By the time the top forces of the Distancia Continent began sweeping the area, our girls were already very far away in the direction of the nearest City.
While running, Tatyana still carried the large dragoness, looking quite comical. Evelyn said with a small laugh. "Mother-in-law, be careful when spoiling her, or you will revert her to childhood one more time."
Tatyana looked at the cute dragoness liking her face, and smiled. "Maybe that's not bad. I wouldn't mind grooming-I mean, seeing her grow up again."
The others looked at Tatyana strangely. Cecile asked. "Did you really groom her?"
Yasenia stopped and looked at Tatyana curiously. 'Did she?'
Tatyana snorted. "I did not. It is true that I wanted her to be my lover since before she was born, but that doesn't mean I wanted something wired by me. I was a normal mother raising her child until she was a proper adult!"
Tatyana then clicked her tongue. "I wanted to wait a little more, maybe until she was one hundred years old. However, that child, Oliver, was getting too close to her. Smooth talker, he made so many of my plans to make my little treasure crazy for me go to waste."
Yasenia laughed aloud, "So it is true that brother Oliver was the trigger for your confession. You almost lost to a junior~."
The others blinked. 'Will you just ignore that she wanted to make you crazy in love with her?'
However, remembering Yasenia's attitude toward Tatyana, it seemed that Yasenia had developed in that direction without Tatyana's intervention. They couldn't help but internally shake their heads. 'Truly, they are daughter and mother no matter how strange their relationship is.'
Tatyana raised her eyebrow. "Did you really think so? Not much later, I managed to get your everything. I think I was quite smooth~."
The others nodded. Andrea commented with a laugh in her voice. "For what you've told us, it was quite effective. She got you to change your attitude from daughter to daughter-lover quite quickly."
Yasenia's cheeks became shiny, showing off a gentle blue light. The others almost clutched their hearts while running. 'That's how she blushes!? How can she be so cute!'
Yasenia relaxed and looked around. "Are we far enough? I want to stop and talk a bit with Mom."
Tatyana nodded, "I also have some questions. Hmm... Let's stop over there. There is a large cave behind that wall. We can create a small fire and pass the night calmly."
No one protested, and they all made a ninety-degree turn.
Shortly after, they reached the natural cave and entered inside. Yasenia left Tatyana's embrace and waved her claw, summoning a large brown couch with a table in the middle. Quite a fancy piece of furniture.
Tatyana lifted her eyebrow. "This design... It is quite similar to the one in our house."
Yasenia nodded and used her mouth to sit Tatyana on it. Then, she climbed on top and circled her twice, letting her body rest around her with her head on Tatyana's lap.
The red-eyed woman looked softly at her and caressed her head, horns, and snout. The others also sat around and relaxed. Angel leaned on Yasenia's body and stretched. "Finally, we stop running. This night has been quite the roller-coaster, especially because of Mommy Tatyana's item."
Tatyana was close enough to stretch her hand and pat her. "Sorry, little Angel. I thought the Heavens wouldn't react. This World must be quite new for not letting something with Demigoddess level strength appear."
Yasenia lifted her head and looked at Tatyana.
"What's wrong, little treasure?" Tatyana's voice was soft, and her red eyes reflected Yasenia's dragon face.
Yasenia didn't hold back anymore and asked. "Mom, why is your cultivation only in the first level of the Unification Realm? Did something happen?"
Tatyana relaxed after Yasenia's question. "And here I thought you had something more important to ask me."
She looked around and saw that they were all curiously looking at her. Therefore, she decided to explain it. "Well, do you remember the forbidden skill I spoke to you about?"
Yasenia frowned for a moment. Tatyana was surprised that Yasenia had to take time to remember something so recent. "Do you really not remember? It was only one year ago."
Yasenia's face became strange, making Tatyana frown. "Did something happen to you, little treasure?"
Yasenia said. "I'll tell you after you tell me about your thing."
Tatyana was somewhat concerned, but she nodded and explained. "I told you about it the first time I summoned Jiang Ying Yue, my [Undead Empress]. The reason Jiang Ying Yue died in the past was that when I was trying to cross toward the Transcendence Realm, I took a lot of time crossing. The main reason for it was one skill I found by chance."
Tatyana sighed and continued. "The name of this skill is [Divine Lich Empress's Body Forging]."
Mirrory and Valeria let out a surprised sound, taking Tatyana's attention.
Valeria asked with curiosity. "How did you manage to complete that technique? I remember that all those who tried ended up losing their body and dying! I remember that it became a forbidden skill because its creator was the only person who managed to complete it."
Mirrory nodded and commented. "The results were also quite terrific. When failing, one would become an incomplete undead, so the [Underworld Gate] would swallow that person. Once you enter the Underworld, it is almost impossible to leave it, so all of them are considered dead or worse."
Mirrory sighed. "However, that wasn't the worst ending for those who tried. Most of them were left behind as brainless Undead, and their souls had perished in the process of completing the skill. The fact that Tatyana completed it is mind-boggling."
Tatyana squinted and observed both of them. Mirrory and Valeria stopped speaking and looked back at Tatyana.
The moment their gazes crossed, it was as if the air became denser, and the tension in the air became palpable.
Our girls were confused, but they didn't say anything.
After a while of mental battling, Tatyana's expression became cold, and she asked with a dangerous tone. "Care to present yourselves? I don't like having unknown people around my little treasure. Especially when they are seniors from before the Heavenly Cataclysm."
Valeria felt innate closeness and adversity toward Tatyana. Death and Life energy were connected in many ways, hence, creating this strange link. It wasn't a real link but more of an intuitive feeling.
