A spatial gate hidden by a concealment formation appeared.

It wasn't visible to the normal eyes, but Davis could feel it with the mark placed on him. He stepped forward and walked two, three steps before he disappeared in front of everyone's gazes, causing half of the people who hadn't seen it before to have their eyes go wide.

"Hehe!"

Logan chuckled as he hugged Nora by holding her waist and entered together with Claire by his side. Claire smiled as she blushed, feeling a bit giddy from the excitement. Evelynn held Natalya and Fiora's hands as she flew in while the others belatedly followed.

Nadia entered last as Davis instructed her through soul transmission to conceal the lifeforce of everyone here before they entered the concealment formation.

Soon, they all saw the magnificent spatial gate as they saw Davis stand in front of it, making them gulp.

"This is the way back to the Forsaken Phoenix Realm...?"

Edgar Alstreim uttered, causing Claire to giggle.

"Father, it's called the Grand Sea Continent on the other side..."

"I know, you told me already..."

Edgar Alstreim shook his head, feeling restless. He was going to see a few more of his grandchildren that he never got to see. That was what staying on his mind rather than exploring the so-called Grand Sea Continent or the Immortal Inheritances it contained.

"Alright, enter the spatial gate."

Davis instructed, and the people entered one by one, leaving him with his three wives. They entered together hand in hand while being led by Evelynn in the middle. She was like a host, wanting to show the guest around as she entered the spatial gate, disappearing from his gaze.

Davis shook his head as he smiled at their unity.

He turned around and looked at Nadia, who had already transformed into her human form. Her body abruptly flashed before she arrived before him.

A passionate yet soft kiss fell on his lips before her figure turned into a dark flash of light before she entered his soul sea.

Davis stood there stunned, taken aback by her abrupt action.

What brought this about? He had no idea, but he liked it nevertheless. It almost felt like he had a secret affair or something since he hadn't told Evelynn and the others yet. Of course, only Shirley knew, but still, Nadia's timing made him think otherwise.

They only shared kisses when no one was there to see, and perhaps, she picked it up from him. He was rather glad that she was showing her love more clearly after all that. She was unsure of herself at that cave, but now, it looks like she was starting to feel clear of her feelings.

Davis turned around and stepped into the spatial gate, leaving for the Grand Sea Continent.

The spatial vortex on the other side of the gate twisted as Davis stepped out.

He looked around and saw the faces of the others, noticing that the heaven and earth energy here was way less, only able to support his Law Manifestation Stage Cultivation a little. The level of energy probably wouldn't even support Seventh Stage Cultivators, which left support from pills and other sources to be consumed.

Fortunately, he had compatible Spirit Stones to support their cultivations.

Nevertheless, while everyone looked emotionally moved for various reasons, Davis looked dumbfounded.

Why?

Because he still had a connection with his Solitary Soul Avatar!!!

He turned back and saw that the spatial gate had closed, the formation no longer there as they had all walked out. If the spatial gate wasn't present, how can he still be connected!?

'You've got to be kidding me...! You mean I can be connected with my avatar that is a Territory away from the Tripartite Alliance to this place?'

'Oh wait...'

Davis felt as if he was a retard at this moment.

'... the spatial tunnel in the secret entrance...'

Why didn't he try getting his Solitary Soul Avatar here before?

If he had, he could've maintained a connection with both sides!

Unfortunately, Davis had misunderstood.

He wasn't aware that for the spatial channel inside the secret entrance to open, it starts reacting from a year before and absorbs an extensive amount of energy slowly and reaps it into spatial energy so that it could remain open at the appropriate time without closing down suddenly.

The spatial tunnel supported by the formation was made to work so that it wouldn't experience any harm from the outside, so the spatial tunnel starts opening up a year before the secret entrance's opening to sustain itself.

Therefore, only before the year of the opening would Davis be able to be in contact with the other side. The year before the opening year, or soon after the opening ended, he would not be able to sense the other side because the spatial tunnel would've closed already.

In other words, the spatial tunnel becomes minutely open at the start of the fourteenth year, and when it has collected enough energy to sustain itself, the secret entrance opens, which is the fifteenth year.

The tiny spatial tunnel that absorbs energy does not allow most kinds of fluctuations to enter or exit, even probe, but minute soul fluctuations were a different story. That was how Davis was able to sense his avatar on the other side, and when he asked Nadia at this moment, she said that she had a connection with her doppelganger at this moment as well!

Despite feeling retarded for a few seconds, Davis changed his mind to optimistic mode and imagined that there were so many options to safeguard his family on the other side now!

His awkward smiled turned confident.

"Shall we go?"

Claire turned around and giggled with a beautiful, wide smile on her face.

"Lead the way, Davis~"

=======

Loret Empire, Imperial Castle, Throne Hall.

Not many people were present as it was midnight. Only the Imperial Advisor was present, looking through some documents in the form of scrolls that needed to be approved by the Emperor to be passed, or in this case, the Empress.

