Author Note: Sorry for the delay, I set it for tomorrow, not today!
Before you continue reading, do you want to vote here? Here is a PUBLIC poll about the Cover Image for Rise of the Death Empress. I thought it would be easier that way. Have fun voting~. It closes on the 1st of January at 9:00 AM GMT+1
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Nothing interesting happened in the first few hours, and Yasenia's group just collected a few treasures of little value.
While this place was called a Treasure Land, it was so for the Distancia Continent's residents.
Yasenia had her eyesight in heaven-ranked items to consider them valuable and at least high-level Heaven-rank to consider them proper treasures she would fight over. Meanwhile, Distancia people would find Earth-ranked items interesting, while anything above the high-level Earth Rank was worth fighting for.
Yasenia understood such truths, so she focused her senses on tracking down heaven-ranked items while giving treasures she didn't want to others.
Using the one-to-ten ratio of Heaven to Earth items, Yasenia collected most of them while giving every Earth rank one to the others.
Du Xian and Du Lian didn't complain since this number of Earth Rank items was already an immense wealth for them. Other than them, Lea and Laurina weren't greedy because Yasenia was the Sect Master, and she would compensate them with Astral Points, which they found more valuable than a random Earth- or Heaven-ranked item.
While they explored deeper into the Volcanic Treasure Land, Du Xian approached and initiated a conversation. "Yasenia, I know I've said it a few times, but thank you for surrendering, really. I did not expect to advance so quickly. It's impressive how many points you won. Do you have a 2.2 multiplier?"
Her admiring tone was clear and easy to recognize, making the restless Du Lian slightly nervous.
Laurina blinked and laughed. "No wonder… I was confused about how someone like you could have defeated Little Sister Yasenia; she surrendered on purpose!"
Lea looked at Laurina and asked. "Du Xian is not that weak, no? Is Yasenia that strong?"
Du Xian frowned slightly at Laurina's comment, feeling she was looking down on her. "That's right, I'm not weak. Although I don't know how strong Yasenia really is, I think I can give her a difficult time."
Laurina nodded at Lea and then looked at Du Xian with a disapproving expression. "Du Xian, although I can feel danger from you, I can also understand that I'm not much weaker than you. In a fight to the death, it probably is a fifty-fifty. You have no chance against little sister if she is serious."
The squirrel woman was offended because no matter how cute, Du Xian was the Matriarch of an entire race. Her strength was naturally not low. "Hey, aren't you looking down on me too much? I admit that Yasenia is strong, but I don't know why you feel like I would be so helpless when you haven't seen me fight. I could probably fight a normal middle-level Epoch Core and win quite consistently."
Laurina reiterated. "And I'm telling you that strength is lacking against her. Well, it seems that Yasenia is trying to get close to you, so she will probably never fight seriously. If you were to see her fight in the future, you'd understand."
Yasenia smiled and placed her hands on their heads, stroking softly. "Don't fight, don't fight. Both of you are strong, and that's what is important. Me being stronger or weaker than Du Xian changes nothing."
Their expressions relaxed, and they stopped arguing. Yasenia's head pats had the power to end wars, as her passive energy and expert caress would make almost anyone feel relaxed.
Du Lian's eyebrows twitched as he saw his wife's tail cutely wagging and not too stealthily pushing against Yasenia's hand. "Yasenia, I would prefer if you weren't this close with Xian'er."
Yasenia lifted an eyebrow and obeyed him, taking her hand off Du Xian's head right when she was about to caress the nerves below her ears pleasantly.
For Du Xian, it felt like someone stole the best bite out of a dish, which made her frown. She felt nothing was wrong in her head since she saw Yasenia as a regular woman she was getting close to as a friend. "Lian, I think I can be close to my new friend. Why are you being so sensitive? We are both females." 'Moreover, because of you, Yasenia stopped right when her fingers were about to press on that sweet spot…'
Du Lian said with a strained tone. "Yes, but don't you think that things like burying your face in her, well, her chest, is something a bit out of pocket? Acting cute and such is also a bit…"
Du Xian looked at him and asked with crossed arms. "A bit, what?"
