"Who are you!?"

Davis turned to look at the two of them beside the entrance of the gates. He smiled when she saw her radiating hostility while shielding Evelynn from the unknown.

'Good eyes! When facing an unknown enemy, she clearly knows not to close in carelessly!' He inwardly praised Clara's cautiousness.

On the other hand, he noticed that Evelynn looked pretty out of it and didn't even notice him until Clara stopped her from walking.

'Did something happen?' Davis narrowed his eyes.

But he didn't dwell too much on it because the six hidden experts instantly appeared as they stood in front of them to protect, drawing out their weapons which were daggers and short swords.

Two of them quickly took out a crystal and brought it close to their veils.

Davis once again inwardly praised their actions.

Soon enough, in this eerily tense atmosphere, only three seconds had passed but the royal guards instantly came out of the Royal Castle and surrounded him as they pointed their spears.

Davis saw Renard, the captain of the Royal Guards standing closer to him than anyone.

'As expected, guarding with his own body as a sacrifice...'

Another two seconds passed before Logan and Claire appeared on the scene.

Logan surveyed the surroundings and realized that the fallen guards were just unconscious and not dead.

He then looked at the perpetrator and spread his senses over. He narrowed his eyes as soon as he realized that he couldn't see the perpetrator's identity or cultivation base.

The atmosphere became tense and eerily silent seeing that no one spoke.

Davis was inwardly laughing his ass off. He could feel the fear and trepidation leaking out from more than half of the people present here.

Feeling that he had given them enough of a scare, he was just about to remove his mask and hood when he suddenly heard Claire's voice in his head.

"Is that you?"

'What? She found out?' Davis was flabbergasted.

'What the... How did she find out?' Davis simply had no idea. He was wearing a black robe that completely covered his figure and even used his soul force to completely conceal his cultivation.

Just when he thought of nodding his head, her voice echoed in his mind again, "Ellia?"

Davis froze!

His heart skipped a beat before it turned normal.

Complicated emotions flashed before his eyes, 'She came here once in the past while I was away... huh.'

Davis no longer had the mood to have fun but he put the thoughts about her into the back of his mind and returned to his previous self.

"It seems I'm not welcome here?" Davis removed his hood and mask, revealing his face which currently had a teasing expression.

Instantly, gasps of astonishment could be heard before the atmosphere turned silent again.

"Davis..." Claire was the first one to open her mouth, not believing her eyes.

Hearing her voice again, Davis slightly smiled at her, "I'm back, Mother..."

"Is it really you?" Claire asked as she hid her mouth in disbelief, her voice becoming emotional.

Davis's smile became even more brilliant. Before he could reply, a figure came flying at him.

A woman embraced him from behind, clinging her face over his back.

...Davis felt her warm emotions over his back, 'Ah, she's crying...'

He glanced back at her and removed her hands away from him. Turning his body towards her, he embraced her from the front and made her face rest on his shoulders.

"Silly, you people haven't even confirmed that it's me..."

Evelynn shook her head while staining his black robes with wet tears.

Davis's gaze moved from her to Clara.

There was a genuine smile on her face which told him that she was the one who confirmed his identity for Evelynn.

"Welcome back, brother!"

Davis smiled back at Clara.

Logan who thought things went awry swiftly felt that this couldn't get anymore better.

"Hahaha! Welcome back, my son!" He laughed heartily, his voice echoing around the capital as far as it could reach.

Davis looked around the familiar structures and people and felt that it was glad to be back.

'So this is the feeling of home...'

=======

A few minutes later.

Inside the Throne Hall.

Only five people were present in this place, including Davis.

The commotion that happened at the entrance became a joke.

Every guard who got knocked out laughed it off and didn't take offense. Though, it can be also said that they didn't dare to take offense.

Once Logan laughed out loud, he took all four of them to the Throne Hall.

Evelynn, Clara, Claire, and Logan all looked at Davis with a scrutinizing gaze.

They were all trying to figure out his cultivation level from the time they walked side by side to the throne hall.

"Stop trying to find out my cultivation, you guys won't be able to!" Davis shrugged his shoulders with a grin.

"Acting all secretive, are we?" Claire smiled.

Davis made an 'I'm mighty' posture as he looked above, his gaze proud.

"Hahaha..." Evelynn giggled as she sneaked glances at his face.

The once small appearance of his had grown into a man's.

Before, she leaped into his embrace pouring out her years-long pent up emotions, but once she thought back how she boldly did it in public, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Once she thought of it like this, her heartbeat sped up even more as her cheeks blushed.

"Hehe, just kidding. Don't be shocked..." Davis gave a warning as he released his Soul Force, giving them a feeling of foreboding death.

All of them felt their hearts beat in an erratic manner, it gave them an illusion of not being able to control their bodies anymore.

Although they felt that it was an illusion, they really couldn't move their bodies.

Davis took back his Soul Force and smiled, "The Sixth Stage of Soul Forging Cultivation, Mature Soul Stage..."

He checked all of their conditions and saw them sweating a lot with their tongues tied from shock.