Divine Emperor of Death

Chapter 4111  In Exile

The bustling street was alive with the vibrant voices of merchants and patrons. Lanterns with the crow mark hung from thin ropes overhead, their gentle sways casting warm glows across the cobblestone road.

Amidst the crowd, a crimson-robed woman knelt beside a modest wooden stall, her elegant fingers deftly working on something, appearing as though she was tightening the knots on the canopy above to shield it from the sun.

”Hold it steady,” she said, her voice as smooth as flowing silk yet firm with authority.

She glanced up at the elderly couple beside her, who nodded nervously, their weathered hands trembling as they held the wooden frame upright. This wooden frame appeared to be of Immortal Emperor Grade, so its weight was not something these old people who had used up their blood essence couldnʼt lift up easily.

Once the work was done, the crimson-robed woman stepped back, her figure full of grace.

”You donʼt need to repay me,” she added, smiling warmly.

At that moment, the elders were quite moved. They looked at her as though she was a goddess. Her robe shimmered faintly as though the very fabric held the essence of flames within.

”Just make sure your business thrives, and your descendants have a chance to improve. Prosperity belongs to those who dare to try.”

The couple exchanged grateful glances, their gratitude profound but wordless. Yet, before their thanks could be uttered, a chilling breeze swept through the street, silencing the buzz of the market.

The crowd parted like waves as though a powerful force was striding through, revealing a group of black-robed men.

Their robes glimmered faintly, etched with violet lightning patterns that hinted that they belonged to a lightning-attributed sect. Their leader, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a sneer plastered across his face, stepped forward and placed his feet on a box full of meat that was for sale.

”You there,” he called and pointed at those elders, his voice dripping with disdain. ”This street is under the jurisdiction of the Stormshadow Sect. Unauthorized stalls are forbidden.”

The crimson-robed woman rose to her feet, her posture calm but unyielding. Her crimson hair cascaded in waves down her back, framing a face both fierce and serene. ”And yet the Sect Master himself declared this street open for public trade. Or do you mean to challenge his decree?”

The leaderʼs sneer faltered for a moment before returning, his lips now laced with an edge of malice. ”Bold words from someone who dares to meddle with the Stormshadow Sectʼs affairs where they shouldnʼt. Did you forget the whips you received a week ago? You filthy whore of that traitor who sold his soul to an Anarchic Divergent.”

The leaderʼs sneer faltered for a moment before returning, his lips now laced with an edge of malice. ”Bold words from someone who dares to meddle with the Stormshadow Sectʼs affairs where they shouldnʼt. Did you forget the whips you received a week ago? You filthy whore of that traitor who sold his soul to an Anarchic Divergent.”

”…!”

The crimson-robed woman, for the first time, displayed an extreme reaction that bordered on rage. Yet, she shuddered greatly, bringing herself back to reality as she controlled her rage and spat out with her teeth clenched.

”Leave now before itʼs too late.”

A surge of heat rippled through the air. In an instant, the oppressive atmosphere created by the Stormshadow Sectʼs people was shoved away, replaced with a smoldering warmth that threatened to burn them alive.

That man clenched his teeth, unable to believe this womanʼs might could be this strong despite being at the same level of cultivation as him.

”Hmph! I know that you wonʼt dare attack me. For one, youʼre all exiled to this place by the main branch of the Golden Crow Clan and were stripped of all your clanʼs wealth. Your branch is nearly doomed. If you want to survive, you now have to make ends meet in this town where our Stormshadow Sect rules. If you dare to go against us, you should know the consequences. Choose wisely. Here, Iʼll even show you my cheek.”

That man leaned forward, asking to get slapped.

However, the crimson-robed woman simply couldnʼt make the move, her eyes turning bloodshot but also becoming teary.

”Thatʼs enough.”

Abruptly, a voice rang out from the crowd.

His presence instantly commanded respect as the tall man abruptly straightened and stood like a pillar.

”Senior brother, our Patriarch said that this place will have a free market for a period of time, and it will be as he said. The lesser the conflict, the better our Patriarchʼs mood will be, and in the end, our sect will be the one to benefit from taxes. Thereʼs no need to make it difficult for the people here.”

”Junior brother, I dare donʼt make trouble. I just wanted to buy some goods, but the shopkeepers were quite pretentious.” said the tall man.

Despite calling him junior brother, the way he addressed the young man was respectful.

”You-”

The old lady pointed at him, but the old man hurriedly stood in front of her.

”Letʼs go.”

The young man turned around and led them away. On the other hand, the senior brother merely turned around and made a cutthroat motion with his hand, his expression full of rancor.

Once they left, the people relaxed a great deal. The crimson-robed woman also relaxed. Everyone then surrounded her and thanked her for standing up to them.

