Bruce arrived in The Abyss once more. Thankfully, he did not get teleported back to Hell Spire because that would be tricky to explain to everyone how he managed to sneak into the arena.
Bruce looked toward the direction of the Eastern Faction Headquarter and carved out a rune. The rune activated to open a portal to the Headquarter. Bruce stepped into the portal and blended in nicely.
He put on his Eastern Faction uniform and walked around to find Ariel. Thankfully, he was still a member of the Eastern Faction even though he didn't complete any mission for 9 years.
Bruce scanned the entire headquarter with his soul and found no sight of Ariel. Bruce frowned when he saw number 2 and 3 were in the headquarter. Perhaps Ariel was still in Hell Spire.
Bruce arrived at number 2's house and knocked on her door.
Number 2 peeked outside her door to find someone that she never expected to see.
"Number 4, you're still alive?"
"What are you talking about?" Bruce frowned.
"Wait, why is your cultivation at Late Stage Divine Emperor?" Number 2 was thoroughly shaken. 9 years ago, Bruce was just a Late Stage Divine King, how could he reach Late Stage Divine Emperor this quickly?
"That doesn't matter. Where is Ariel?" Bruce didn't want to explain anything to Number 2, after all, they were not friends. They were merely acquaintances.
"Didn't you hear? She's being hunted down by every faction"
"WHAT? WHY?!" Bruce couldn't calm himself down.
"Find it out yourself" Number 2 snorted. She didn't like the way Bruce acted toward her. She was a Late Stage Divine Emperor as well.
Bruce grabbed Number 2's throat and lifted her up.
"If you want to live, tell me everything!" Bruce's eyes turned demonic.
"How… are you… this powerful?" Number 2 struggled to breathe.
"Tell me everything, now!" Bruce threw Number 2 onto the floor. He truly did not care for the fairer sex.
Looking at the succubus beneath his feet, all Bruce felt was rage.
"It's all her fault! She had everything but she wasn't satisfied"
"Explain" Bruce stared down at Number 2.
Number 2 gulped when she looked into Bruce's eyes. He no longer had the easygoing attitude, instead, she was staring at a demon.
"Ariel was chosen to be one of his majesty's Death Knights"
"Her future in the Nether Realm was already settled, but she still chose to advance her cultivations on her own terms"
"Apparently, his majesty's Death Knights are directly linked to his soul"
"Those who are too talented will be punished by the heavens"
"Which means that if they advance too fast under the eyes of heaven, his majesty will incur its karmic wrath as well"
"How do you know this while being a lowly member of the Eastern Faction" Bruce felt something wasn't right with the story. The Abyss was the lowest level of the Nether Realm. Number 2 is just a random Late Stage Divine Emperor. It was impossible for her to obtain this information.
Number 2 was angry that Bruce called her a lowly member, but she held back her rage. She could feel extremely powerful energy leaking out of his body. If she made a wrong move, Bruce would be able to kill her instantly.
"I have multiple sex partners who are at the peak of The Abyss" Number 2 blushed.
"I see, but what did Ariel do to make all the factions target her?"
"She refused to slow down her cultivation and began to slaughter everyone that attempted to stop her"
"The four factions joined together recently to subdue her. She will be granted judgment by his majesty when he leaves his seclusion session"
"Got it" Bruce walked out of the room and left the headquarter.
It wasn't wise to unleash his soul powers in full scale, but he had no choice. He had to find Ariel before she gets captured by the four factions.
Bruce concentrated for a moment and unleashed his soul search to cover a large portion of The Abyss.
After 30 minutes, he found a beautiful angel wounded in a faraway forest.
"Found you, my dear" Bruce smiled.
Bruce opened up a portal and teleported directly to Ariel.
Meanwhile, Ariel was badly injured as she fought off the upper echelon of the four factions. She was sick of having someone control her entire fate. All she wanted to do was to obtain her revenge by using her own strengths.
Over these past 9 years, she was alone because the shameless man never came back for her. When she reached out for his news, all she got was that he managed to defeat the 10th floor but never returned afterward.
Ariel hoped that Bruce would return to her so that she wouldn't be alone in this uphill battle.
"Bruce, you bastard. You didn't keep your promise to me" Ariel quietly muttered as numerous powerful auras approached her.
She knew her end was coming. Ariel refused to be taken in as a prisoner by the four factions. She was already determined to kill herself after taking down as many enemies as possible.
Suddenly, a gentle voice appeared in her ears.
"Ariel, I'm sorry for leaving you alone"
When Ariel heard the soothing voice behind her, she was shaken to her core. How could she forget the voice of the person that annoyed and teased her at all times? His shamelessness was boundless and yet, she still enjoyed his company.
Ariel turned around to see an extraordinarily handsome man with familiar features staring at her lovingly.
"Bruce, is that you?" Ariel couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Ariel, I'm sorry for the wait" Bruce hugged her tightly and Ariel began to cry loudly.
"It must be hard for you to take on everything all alone" Bruce stroked her beautiful black hair as she tainted his top with her tears.
"Bruce, you need to get away from here. You can't defeat them" Ariel didn't want Bruce to die with her.
"Ariel, I alone am enough to destroy them all"
"Do you believe me?" Bruce wiped away her tears and smiled.
Ariel looked closely at Bruce and found his aura to be at Late Stage Divine Emperor. Even more, she felt boundless powers from his body.
"I do" Ariel hugged Bruce tightly.
"I will return the favor to anyone who made you cry" Bruce gently soothed Ariel's back as he coldly glared at the incoming figures.
"All of you made my woman cry"
"I'll make sure to repay this debt!" Bruce's eyes turned golden as he aimed his fury at the leaders of The Abyss.
Author Notes: Release will now be 4-5 chapters per week. Sometimes more if I have time to write.