Although her expression had a warning, he felt that he was right, so he continued. "They are a bit too intimate."
Yasenia almost laughed at his struggling face. She didn't intend to seduce Du Xian and just wanted to be close friends, so she felt his worries were unnecessary.
Still, she understood his attitude a little, so she commented with a fun tone. "Du Lian, don't worry. I already have six wives and don't want any more for now. You can relax."
His expression crumbled a bit, feeling embarrassed to be noticed.
On the other side, Du Xian understood, and her eyes widened with surprise, which instantly became anger that she expressed with a cute stomp.
Of course, the stomp of an Epoch Core was not light, no matter how cute the person was.
A loud explosive sound followed as the earth trembled for an instant, and a spider-web-like crack spread around her stomping point.
"Du Lian! We've been married for almost twelve decades. Do you have this little confidence in me!? I want to get close to Yasenia, not become a lover with her!"
Du Lian started sweating coldly when the sight of the poor, cracked ground entered his eyes. 'Did I mess up?'
The dragoness didn't intervene anymore. Although she could understand a bit, and that's why she made her intentions clear, she could also not understand why he didn't trust her. Yasenia had a lot of experience with beautiful women hugging Angel around, but she never felt uncomfortable or stopped it.
Du Lian and Du Xian argued for a few seconds, but knowing that they were with others, Du Xian ended the conversation, saying that they would talk later.
"Sorry, Yasenia. This won't happen again. I hope you are not offended."
Yasenia waved her hand. "Don't worry, I'll just not have physical interaction with you, and that will solve the problem."
Du Xian stuttered and hastily added. "W-Well, there is no need to jump to conclusions. He was being a bit delicate; there is no need to hold back."
Seeing the panicking little woman and sulking husband, Yasenia almost couldn't control her laughter.
After this small interaction, they continued their way, finding another group of cultivators fighting over a treasure.
Between them, Yasenia spotted a familiar mermaid, and on the other side, she spotted a Garuda, the same one that had spoken to her in the initial room where they had activated their keys.
Angel also swiftly spotted him. While she was not interested in many things other than cultivation, formations, and her close people, those who offended or insulted Yasenia were instantly remembered in the little girl's head.
She hugged Yasenia's arm and said excitedly. "Look, look! We are so lucky, Yasenia!"
Lea had been slowly trying to make conversation with Angel and Yasenia, so she also joined. "Who is he?"
Angel smiled and said cheerfully. "A person I really wanted to kill! We are so lucky to find him here, right, Mommy Tatyana?"
Tatyana smiled. "Yes. So, how do you want to approach this?"
Yasenia looked at Du Xian and Du Lian and asked. "Will you participate if we attack another first-ranked power?"
The two of them hesitated. Even if they were happy to be Yasenia's allies, directly attacking one of the superpowers of the continent felt like too much.
Yasenia saw it in their expressions and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry; I also don't want your clan members to be targeted before you arrive at my territory; you are too vulnerable. I would understand if you said that you don't want to."
Du Xian nodded and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Yasenia. We'll wait here, but if you are in mortal danger, we'll intervene."
Yasenia laughed. "Hearing that is more than I can ask. Let's go."
Lea blinked. "Me too?"
The dragoness looked at her, confused. "What, you don't want to help me?"
Lea felt the gazes of almost everyone changing and hastily denied it. "No, no. I thought you would go alone."
Yasenia was even more confused. "Why would I go alone?"
Lea tilted her head. "Sarah usually fights enemies alone unless she can't deal with them, saying that she didn't want us to be in danger… So, out of habit, sorry."
Our seductive woman couldn't understand that kind of behavior. "Why would I deprive my close people of gaining real combat experience when the enemy is somebody who I'm confident in defeating alone? The only reason I'm not letting Angel, Laurina, and you go by yourselves is because I'm not confident if that mermaid decides to turn around and attack us with her group."
Tatyana spoke. "Little Treasure, they are about to reach an agreement. It is now or never."
