Sterila had been feeling tense lately. After the day that the mysterious dragon appeared, the usually calm continent had suddenly begun churning with incredible waves. In just a week, 12 sects, 8 righteous and 4 demonic, had been erased from the map.
Of course, this was not something that could be allowed to keep going. Therefore, she quickly gathered leaders to attack and defeat the evil, destructive dragon.
Sterila was standing in front of many leaders at the moment, speaking with a solemn look. "This time, a calamity has arrived in our world. The being is like a natural disaster that doesnât even spare immortals. We must resist, and we must defeat it."
For once, there were not many people who disagreed with a strategic coalition. Back when she attacked the Crystal Blood Witch, Sterila had gathered six families and over thirty top-tier sects. These families and sects all pooled their top powerhouses to bring down the absurdly strong Crystal Blood Witch.
However, after retreating when they encountered the dragon out of fear for the unknown, Sterila noticed that the dragonâs targets were not them, but anyone who had conflicts with that Crystal Blood Witch.
She, as someone from the righteous faction, hated Angelâs selfish nature and utter disregard for life. So, she had fought against her a few times. The first few times, she was able to push her back. However, at some point, she had started needing help to fight her.
When that happened, Sterila knew she needed to find help to get rid of her. Who knew that her tactics were stomped by a giant claw and an angry dragon?
While Dragons were strong in their world, they were more like strong wild monsters than recognized clans. So, she thought that this dragon was a dormant ancestor Angel awakened to do her evil bidding.
"Looking at the map, the enemy group is about to reach the [Starry Muddy Soul Sect] tomorrow. Their group, from the intelligence gathered, is made up of 300 Immortals, all of them having the strength of an average Sect Master. They are most likely servants of the calamity dragon."
Those gathered listened. They were heads of clans, sect masters, and many more leaders of countries and kingdoms. Their world was quite large, so the number of forces was truly as numerous as stars in the sky.
Being one of the most powerful worlds in an entire Heavenly Layer was not a title that could be gained randomly.
Sterila stood up. "Letâs move out. We will stop this monster in the [Serrated Blue Jade Mountain Range] and have our battle there."
***
Meanwhile, Yaseniaâs group leisurely flew across the sky toward the next location. Andrea couldnât help but ask, a bit curious. "Love, doesnât your anger... How do I explain it? Does it become a bit numb after each destruction?"
Yasenia blinked and looked at Andrea, puzzled. "What do you mean, Darling?"
Andrea commented. "Itâs like this. Imagine that you hate an entire family. So, you start killing them one by one. By the end of it, donât you feel a bit numb and... somewhat futile?"
For example, Andrea, if angered, would have no problems in swinging her halberd and flattening an entire sect. However, if she entered the sect and started slaughtering wantonly, her feelings would be different.
Yasenia frowned, trying to understand. "I think... I get where you are coming from?" Yasenia then shook her head while smiling at Andrea. "However, I donât feel that way. If 10,000 people have offended me and they scatter across the world, I will hunt them one by one until each of them is gone." Her eyes chilled. "Like those bastards who offended my little fox all those years ago. We killed a few, but there are still a few living. If we encounter them, even if they have become a saint after turning around, I will still kill them."
Andrea hummed. "I see. Perhaps, as a dragon, your feeling of anger doesnât collide with your feeling of empathy? You can distinguish them separately. So, you donât start feeling pity when some of those you are killing are innocent. You just vent until you are satisfied."
Angel spoke to Andrea, confused. "But I am like Yasenia."
Andrea laughed. "Youâve been basically pampered and raised by her. Of course youâll be like that."
Angel smiled happily, clinging to Yasenia, with her eyes gently curved. After so many days together with Angel, she was very slowly regaining that lost sense of simplicity in her life. Something very comfortable for her.
Suddenly, one of the maids paused and approached Yasenia. This maid had beautiful pink eyes and hair and two translucent wings with gorgeous purple patterns on her back. She was of a peculiar beastkin bloodline similar to nature fairies, but with equal height to a human. Her build was actually quite similar to Angelâs, short and curvy.
Yasenia looked at this beautiful maid and smiled. "Whatâs wrong, Raciela?"
Raciela smiled and answered. "Young Miss, as you know, one of my elements is Fate. I can sense that there is something annoying in that mountain range before us."
"Annoying, huh?"
Yasenia was somewhat surprised. After all, if it didnât need some of their full strength, it would not be considered an annoyance. She used her hand to gently pat the girlâs head. "Thank you, Raciela."
Raciela blushed and nodded, smiling happily. Angel looked at her, and then she glanced toward the mountain range. "Thatâs the [Serrated Blue Jade Mountain Range]. It has a few deep mineral veins with [Blue Jade]. A material quite nice for Heaven-Ranked formations. I came here a while ago to stock up on this material."
Yasenia asked. "Is there some sort of danger here?"
"None, usually. The strongest beast is a Blue-Winged Crust Peng. A Level Two Mythical Core Beast. When strong people come, it stays hidden."
Yasenia nodded and looked at Anna. "Bring out a map of our trajectory."
Anna did so, and after a single glance, Yasenia saw that with their next objective, crossing this section would be the most predictable path. "So... there is an ambush there."
A single feeling from Raciela, and the entire plan was seen through. Tatyana asked, curious. "What do you plan to do? Meet them head on?"
