"Good! Then I require your assistance, Alia Silverwind. I'd be willing to pay a good price for your expertise in setting up defensive formations."

"No~" Alia Silverwind shook her head, "How can it be? You saved my life. This is my opportunity to reciprocate what you have done for me."

Davis wryly smiled while he couldn't help but inwardly laugh.

'Haha... How can I let go of that gratitude...? Your favorable attitude towards me is what is keeping Mival Silverwind from acting on his greed even if he can hold himself back at times.'

Although Davis had no need to worry about them anymore because he was stronger, he still wanted to have ties placed so that the relationship between him and them wouldn't fall apart when there was a window of opportunity presented to Mival Silverwind to plunder from them.

After that, he would be forced to kill them, which he didn't like because he personally liked them as well.

Why bother allowing something you dislike to happen when you can stop it from happening in the first place?

Besides, it was Alia Silverwind who felt that she still owed him. As far as he considered, that debt was already over when he received the viridian fruit and Eldia. He just didn't want to let go of that positive standing she held towards him.

"No need." Davis uttered, "I would like for you to receive payment for the expertise that you provide. I'm sure that I can pay as I'm capable of using both the Alstreim Family's and Falling Snow Sect's coffers anyway."

He grinned before he gestured.

"Silverwinds, if you want to rake in profit from investing in me, then this is your chance to gain some early profit."

"Oh no, we-"

"You seem to understand my intentions. Marvelous!"

Alia shook her head while Mival Silverwind deeply smiled.

Davis also nodded to Mival Silverwind.

Looking at her husband's expression, Alia Silverwind didn't say anything in the end. She felt like she couldn't offend both of them after it seemed that they reached an agreement.

"Alia, this is for you. You don't need to refuse it just for face."

Mival Silverwind suggested to his wife before Davis raised his brows, understanding what he meant.

"She's about to break through?"

Mival Silverwind looked at him before he proudly smirked.

"Yes, Alia is rather close to the Law Rune Stage after receiving quite a few resources from our agreement with your Ancestors. Actually, if she broke through, I infer that she would become stronger than us because she comprehended laws that are worth three lifetimes. Although the first lifetime was quite useless, the previous lifetime became a boon to her comprehension while this lifetime solidified it."

Davis's expression became entirely curious as he looked at Alia Silverwind.

"What's your comprehension level?"

This time, Alia Silverwind revealed a proud smile rather than her bashful one.

"Level Two Abstruse Intent in Lightning Laws..."

"Damn..." Davis's mouth went agape, "That would allow you to conjure a Magnificent Rune, but now I figure that's why you also find it difficult to conjure a rune and step into the Law Rune Stage."

Davis was wondering how this woman couldn't step into the Ninth Stage while having the knowledge of two or three lifetimes and being supported by two Ninth Stage Powerhouses. It turned out that she excelled in comprehension and wanted to create a rather high level rune.

According to his calculations, if this woman stepped into the Law Rune Stage, she would be able to evenly battle against Mid-Level Law Rune Stage Powerhouses who conjured a Minor Rune and struggle against Mid-Level Law Rune Stage Powerhouses who conjured a Major Rune if she broke through.

Minor Rune, Major Rune, and Magnificent Rune were nothing but the first three levels of the five levels of runes that are publicly known amongst the few experts and most powerhouses, and conjuring a Magnificent Rune was enough to put her at the level of a genius from a Large-Sized Territory!

As for Ancestor Dian Alstreim and Ancestor Tirea Snow, Davis mused that their runes were probably Major Runes. Otherwise, they would find it difficult to keep their powers from being invaded as there was only a single one of them defending their powers.

Moreover, he felt that most of the Blood Pledge Villa Powerhouses he met had conjured Minor Runes. Not all of them could be important as they clearly seemed to listen to others, such as Alakyen, who took the responsibility to open the defensive formation that barred his path.

Davis mused that this Alakyen must have conjured a Major Rune for him to have that kind of influence amongst their Ninth Stage Powerhouses.

Nevertheless, this brought him the question.

"What kind of Sea have you manifested?"

Alia Silverwind still kept her proud smile as she answered.

"Abundant Sea..."

Davis appeared flabbergasted at her before he recalled the information about Law Sea Stage.

Scarce Sea, Expansive Sea, and Abundant Sea.

These three Seas were the first three levels of conjuring a sea when reaching the Law Sea Stage.

Davis felt that if she had formed the third level, the Abundant Sea that requires Level Eight Intent when breaking into the Law Sea Stage, then...

"You can struggle against a Low-Level Law Rune Stage Powerhouse with your Peak-Level Law Sea Stage Cultivation, no?"

"Perhaps... I've never had the opportunity to test it out since Mival and Zanna never let me face danger."

"She's modest." Mival Silverwind added, "She can somewhat defend against us and even escape if she sacrificed her blood essence."

Davis subconsciously nodded while he understood the discrepancy.

Clearly, she improved vastly after entering Law Sea Stage while creating an Abundant Sea in her dantian but didn't bother to recreate her Sea as that would cost immense resources. Instead, she was aiming to break through into the Law Rune Stage and conjure a Magnificent Rune with her current comprehension level by using the least amount of resources so that it doesn't burden her husband.

Davis arrived at the conclusion that she felt that there was no need for her to recreate her Sea so that she could increase her chances to conjure a Magnificent Rune by a bit since she already had enough confidence but lacked energy.

The Law Sea Stage had vast requirements for energy, unlike the previous stages, and it was even more so in the Law Rune Stage.

"I see, then it's all the more required that I pay you with Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Fragments."

"What!?"

Mival Silverwind became flabbergasted while the two ladies appeared the same.

"Are you sure? Obtaining Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Fragments isn't a joke. Are you sure that you can convince those two lovers to give us such a valuable resource instead of paying us with a large amount of Peak-Level Spirit Stones, which are easier to obtain?"

"As I said, leave the convincing to me. In fact, they're going all out for this marriage while I must make sure that you three receive some returns to protect the Alstreim Family. Even if I pay more, just think of it as gains from the investment you made in me."

Davis confidently spoke while Mival Silverwind was completely convinced. He didn't doubt Davis's capability to give him the payment at all. His belief in Davis's ability was big enough for him to be relaxed. However, his expression suddenly froze.

Davis waved his hand, and roughly two hundred Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Fragments fell on the floor before disappearing again into a spatial ring. That wave of immense heaven and earth energy only lasted for a moment in the surroundings before it dispersed.

He then sent that spatial ring towards them under their dumbfounded gaze.

"Here is the initial payment. If Alia Silverwind's expertise requires more, then I will see to it that it is paid on the date of completion."

Davis's voice echoed, but it sounded rather pompous, making the Silverwinds utterly dumbfounded.

Mival Silverwind did expect him to pay but not this soon!

Nevertheless, he felt a bit embarrassed to be collecting this amount of wealth from a youth who hadn't even crossed a hundred years of age.

"Are you sure?"

"Go ahead."

"Alright then..."

Mival Silverwind grabbed the spatial ring before they all looked at Davis.

At first, they did not expect the two hegemons to give them payment in Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Fragments. Instead, they thought they would be paid with Peak-Level Spirit Stones. After all, they can't be too demanding with Small-Sized Territory Hegemons, right?

They had the idea of trading the Peak-Level Spirit Stones with Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Fragments at Mid-Sized Territories so that they could gain a sizeable amount for her breakthrough while still netting losses because Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Fragments are not easy to come by that their demand overgrew their supply, making them more expensive than their normal price.

However, Davis being accommodating to them left him feeling good and more confident of his decision to protect him and his power!