'Think you can provoke and leave just like that?'

Davis's black eyes shone in a mocking light as he looked at Grand Elder Valerian seated on the northern side of the battle arena, precisely at the third story where the other Grand Elders were also seated.

He remained silent, wondering how Grand Elder Valerian would come out of the trap that he had created.

The crowd did not erupt in an uproar, but there was a blaring silence that threatened the hearts of many people. Even the sound of heartbeats could be audible in this battle arena, but not a single word was heard.

Everyone remained silent, keeping their gazes on Grand Elder Valerian as they wished to see his reaction. However, even when Grand Elder Valerian received the strange looks, his young face only possessed confusion before he stood up, his expression becoming tinged with a hint of anger.

"I don't know whose work this is, but it is clear that someone used the earlier situation to frame me. This is completely audacious! This is slander! Who dared to forge a letter like that while secretly killing top disciple Lauren for their own benefit!?"

Grand Elder Valerian's crimson eyes panned the other Grand Elders before he turned his body around, looking at the Sect Master as he possessed a solemn expression on his face.

"Sect Master, I want to know if Top Disciple Lauren Zucker had truly died."

Sect Master Lea Weiss nodded her head without hesitation.

She did not doubt the authenticity of this wizened old man's words as he was one of the three guardians of the Chief Life Tablet Hall. Not only were the life tablets of Top Disciples kept there, but also the life tablets of Elders, Grand Elders, and even her own life tablet was kept there!

Therefore, other than the three guardians, only she and the hidden ancestors had access to the Chief Life Tablet Spirit Hall. No one other than them can enter to tamper with the life tablets, so if Top Disciple Lauren Zucker's life table was destroyed, and the concerned guardian was here, it meant that he was undoubtedly dead.

Grand Elder Valerian nodded before he looked at the wizened old man.

"How did that disciple commit suicide? I told him to await a verdict from us Grand Elders, yet he decided to commit suicide while framing me? How could it be possible? Everyone, don't you find this all suspicious?"

"I don't..."

A Grand Elder suddenly interjected, and everyone saw that it was none other than Grand Elder Claus Strom.

He looked stern with his sharp crimson eyes and strict expression.

Grand Elder Valerian slowly panned his gaze to look at Grand Elder Claus Strom. They both glared at each other, seemingly locked in a mental battle of wits as the atmosphere became tense in a fraction of a second.

Davis recalled that this Grand Elder was the one who berated him for being overbearing in releasing his soul force to teach a lesson to disciples who were staring at Shirley with ill looks and intentions.

Nevertheless, Davis enjoyed watching the scenario play out, while Grand Elder Claus Strom's opposing statement made it even more interesting for him.

Perhaps, this might also reveal who is all on Grand Elder Valerian's side, or so he thought as he kept an imperceptible smirk on his face.

"I assume the guardian here has the suicide note... I want to read it..."

Grand Elder Claus Strom reached out his hand, and the guardian sent a letter flying to him.

"It's a pity that he died." Grand Elder Valerian had his eyes narrowed, looking at the letter in Grand Elder Claus Strom's hand in interest.

Everyone couldn't help but nod their heads, but Davis almost laughed out loud.

Who was this fool talking about?

Top Disciple Lauren Zucker was merely a pawn who obediently went away with just a word from Grand Elder Valerian Rein. It had to be said that top disciples don't have to be necessarily respectful to Grand Elders as they are not required to do so by the sect rules.

However, with how Top Disciple Lauren Zucker acted towards Grand Elder Valerian, it was relatively clear where his allegiance rested.

He was merely a pawn, yet how could a pawn be truly pitied?

Davis couldn't help but find this laughable.

However, it wasn't only his opponents or enemies who could use pawns to accomplish their goals. He didn't even need to have pawns, but he could still do it too, and even more efficiently than them as he didn't have to worry about the ones he used acting differently than he had willed to with Fallen Heaven.

It was just that using people who didn't have anything to do with him, who haven't offended him, always had him hesitate, because to manipulate them using Fallen Heaven means killing them in the end.

That hadn't changed.

However, Top Disciple Lauren Zucker had precisely offended Davis, making Davis have no reservations or misgivings about killing him on his way back to his crimson palace.

Davis didn't even care if Grand Elder Valerian was truly the person who targeted him as he just manipulated Top Disciple Lauren Zucker to write a suicide note that Grand Elder Valerian was the reason that he acted to kill Top Disciple Shirley's protector as well as to injure her so that it could serve as avenging Schneider's death.

Grand Elder Valerian had a tremendous motive to scheme against Shirley and plot to use her, and everyone knew of it.