The old ladyʼs eyes were full of tears, ”El-na, you child. You shouldnʼt be here for the likes of us. Weʼll drop dead anytime. But you- as an important member of the Goldsun Clan, you should be safe inside lest something happens.”

El-na Goldsun shook her head, ”If husband sees me like this, he will be glad. I must protect you all in his stead. Otherwise, I canʼt be his wife. When he comes back, I wonʼt have any face to show.”

”El-na…” The old lady couldnʼt say anything anymore. She was moved.

”Comes back? Donʼt have any face to show? Pei!”

Someone spat on the ground, causing El-na and the others to look at a young man.

He wasnʼt exactly young but had been a competitor to Soaren back when they were young. El-na knew this man as someone wild yet calculative, but he was also fiercely loyal. But now, he looked as nothing more than a wretched beggar in the streets.

El-naʼs heart shook with a guilty feeling.

If there were people who appreciated her and still held faith in the Goldsun Family, in other words, Soaren, then there were also those who held a grudge for bringing them down to this level where they had to rely on protection from others but only ended up getting harassed.

But this man was different.

He had sacrificed about thirty percent of his blood essence for the sake of buying time for them so that the harassers wouldnʼt be too hard on them. But after he offended that young man from the Stormshadow Sect, he was abandoned by the Goldsun Clan to protect themselves.

El-na Goldsun could do nothing about it because it was the Grand Elders who took care of the affairs of the Goldsun Family. She was powerless to do anything. Her influence came from the fact that she was Soarenʼs third and favorite wife, but Soaren was deemed a sinner, so he lost all influence. Even then, she didnʼt wish to let this clan crumble from the inside.

”How laughable!” That man looked up at the skies and roared, ”He decides to follow an Anarchic Divergent to death but ends up bringing the entire family down with him. A classic case of a selfish man who brought down the family due to his wild and untamed desires that touched the cardinal sin of the world. How predictable! How laughable! Hahaha!”

”…”

El-na Goldsun wanted to retort but couldnʼt find any words. She believed that her husband would return and protect them, but she knew the others wouldnʼt necessarily think that way.

”And you!?” He didnʼt seem finished yet as he gazed at El-na Goldsun.

”Donʼt have any face? Then why havenʼt you honorably committed suicide yet!?”

”…”

El-na Goldsun shook. She lowered her head, appearing as though she was going to cry rivers of tears.

”Bastard, you went too far!” The old man walked past El-na and slapped that disheveled man.

However, that man paid no heed and continued laughing. In fact, he was also crying, lamenting the fate of the Goldsun Clan, which was highly noble and prideful but reduced to this level by their own people from the main branch.

The old man couldnʼt get angry anymore and made a sorrowful expression. He panned his gaze around and only saw the faces of people who only knew how to look down at the ground.

Time passed.

They continued their trade activities as though nothing had happened.

Just two hours after the Stormshadow Sectʼs people left, they returned.

But this time, they didnʼt seem to be the only people appearing. El-na Goldsunʼs expression changed as she saw the Stormshadow Sectʼs Patriarch. He was an Autarch-level figure, making her heart sink.

Why was he here?

That question made her heart clench. However, her eyes narrowed.

Amidst them, there was another group of men in purple robes striding forward. Each bore hair as white as frost, cascading like silk down their backs. Furthermore, each of them possessed an even more arrogant expression than the other, appearing like they looked down on all the living beings in this realm.

She was shocked since the Stormshadow Sectʼs Patriarch appeared reverent to one of them.

”Round them up and arrest them all. I want to see if anyone dares say a single thing about it!”

The purple-robed young man waved his hand at the street and commanded a plethora of fellow disciples behind him and even the Stormshadow Sectʼs disciples.

”What? You canʼt-”

*Pow!~*

The old man who was at the forefront came to argue when he was suddenly slapped, causing him to be sent flying.

”Hahaha! Fool!” That purple-robed young man roared in laughter, ”Youʼre all sinners who deserve to die but are living due to the grace of the mercy bestowed upon you by the Heavenʼs Warrior Organizations.”

His white hair swayed in the wind as white lightning abruptly erupted from his body.

”But I, Aric Stormsong, a supreme genius from the Thundering Serenity Upper Realmʼs Stormsong Family, have no such restriction. I can kill you all as I please to vent this frustration in my heart that doesnʼt go out no matter what I do!”

Aric Stormsong roared, appearing to be incensed even though he held the upper hand.

People could see that he was crazed. He even has a maddened glint in his eyes, making them shudder.

El-na Goldsun didnʼt know who he was but she had heard about Aric Stormsong before, the supreme genius who got thrashed badly by the Divine Emperor of Death for kidnapping Fairy Aila Cherryweave and Fairy Mei Novara in the Astral Forgeheart Minor Realm!

She went pale as she could tell he was here to vent his anger on them, a remnant of the the Divine Emperor of Deathʼs allies.