Yasenia nodded and smiled. "Let's go. If they are fighting over it, it must be something nice. I can smell it~."
On the other side, the Garuda called Huang Tao was smiling with his beak as he spoke. "Beautiful Mei Lan. Are you sure you don't want to experience it yourself? My Dual Cultivation will be beneficial for you as well. We, the [Nine Peach Blossom Sect], are proud of the mutual benefit relationship we can create."
Qiao Mei Lan looked at him coldly. "As I've said, we will send five of our disciples to your sect for a night if you allow us to get this treasure. There are a few who I know would be happy with this arrangement."
Huang Tao laughed and sensually stroked his large and erect member. "Are you sure you don't want to taste this? I'm telling you, I can give you pleasure like no other."
With a cold look, she answered. "If you ask one more time, I'll attack."
The man sighed and shrugged. "Your loss."
Yasenia appeared at this moment. "So, what kind of interesting treasure are you two speaking about?"
Both groups turned to look at the six-person group of gorgeous women.
One dog woman of the [Nine Peach Blossom Sect] squealed. "So beautiful! Little sister, do you want to share a bed?"
Angel looked at the tall and voluptuous woman and tilted her head. "Why would I want to be with an ugly person?"
The man beside the dog woman laughed at her. "You are so stupid. Why would a cute and sexy girl like her like you? She probably prefers manly people like me or the leader. Hey, little girl, want to ride my pole? I'll give you a good time."
Yasenia stopped the conversation with a cold smile. "Well, previously, my reasons to kill you were good, but now they are solidified. Qiao Mei Lan, do not intervene while I kill them; I will not allow these animals to continue to exist."
Huang Tao's eagle-like head gained a cold expression. "Hey, say that one more time, and I'll rape you until you only know how to scream cock."
Yasenia summoned her sword and sneered. "With that pitiful thing that is only big and nothing more, I probably would have a hard time making a sound. I can feel myself drying up like a well in a volcanic desert from just looking at it."
Qiao Mei Lan squinted and spoke coldly. "Yasenia, I've made a deal with them. The [Fire Source Orb] is mine."
Yasenia looked at her and answered. "I've asked you not to intervene because I would kill them regardless of the treasure. We can speak later about who takes that thing later."
Qiao Mei Lan floated forward. "I'll not allow you to attack other first-rated powers at will, Yasenia Dravory. You will not stir the fragile balance we've maintained so hard. If you do so, do you know how many lives will be lost?"
With a laugh, Yasenia spat. "As if I care about that. Those bastards tried to mess with me first. If I don't retaliate and kill them, my surname is not Dravory! Now choose, you fight with them, or you step aside."
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Kali: Tsk, all Dual Cultivation sects have the same annoying people.
Yasenia: Sadly, we'll meet quite a few more in the future.
Tatyana: Dual cultivation is one of the most prevalent forms of cultivation between demons, so it will indeed become much more common.
Yasenia: …
Evelyn: I can already picture the future… Us being chased down by rabid dogs that want a bite of my lovely dragoness.
Cecile: It doesn't matter. Just kill them all.
Author: I wonder how many people will die because their brain falls to their lower half after seeing our girls?
Author: Well, we'll have to continue the adventure to know! I summon you!
Andrew Miles: Hello.
Angel: Hello!
Andrew Miles: Seniors, what are the advantages of a compatible elemental cultivation technique to a non-attributed one for a body and spiritual energy paths cultivator?
Valeria: Well, very straightforward. A compatible one would give all that a non-attributed one gives, plus elemental compatibility and insights. Remember that a cultivation technique is a way to slowly understand the heavens and its truths while absorbing energy and increasing the cultivator's strength.
Valeria: Gaining an understanding of the general path plus an element that governs the world gives the cultivator an edge during intent understanding, the ability to absorb energy, and much more, regardless of whether you are a Soul, Body, or Spiritual cultivator.
Andrew Miles: I see. Thank you!
Author: And that's all for today! Bye-bye~.