Davis couldn't help but smile as he precisely wanted to use Grand Elder Valerian's motive to his advantage!

A top disciple had committed suicide in broad daylight because he had been used and felt guilty? How insulting was this to the Burning Phoenix Ridge?

Everyone couldn't help but think as the letter was passed around the Grand Elders before it finally made it to the Sect Master. Even Grand Elder Valerian Rein had a look over it, but he absolutely couldn't find anything forged on it as he knew that it was undoubtedly Top Disciple Lauren Zucker's handwriting.

"A top disciple committing suicide is a big matter, and we only have a few minutes before we perform the ceremony to respect our ancestors, then starting the Top Disciple Battles that decide their rankings and rewards, but with this, I don't think we have the time or the rudeness to pay respects to our ancestors while we have let down a fledgling of the sect."

Sect Master Lea Weiss spoke up with her melodious voice as she addressed the crowd before looking at Grand Elder Valerian as she continued.

"How do you suppose we should treat this matter? Should we capture you?"

Eyes shot wide as everyone held their breaths.

However, Grand Elder Valerian couldn't help but chuckle, "Sect Master is surprisingly humorous."

"If someone commits suicide and writes your name on their suicide note, should we capture you too? I plead innocence regarding Top Disciple Lauren Zucker's suicide or planned murder as I would like to call it, so I request Sect Master Lea Weiss to thoroughly investigate this matter."

Sect Master Lea Weiss narrowed her brows, but before she could say anything, Grand Elder Valerian continued.

"For a start, I wonder what happened to his Burning Phoenix? Is it still alive? Wait, how exactly was Top Disciple Lauren Zucker found dead? What kind of state was he in?"

Sect Master Lea Weiss nodded as she had this doubt as well. The crowd began to talk amongst themselves before the guardian answered.

"It isn't confirmed, but initial checks indicate that Top Disciple Lauren Zucker's soul had collapsed. From his suicide note, we could infer that he caused his soul to collapse, cleanly killing himself."

"As for the Burning Phoenix, it is currently missing, but I presume that it is already injured as its blood was found nearby Top Disciple Lauren's dead body. However, I also think that the blood is not from an injury but the backlash from its master dying."

Everyone nodded their heads as they understood.

The Burning Phoenix Ridge uses a peculiar Magical Beast Taming Pact that connects the human and the magical beast's vitality. It is a blood connection where both parties use their blood essence to form a pact, making it possible for them to communicate just through intent as if they were a part of each other.

As time passes, the human and the Burning Phoenix would naturally be able to understand each other and form a bond as if it were natural. However, because of this pact that positively affects the bond, the magical beast would stay loyal to its human master. The human would take care of his magical beast with care, even with possessiveness, in return.

Therefore, when one of the two in the pact dies, the other directly receives a backlash to their vitality. However, that would mean the pact itself is a glaring weakness in the life of a Burning Phoenix Ridge disciple who owns a Burning Phoenix.

That was not good for the future of the sect.

That's why the amount of blood essence used to perform and nurture the magical beast decides the backlash's intensity, and to certain people, it was known that Top Disciple Lauren had a weak Burning Phoenix. He gave the Burning Phoenix significant amounts of his blood essence to nurture and support him to reach the top. Therefore, they mused that the Burning Phoenix could've been severely injured.

"Presently, I have issued a search warrant to every guard placed in the Burning Phoenix Ridge." The guardian spoke in a sorrowful voice, "They should be able to find it soon-"

*Whooosh!~*

The sound of wings tearing apart the wind echoed as a Burning Phoenix suddenly appeared out of nowhere near the northern direction. Many people didn't notice, but some who were close noticed that this Burning Phoenix seemed to have silently entered from the gates the elders used in its human form before it practically rushed off towards the direction of the Grand Elders!

"Valerian, you bastard, Because of you, my master committed suicide! Die!"

The Burning Phoenix shouted in a rather emotional tone before its head shone with a deep crimson light. The hollows of its crimson eyes and wide-open beak were shining blood-red as if it were heralding a calamity, and the expression of the disciples went pale as they jerked in their seats!

*Booooooom!~*

The magical beast core of the Burning Phoenix imploded, causing a fiery crimson explosion, and a shockwave that threatened to erase everyone below its prowess began to expand in range!

"How beautiful..."

Davis's lips moved as he subconsciously spoke while witnessing the scarlet explosion illuminating the northern direction. It was as though a mini supernova had erupted, causing everyone to narrow their eyes while Davis's words were muffled by the blaring sound.

However, Shirley, who was closest to Davis, had her ruby-like red eyes wide in incredulity as she cast a look at him.

Was this all his doing!?