Sect Master Lea Weiss looked dumbfounded and shocked as she saw Elder Chu Feng come out of Shirley's soul sea. She couldn't believe what she had just seen as she swore that she couldn't find Elder Chu Feng anywhere in the skies when he supposedly died. Her Mid-Level King Soul Stage soul sense practically scoured every inch of the skies near his death place, while even Ancestor Reinhardt Weiss, who was at High-Level King Soul Stage, didn't seem to sense any anomalies either.

If this were the case, then how was Elder Chu Feng here inside Shirley? Was he listening to them all this time?

She found it skeptical but also absolutely horrendous, thinking that she was used again!

However, she also felt confused. How could Shirley allow Elder Chu Feng to enter her soul? Or, as Ancestor Cornelia doubted, was he truly in control of Shirley's actions?

With more answers arrived more questions. Sect Master Lea Weiss just couldn't understand as she stared at Shirley in incredulity, also thinking that this crazy girl might be daring enough to trust this Chu Feng with sheltering him in her soul like that.

Just what kind of relationship did they share to be this intimate!?

While Elder Chu Feng waved at her after appearing, she became even more flabbergasted.

Just what did he mean by waving his hand?

Was that another form of ploy again? A deep sense of distrust welled up within her as she absolutely didn't like being used. However, simultaneously realizing that she had also used this man to kill Valerian, she bit her lips, feeling complex.

Davis turned to look at Ancestor Cornelia as he clasped his hands and said a few words in greeting while also inwardly feeling alarmed.

In truth, he didn't expect a Peak-Level Emperor Beast Stage Magical Beast to be present here. At most, he had only expected a High-Level Ninth Stage Powerhouse to show up like Ancestor Reinhardt Weiss and Ancestor Magnus Rein, but this massive giant showing up in front of him made him aware that he was screwed. He was completely out of Ancestor Cornelia's league, and even if he could use Fallen Heaven to kill her, he mused that he would be dead as well for sacrificing the majority of his soul essence, or even completely using it up, only to die not knowing that it was not enough to kill her.

One of these two would happen, making him quickly understand that the source of danger came from the usage of Fallen Heaven, that is if he were to use Fallen Heaven's killing move on Ancestor Cornelia. His instincts were warning him not to sacrifice his soul essence to kill her.

After all, his main body was the one feeling the danger and not the avatar itself. Furthermore, Ancestor Cornelia still did not know his true name or identity, so it was impossible for his main body to feel danger if it weren't for Fallen Heaven.

He curbed his desire to be reckless as his mind rapidly churned to have a diplomatic conversation, intent on ending this on an amicable note which almost seemed to be impossible.

"That tone..." Ancestor Cornelia's narrowed crimson eyes relaxed, "It's almost as if you know me during my prime years until I turned into this old forgotten lady. Nonetheless, it's rare to see a human admit that a magical beast, especially an old magical beast is beautiful. Along with your ability to comprehend the fabled Death Laws, I can see that you're one of a kind."

"Moreover, you're practically more valuable and important than my Burning Phoenix Ridge's Shirley even if she has the Fire Phoenix Flames in her, but you protect her, even going as far as to use self-harming techniques while also offending us."

"I just don't understand..."

Ancestor Cornelia possessed a doubtful expression.

"Are you truly Shirley's Master? Are you going to die soon, welcoming the end of your lifespan to act suicidal like this? However, I have never heard of a person in the last hundred thousand years to have learned Death Laws, and since you only seem to be at King Soul Stage, you must be relatively new. I don't see how you could be welcoming your death unless you spent most of your vitality to comprehend these otherworldly Death Laws to this kind of frightening level. After all, I hear that in order to learn Death Laws, one must know how to 'play' with death, but I'm just not sure what it means..."

Ancestor Cornelia shook her head as she closed her eyes, leaving Davis a bit shaken by her intelligence and composure.

Never had he seen a magical beast be this articulate, even be able to discover logical fallacies in his actions. He had learned his lesson, to never underestimate the intelligence of an Emperor Beast Stage Magical Beast, especially when it has lived long for two hundred thousand years like Ancestor Cornelia.

Maybe it was an effect of growing and living amidst humans, but he didn't dive too deep into it.

"Maybe I am, maybe I am not. Does it matter? I can just be a well-wisher of Shirley and still help her in exchange for my life because she is that important to me. What does it have to do with reason when our intent to cultivate itself is against the heavens in the first place?"

Davis calmly spouted nonsense, trying to throw her off her pace.

"I sense subtle changes in your approach... Arguing with me using these abstract concepts won't get you anywhere. You better talk sensibly if you know what's good for you."