"Why should I?" Yasenia raised her eyebrow. "I am sure that I have no opponents in this world. However, if I were to fight seriously against so many people, Heaven might get pissy again. While I can bear those bolts, they are tingly and annoying."
Tatyana shrugged. "I mean, you can let the maids fight."
"True." Yasenia nodded. Then, she chuckled. "Where is the fun in that?" Instead..." They all saw Yaseniaâs lips arch mischievously. "Since the powerhouses are here, they will wait here for a while. Havenât they left their sects unprotected? Itâs time to rob... I mean, to take whatâs ours!"
So, her [Celestial Intent Domain] unfurled, covering everyone and taking them into her own dimension. Mirrory looked around with a touch of surprise. "I saw it when you arrived, but youâve learned an Intent Domain that has its own special realm. Quite impressive. These Intent Domains are one of the strongest types."
Yasenia smiled and looked down. "Have you learned one like this, Angel?"
Angel nodded calmly. "I have."
Yasenia looked at Andrea. "What about you, Darling?"
"I have." Andrea nodded her head as well.
Yasenia was happy when she learned that. "Letâs move~."
Their bodies shifted through space, hidden as they traversed it.
Sterila, meanwhile, waited at the ambush location. She looked to the side, and questioned. "Is there any sign of them approaching?"
The woman by her side had white hair and mysterious blue eyes. A master of Fate. "I feel nothing, Sect Master Sterila."
Sterila asked. "How about making a divination?"
The woman nodded, her blue eyes gaining a touch of silver light. "[Ten Paths Fate Eye]."
Her silver eyes tried to look into Yaseniaâs fate. As she did so, she arrived at a black space, and then, from the endless starry black void, two massive golden dragon eyes opened, coldly looking at her.
BANG!
"AAAH!!"
The illusion shattered, the silver-haired woman sending her hands to her eyes as she screamed in pain. Sterila was stunned for a moment. This woman was the number one Fate Master in the entire world. Yet, she had received backlash.
"I... I canât see!"
Sterila frowned. "If you canât see, then thatâs that. There is no need to blame yourself so badly."
"No! No! I canât see! Iâve lost my sight! How is this possible!? No! NO! I CANâT SEE!"
The masters nearby felt their hearts chill when they understood what she truly meant. Sterila was even more surprised. This woman had, in the past, even seen through her own fate, one of the strongest beings in this layer. Yet, she had become blind with one attempt at seeing through that dragonâs gaze.
After the woman placed her hands away, Sterilaâs heart thumped. The womanâs previously gorgeous and mysterious eyes were now shattered. Black lines crisscrossed as if it were a marble surface cracked by a hammer, blood seeping constantly through the cracks.
The sight was truly eerie.
Yasenia, moving through the void, paused for a moment and frowned, looking back. Angel, being held in her arms, quickly noticed her abnormality. "Whatâs wrong, Yasenia?"
Yasenia stopped frowning and smiled as she turned to look at her Baby. "Nothing, love. Someone was being a bit annoying, so I just retaliated a bit."
Tatyana glanced back as well, her red eyes a tad colder. However, she knew what the result was after someone tried to manipulate Yaseniaâs fate. âEven an Eighth Realm cultivator got a backlash I could take advantage of. A Sixth Realm Cultivator trying the same is asking for trouble.â
Tatyana herself wouldnât dare to try to look into Yaseniaâs Fate strings. She was 100% sure that she would receive quite a harsh backlash, and that was with Yaseniaâs lack of resistance toward her probing.
So, after flying for a while, Yasenia undid the Celestial Intent Domain, and she looked down at the grand sect below them. "Letâs go! Time to... make a tour in their treasury."
Seeing Yaseniaâs eager face, they all chuckled and forcefully broke through the sectâs defenses, ignoring all shouts and killing anyone who dared stop them.
When entering, Yasenia saw a large pile of coins, and her eyes lit up. "Wow!"
She quickly moved over, jumping headfirst into the pile of coins. Of course, she didnât dive too deep, becoming stuck again with her butt and legs flapping haphazardly outside.
Tatyana laughed and approached with the others, calmly sitting around Yaseniaâs "swimming" figure. They just smiled and felt happy while looking at Yasenia chew some of those coins while swimming in them.
Andrea picked one coin with quite strong spiritual energy and threw it to Yasenia. The dragonessâs eyes sharpened, and she quickly jumped up.
CHOMP!
Then, a loud crunching sound of metal being chewed reached them. "Darling knows how to choose! This one was quite tasty!"
Tatyana blinked. "How about the others?"
Yasenia pouted. "While they look good, they are tasteless. So shiny but so tasteless! Like... like... They are like a boiled chicken thigh without seasoning!"
Tatyana frowned and quickly took the coins away from her. "Donât eat something so unsavory. Here, Mommy will give you a spiritual crystal to chew. Eating this garbage might be bad for your stomach."
So, Yasenia was suddenly stuffed with a high-quality crystal that, when she chewed, burst with a stream of high-quality spiritual energy. Yasenia squinted, throwing herself into Tatyanaâs arms as she chewed happily.
Back in the windy mountain range, Sterila sneezed. âWhy do I feel that something is wrong? As if something is gnawing at the back of my mind.â