Indeed, Alexi Ethren had feelings for his master. However, those were feelings that he didn't dare act upon as there was a master-disciple relationship between them.

Hence, he wanted to wait, wait till they had their revenge, and then perhaps he felt that he could provide her warmth even if she was going to die soon because of her waning lifespan. He always wanted to see a smile on that cold face which he didn't know that it was disguised until now.

He couldn't help but forcefully try to smile at his mother's sleeping face. His lips quivered as he propped her up to face him straight.

"Master..." He endearingly called out as mentioned in the letter.

But still, it garnered no attention from his mother as she lay in his arms like a corpse. He felt that even her warm body was starting to become cold.

"I'm not letting you die! I'm not reading the fourth scroll! I know that you have written your last words on the fourth scroll but I'm not ready!"

"Mother! I need you!"

Alexi Ethren embraced his mother and tightly held as if he wouldn't let her die easily.

He opened his mouth, wanting to call out again but words wouldn't come out of his mouth. He gritted his teeth and opened his mouth, wanting to yell for her to wake up but only a mouthful of blood was spat out by him.

His undulations fell from Mid-Level Law Sea Stage to Low-Level Law Sea Stage. His foundation remained stable but he radiated weak vitality that made him incredibly fatigued.

Fortunately, he inclined his head to his side, making sure that the rotten blood he spat out didn't even fall on his mother's hair.

However, his eyes saw someone whom he shouldn't see at this moment.

"First Brother! What are you doing here?"

Alexi Ethren's voice turned cold.

"Mind you... It's the Emperor for you..." Hadre Ethren sneered and pointed his finger at him.

"Royal Protectors, capture these two criminals."

Alexi Ethren groaned, "Your Majesty, do I need to remind you that this was a life and death battle that I commenced by invoking the rules of our Ethren Empire? Even you, the current Emperor do not have the right to say otherwise..."

"Hahaha!" Hadre Ethren laughed as he held his stomach, "You think I care?"

"Third brother, when you are in prison, you can rest assured that I'll take care of your mother. Don't worry, she will be lauded as the tyrant slayer as the one who took down our royal father and the skank who slept with numerous men..."

"Bastard!"

Killing intent erupted in Alexi Ethren's eyes as he heard his first brother speak ill of his mother who was dying in his arms.

Without even considering the consequences, he unleashed a move!

Fire Halberd condensed in his grasp as he waved his arm. It shot towards Hadre Ethren but the latter merely smiled.

Instantly, four to five Royal Protectors stood before him as they protected him, creating a small wall of fire that did not allow the fire halberd to even explode!

It just burned away from existence.

Alexi Ethren's expression changed as he instantly knew that he fell for the trap. His expression fell as he didn't think about changing the narrative anymore.

Once the flame wall receded, Hadre's mocking expression became visible to him.

"Aya, third brother, it is unusual for you to lose your calm. Sigh, women... especially our mothers do cause us to lose control..." Hadre Ethren shook his head in lament as he saw the beauty on his third brother's embrace.

His lips curved as he pointed his finger again, "Capture him alive! For he has overstepped his authority by attacking me, the current Emperor!"...

"Yes!" The Royal Protectors all replied in unison.

It was as if they were all puppets! But Alexi Ethren knew that it was not like that at all.

It was because the Emperor possesses the family treasure! The talisman to make the Royal Protectors submit to the Emperor's authority to a degree!

The ruling Emperor's authority!

That's why they were called Royal Protectors instead of Elders and Grand Elders! The moment Kaiser Ethren stepped down as the Emperor, Hadre Ethren received this talisman instead when he ascended the throne!

Alexi Ethren glanced at Hadre Ethren's hand and noticed the five-centimeter radius token plate that's filled with patterns in his hand.

It has all the blood essence of the Royal Protectors, and when the ruling Emperor uses his blood essence to manipulate the talisman, he will be able to exert his will over them for a short period of time, and that is more than enough time for the Emperor to subdue the Royal Protectors in case of a rebellion!

======

Davis stood at the side, watching the poor lad Alexi Ethren rush into the heart of the array with his mother in his arms. His eyes flashed red and noticed that Alexi Ethren's lifespan is still numbering in the thousands.

'Mhm... That means his mother dies today but he escapes?' He mused before a complex expression appeared on his face.

He had been rather watching all of this from a close distance, like a specter that was behind them all the time, yet no one seemed to notice his presence.

Obviously, Davis was using Dark Concealing Shroud Art the whole time, hence, no one in the vicinity was able to find him. He absolutely did nothing other than observing, hence, he was able to stay hidden among the numerous gazes of the Eighth Stage Experts.

'I finally understand why Alexi Ethren is a descendant of Old Man Garvin Woller...'

Davis's gaze fell on Alexi Ethren's mother, 'Arianna Woller... It seems like she belongs to the main branch descendants of Old Man Garvin... She must be the one who had given the necklace to her son, perhaps in acknowledgment of their master-disciple relationship.'

Needless to say, since he was hanging around close, he was able to hear their conversation and read the scrolls which Alexi Ethren pulled out of the spatial ring.

'Sigh, in any case, if I miss this opportunity, when would I have the chance to fulfill the Blood Soul Contract to Old Man Garvin?'

Davis's eyes flashed as his figure suddenly turned visible among all the chaos. His soul undulations spread, causing countless eyes to turn towards him in shock and fear.

"This... Senior! To what do we owe you the pleasure!?" Hadre Ethren was the first one to respond.

Even now, the events from that time were still fresh in his memory, and reports say that four Royal Protectors are mindlessly guarding the Conferred Queen's residence after being turned into slaves.

Despite the humiliation, they didn't dare retaliate!

The Royal Protectors who all chased Alexi Ethren became stiff at the sight of the senior. They looked towards Alexi Ethren and the senior before wondering what is up with the timing because all this just seemed too coincidental.

"I have business with Alexi Ethren..." Davis echoed in a calm and deep tone, his voice reverberating around the cloud formation.

Alexi Ethren became shocked as he watched the senior with wide eyes.

"Senior, there is no need to be like this, no?" Hadre Ethren panicked.

He didn't know why this senior had business with his third brother but at this point, he needed his third brother to die!

Otherwise, he perfectly knew that there wouldn't be another opportunity to do so.

"Oh~ Are you reluctant to give me face?"

"I dare not!" Hadre Ethren shook his head like a scared deer.

His intelligent and arrogant demeanor was nowhere to be seen.