Ancestor Cornelia shook her head again, looking annoyed while Davis frowned, knowing that she caught on to him.

Intelligent people needed to be defeated in a battle of wits. Otherwise, he was aware that the other party will still look down on him and eliminate him. He had already made them feel awe in terms of prowess, but he came off as a mysterious, unpredictable, berserk cultivator to them. Perhaps, he even appeared like a wicked path cultivator, so he needed to let them know that he was both a threat and not a threat unless threatened.

Something like this was truly difficult to achieve, especially against a peak powerhouse of the Fifty-Two Territories.

Ancestor Cornelia narrowed her crimson brows, roaming his gaze at his face before she squinted her eyes, "You're obviously disguised, hiding your true identity. However, I truly wonder if what you said about having your essence and body sacrificed this kind of prowess is true because I do not perceive any kind of fear from you. Or, could it be that you have the confidence to kill me using that mystical accursed art?"

Davis narrowed his eyes, feeling unsure. Should he take an amicable approach or a rigid approach? Going against this peak powerhouse absolutely didn't seem like a good idea, while making himself humble didn't either.

He had to play her with a mix of both, and if he messed up, a single wave of her hand would end whatever that's left of this Solitary Soul Avatar's life.

"..."

Davis suddenly smiled, simply shrugging, "I really don't have the confidence to kill you. You're just too strong for the current me, Ancestor Cornelia."

A smile lit up on Ancestor Cornelia's wizened face, "Current me, you say? It's hilarious because I muse by the time you catch up to me, I would already be dead. So, tell me, why I shouldn't take a gamble and erase you right at this spot to curb a calamity from happening in my sect again?"

"No!"

Shirley screamed, "I won't allow that to happen!"

"Shirley, stand back..."

"Little Shirley, stand back..."

Davis and Ancestor Cornelia looked at each other as they said the same thing while Shirley was taken aback. They narrowed their eyes, looking at each other in a complex manner before Ancestor Cornelia spoke.

"If you want to protect her that much, you could've just stayed as her protector. Why was there a need to kill Little Magnus?"

"After I killed Valerian, does Ancestor Cornelia truly think that this 'Little Magnus' would stand back and watch? It's kill or be killed. I didn't have a choice when it was they who forced it upon us. It was rather obvious that they were plotting something, but I won't get deep into it while I'll let Ancestor Cornelia check into it. Oh wait, Ancestor Cornelia wouldn't deign to go check the facts for yourself when you will just stay here, waiting for a powerful enemy to invade like a guardian statue. Maybe I should ask Sect Master Lea Weiss to check, but she is equally guilty in this matter, unable to have the right to investigate the Rein Family, no?"

Ancestor Cornelia's brows frowned before she harrumphed.

"My Burning Phoenix Ridge may be considered a righteous sect, but when it comes to outsiders killing the sect members, the outsiders would undoubtedly be hunted down. This rule applies to almost all righteous sects. Only the sects itself may deal with the corrupt members of their sect, not outsiders like you."

"That's called as being hypocritical. Aren't I also part of the sect when I'm considered Shirley's protector? If Shirley decides to go outside and I kill someone else from another power to protect her, wouldn't it be considered that the Burning Phoenix Ridge had killed that person? Why is it that I'm not considered part of the sect regarding internal matters? Can't Ancestor Cornelia see the fallacy in your own statement?"

Ancestor Cornelia looked taken aback, his wizened eyes blinking at him before she harrumphed.

"Then I'll deal with you using the sect rules. You did not initiate a life and death battle and simply yet overbearingly killed two Grand Elders and an Ancestor. For ending one life alone while acting with no regard for the rules, you deserve death...!"

Davis's expression froze, realizing that he had dug his own grave. However, his eyes went cold.

"Go ahead. Gamble with the fate of your sect. Let's see if I truly die or not after I am killed here. However, if you dare to take Shirley as a hostage or even look in her direction with devious intentions, know that I'll kill every Burning Phoenix here without a doubt at this moment. Let's see if the Burning Phoenix Ridge truly survives after it loses all of its Burning Phoenixes while I will personally massacre the humans as you heard in the stories about Death Law Cultivators!"

"You dare to threaten me!?"

Ancestor Cornelia's expression became icy as she looked at his audacious gaze.

She couldn't understand the depths of his limits. Shouldn't whatever energy he has left already be exhausted?

Was he trying to hoodwink her, or was this really a threat?

Maybe... just maybe... A single wave of her hand could truly end his life.

However, if he did not die, and even if she took Shirley hostage, as he mentioned, she would undoubtedly be inviting a calamity to her sect, a calamity that would definitely kick them from the pedestal that is the Burning Phoenix Ridge!