He read out loud, and the Empress acknowledged with the Imperial Seal if she accepted. It was rather a common sight.

"How many are left? It's the five hundredth and fifteenth scroll already. I got to resume my cultivation already, Hendrickson."

A cold yet indifferent voice echoed despite the words full of complaint.

The man raised his head from looking at the scrolls to seeing the white-veiled beauty in front of him.

Blonde hair gently fell in front of her shoulders while it overflowed behind her till the waist. She wore icy-blue imperial clothes tailor-made for her that possessed the patterns of the Ice Phoenix, making her appear mesmerizing and charming as it accentuated her bountiful assets. She sat on the throne reserved for the ruler for the Loret Empire, causing her to have an additional perk of looking regal.

She was none other than the current ruling Empress of the Loret Empire, Clara Loret!

Imperial Advisor Hendrickson kept his gaze lowered the next second as if he was extremely respectful, but in truth, he also didn't want to be charmed by her otherworldly purple eyes and melodious yet cold voice.

Honestly, he was finding it difficult to be with this stone-cold-faced beauty that struck a chord in his heart, no, in everyone's heart. They all wished that their Emperor Logan was back. He was strict at times but laughing and joking as well.

They couldn't take this silence anymore!

Imperial Advisor inwardly cried before he smiled.

"Just a few more, please endure. I would like for this to end as much as you do, your majesty."

"I see no lies." Clara slightly nodded her head, "However, do you hate these scrolls as much as I do, or do you wish to not be near me anymore?"

"Your Majesty...?" Hendrickson gulped as he felt panicked.

His intent was clearly found out as if it was clear skies that he couldn't help inwardly cry again. Everyone felt afraid to be near this Empress because when her eyes fell on them, it was as if their thoughts were laid out bare.

She questioned everything and wanted to know the world as if her curiosity was endless.

"Honestly, you've been a great help, Hendrickson. Without you, I would've found it difficult to interact and resolve a few troubles. So I'm rather grateful that you were here for my father and me."

Hendrickson appeared taken aback. His lips quivered as he felt acknowledged suddenly. He never felt so honored that he couldn't help but clasp his hands, bowing to his waist as he moved his lips.

"I thank your majesty for your words of praise that is undeserved for one such as myself. I, Hendrickson, will follow the will of the ruler of the Loret Empire for all my life!"

His moved voice echoed, resounding in the Throne Hall.

'I see... it works but isn't this also a type of emotional manipulation I read in the library...? So what is the difference?'

Clara blinked, merely acting out what she read in a book. She offered a few words of praise, and the other part felt so thankful and honored as though he owed her his life. As an Empress, she read that she should praise her subordinates for their excellent work, but she never did once, not until now.

She rarely felt the need to praise as she felt this was their duty as it was their position to support her, but she understood what it felt like as she loved it when her brother praised her. However, doing so made her understand that a ruler needed to keep their subordinates rewarded.

Yes, praise was a type of reward in itself.

However, as a naturally disposed ruler who could control people as she saw fit, Clara never felt the need to praise, nor did she wrongly use her powers, her Mandate Laws. She just felt... bored enough to do some tests.

Cultivation was already becoming no longer enjoyable for her with her just secluding herself and cultivating all day long when there are no ruler duties. Honestly, without her brother, father, and mother to compete and praise her for her breakthroughs, she found cultivation quickly becoming monotonous.

Nowadays, she found herself competing with Princess Isabella, but she mused she wouldn't become strong as her anywhere in this decade, making her rather dull.

Nevertheless, she uttered what she meant and didn't lie just for the sake of it. She hated lying, although her brother taught her it was okay to lie when she needed to hide something really important.

'Brother, if you don't appear within a few months, I'm going to come to you...'

Clara didn't know how many times she thought of this as her thoughts wandered. Whenever she felt bored, she just found herself counting the dates or taking care of her siblings.

"Alright, read the next scroll. Which city does it come from?"

Clara came back to herself and uttered while Hendrickson answered.

"Yes, your majesty. The next scroll is from-"

His voice trailed off as he abruptly felt a hand on his shoulder out of nowhere grasp him tightly as if it held him in a lock. There was literally no sign of it, but now, he could feel more than a dozen people standing behind him at this moment, making him feel a terrifying chill up his spine.

He slightly yet slowly raised his gaze and saw that Empress Clara's purple eyes were wide, trembling with intense emotions that momentarily seemed like fear to him because of the resounding silence.

"Hendrickson, is this the time you disturb the ruler of an Empire, especially my adorable child?"

Hendrickson's body trembled as he heard this familiar voice. His face turned around as he saw the person he swore loyalty to in this life that his lips couldn't help but tremble.

"Emperor... you're back..."

"Father! Mother! Brother!!!"

Clara stood up as she shouted, her purple eyes becoming moist as her body trembled.

Claire walked to the forefront as she spread out her arms as if wanting to hug when Clara's figure suddenly flashed, and within an instant, she appeared in front of them, throwing herself into her mother's embrace!