this succubus was none other than Lucy, whom he had encountered in the Obsidian Spirit Hall auction.

Although Lucy seemed extraordinary, he wasn’t expecting her to be Enchantress Demon Duchess’s ’little sister,’ not to mention the other two succubi besides her seemed equally unique and charming.

At that moment, as if sensing Ace’s gaze on her, Lucy looked in his direction and flashed a charming smile.

Before Ace could react...

”You seemed to know those Abyssal Succubus Demons as well, dear~?”

He felt a chill running down his spine when he heard Eva’s delicate yet not-so-friendly voice, and he quickly told her about his encounter with Lucy.

Lucy’s vague action didn’t go unnoticed under Enchantress Demon Duchess’s sneaky scrutiny, and even Dread Duchess had noticed it and couldn’t help but become more vigilant.

”My little sisters,” as if nothing happened, the Enchantress Demon Duchess purred, draping an arm lazily over the air, ”behave~ but don’t hold back. Oh, and if you like someone, bring ’em home! Hehe~...”

Under Enchantress Demon Duchess’s giggling and peculiar order, the three succubi bowed obediently, eyes already glinting with anticipation and a peculiar pinkish light as they all seemed to be looking towards Dread Duchess’s warship, or more accurately, towards Ace!

Eva’s eyes flickered with creepy coldness as she looked at Enchantress Demon Duchess, mirroring Dread Duchess’s glare that she gave Yin Duchess, and Ace felt helpless.

’Well, Enchantress Demon Duchess, you just have to make things difficult for me, yourself, and your ’little sisters.’ You can’t blame anyone but yourself...’ He could only pretend not to see anything and remained silent while paying more attention to Yin Duchess, who had turned into a mute.

Ace was like the Corpse Duke, who had remained utterly still all this time as his coffin-vessel creaked faintly as chains rattled once and then fell silent.

He neither objected nor participated as if dangerous women and their vendettas were none of his concern.

But no matter what, the fact of four dukes and their disciples coming out in front of the opened Evernight Gate has already turned the Evernight Trial into a battlefield before it even begins.

As the standoff between the four Evernight Dukes settled into a brittle, murderous silence, movement finally stirred across the distant Abyssal Plains.

Far from the Evernight Gate, at a distance that no one dared to shorten, vessels began to appear.

First a few, then dozens, and then hundreds, but they did not rush because they had no guts as they hovered cautiously, forming loose clusters like predators circling a battlefield they knew they were unqualified to enter.

These were the warships and flying palaces of Evernight Marquises and lower-ranking Evernight Nobles. Their designs were grand by any standard, as abyssal cruisers plated in devilsteel, floating fortresses carved with noble sigils, and abyssal beasts bound with chains of authority.

But compared to the Duke vessels, they looked... restrained and almost meek.

No one dared to cross the invisible boundary around the Duke’s vessels; not even a single marquis stepped forward, nor a single noble envoy raised their voice.

Even those who were qualified to have Evernight Invitations, who technically had the right to approach, chose silence instead. Pride was meaningless when death could be delivered with a casual thought.

Beyond them, even farther away, gathered those who did not belong to the Evernight Council at all, making them outsiders!

Abyssal Masters from rogue clans, wandering Abyssal Lord heirs, even old monsters hiding beneath false identities, and ambitious cultivators who had answered the Envoys’ announcement with greed burning brighter than fear, yet even they knew better.

They maintained an even greater distance, watching the Duke vessels with eyes full of dread and calculation. None wished to be mistaken as provocation. None wanted to be remembered by an Evernight Duke.

Everyone was waiting for the Dukes to move first and waiting for permission, spoken or unspoken, to exist near the Evernight Gate.

The Evernight Trial had not officially begun, yet already, hierarchy had crushed ambition flat.

Ace observed all of this silently, his gaze sweeping over the distant armada.

’So many have come, and I’m afraid if not for the Evernight Dukes’ presence, everything will be chaotic...’ He thought with a hint of calculation.

At that moment, the horizon shattered without a ripple or warning as three colossal silhouettes tore through the far edge of space itself, ignoring distance, etiquette, and fear.

They did not slow down nor hesitate as they flew straight toward the Duke vessels!