Valeria felt it so clearly because she was a pure life-energy spirit, something literally created from Life energy and then developed a soul to became a sapient, living creature.
Therefore, when Tatyana directed malice toward her, it felt really terrible.
Even then, Life and Death went hand in hand, so as long as their conflicts were resolved, they could end up being quite good friends.
Of course, only time could tell.
With a calm expression and a smile, Valeria spoke first. "It is the first time we meet, Tatyana. My current name is Valeria, given to me by my mistress, Kali Natwood. My current identity is the evolution of Kali's [Golden Crown], its name being [Golden Flower Queen]. My original identity is The Spirit of Nature. I hope we get along."
Tatyana's wariness reduced a lot.
Spirits of Nature were one of the most harmless things as long as you didn't provoke them. Of course, once angered, they were utterly terrifying. Some people rather offend a Vengeful Dragon than a common Spirit of Nature. Therefore, Tatyana asked with interest, "You are a spirit of Nature? But you feel more complete than a recently created spirit. Moreover, you seem to have a past identity. Can you tell me?"
The clear change in tone made Kali sigh in relief. She would be sad if her loved Valeria and her mother-in-law were at odds.
Valeria nodded. "I was the original Spirit of Nature. If I tell you that some call me [The Spirit Queen], you may know who I am."
Tatyana was surprised. "The Spirit Queen?"
She turned toward Kali and smirked. "Little girl, you really are lucky. With her, reaching the demigoddess realm will be quite easy."
Kali smiled and hugged Valeria's side.
Lately, she only felt lucky.
Getting Valeria and Yasenia in her life was like a blessing for the fox lady. She always felt her heart fluttering with happiness when thinking about them.
The others found it cute because the size difference made it look like a child hugging a grown woman. Valeria looked at Kali and picked her up, sitting her between her legs and on top of the floral dress. Kali felt the giant green mountains pressing on her head, and she leaned on the body behind her, her two tails tightly circling Valeria's waist.
Tatyana asked again. "How did your previous master die? Being able to control someone like you, he or she must have grown to become a powerful Cultivator."
Valeria sighed and said, "About forty thousand years ago, the Divines tried to conquer his World. He fought back and won, but he sacrificed himself to revitalize the World destroyed by the War."
Tatyana got thoughtful, and then her face became strange. "I see..."
Valeria looked at Tatyana and frowned. "What's wrong?"
Tatyana asked. "I hope not. I really do, but, by chance, Is the World you are speaking about the World of the Nature Spirit Elves?"
Valeria nodded and asked, feeling a bad premonition. "What happened? Do you know something about them?"
Tatyana sighed and asked. "Was the King of that race your previous master?"
Valeria nodded again. "Yes."
Tatyana continued her questions. "Was it your idea for him to sacrifice?"
Valeria shook her head, "I was against it. He didn't need to sacrifice. Although the World was extremely damaged, it could be repaired in one or two hundred thousand years."
Tatyana squinted and asked. "Any other reasons for him not to sacrifice?"
Valeria didn't understand these questions, but she answered either way. "Of course, he would leave his family behind if he died."
"Anything more?"
Valeria was confused. "There should be many more reasons, but those are the most important, in my opinion."
Tatyana sighed in disappointment. "No wonder. A stupid master raised a stupid spirit."
Valeria's face changed as Tatyana sneered and continued. "To be blunt, your previous master was quite a stupid one, was he not?"
Valeria frowned and said with slight anger. "Don't go too far, Tatyana. Even if you are Yasenia's mother, I won't keep quiet if you insult him like that."
Tatyana laughed mockingly. "And what are you going to do? Fight me? For what?"
Valeria said coldly. "His sacrifice was for a noble cause! If you insult his determination-"
Tatyana interrupted, "Bullshit. We are both intelligent people, Valeria. So we know that this sacrifice was not noble nor heroic. It was a stupid thing to do."
Valeria's face became even colder. "Apologize, Tatyana. You can't insult his determination like that."
Tatyana raised her eyebrow. "Let me ask you a question, miss Spirit Queen. When he sacrificed and healed the World, what did the World lose for it?"
Valeria frowned for a while, and then something clicked. Her eyes widened with terror. Tatyana said calmly. "Thankfully, you are not stupid without remedy. Yasenia, my love, how about you answer my question?"
Yasenia looked at Tatyana, and then a Valeria. "Before I answer, can I ask you something, Valeria?"
Valeria nodded, her face still affected. "Was he the strongest of the race?"
Valeria closed her eyes and sighed. "Yes, he was."
Once Valeria answered, the other girls also seemed to catch on to why Tatyana said what she said.
Yasenia looked back at her mother and answered. "What he left behind was a void that no one could fill. The position of the World's protector."
Tatyana smiled, "Even my little treasure got the clue quite fast."
She locked at the worried Spirit Queen and said. "Instead of keeping his life and guiding his people, he sacrificed and essentially left the elves without a guardian, without someone that could protect them."
Tatyana said with pity. "In this world, strength is the most important. What can people tell you to do if you are stronger than them? Nothing."
Tatyana shook her head. "I bet everyone was against the idea, everyone was telling him not to sacrifice himself. However, your stupid and egocentric previous master most likely thought that they were mourning for him."
Tatyana said mercilessly. "Well, I'm here to pop your little fantasy and tell you that most probably, those people were against it because they didn't want to lose his strength. He was the deterrent that could keep even the Divines in check. Without him, I bet you can guess the outcome."
Valeria closed her eyes tightly.