Within a day, Davis returned to the Alstreim Family. Yes, it was that fast, but he and Princess Isabella decided to travel for three days. Furthermore, with Princess Isabella 'carrying' him with her Martial Sage Stage speed, the distance would become shortened to around half a day.

Yet, they took this long.

During this time, Davis knew that many things happened. The transfer of assets was finished quickly, and his mother, Claire, became filthy rich in these four days. She was now the owner of thirty-five million Peak-Level Spirit Stones, of which only about ten percent was in the form of liquidity; spirit stones and treasures while the remaining ninety percent happened to be fixed assets: properties and such.

However, due to keeping Claire's presence a secret, the assets were all designated to Edgar Alstreim's name, so he was the actual owner in truth. Edgar Alstreim was against this idea, but he was forced to accept it due to Claire's and Logan's insistence because of the need to maintain secrecy.

Davis also did not reject this as writing the assets in his name was also problematic. Besides, money wasn't a problem for him.

Furthermore, he felt that he could use this chance to see a few people's true characters. After all, money seemed always to twist people's personalities, sometimes revealing their true character.

In any case, Edgar Alstreim declared on the spot that all the assets and wealth he received at that point would belong to Claire and her descendants, so he felt that there should be no problem with keeping the assets with his grandfather anyway. He also warned him to seal the Spirit Attribute Source Hall for him, and his grandfather acquiesced.

He communicated with others with the soul body he left, not the avatar, because it was in seclusion.

Even Ancestor Dian Alstreim came to meet him twice, but both times, he gave an excuse that he was on the verge of a breakthrough and sent him away.

"A third time would absolutely piss him off..." Davis loudly pondered as he stepped into Purple Guest Palace's eighteenth floor.

Abruptly, the sight of Princess Isabella interacting and playing with him flashed past his eyes before he smilingly shook his head.

'As she said, perhaps... I'll be feeling lonely for a day or two...'

Davis turned around and headed towards the central zone of the Grand Alstreim City. Soon, he arrived at the Ancestral Hall, where he heard the Ancestor was present.

He flew towards the big gate, wanting to enter.

"Halt!"

Two overbearing sounds echoed, but he paid them no heed and pushed the big door open before entering.

A huge serpent-tail abruptly appeared beside him, about to smack him to death. However, it suddenly stopped and started to tremble.

"You can go inside..."

Davis looked at the pale blue serpent tail that was about to smack him recede from where it came, from the avant-garde lake. He looked towards his left and saw another pale-ice tail retreat the same.

'Two powerful entities, both at the Mid-Level Eighth Stage... King Beast Stage Magical Beasts? Ice-Tailed Sea Serpents...?'

Davis had heard of these magical beasts before. Apparently, they were offshoots from the Aqua Flood Dragon.

Soon, he arrived in front of a particular large door and brazenly entered.

What appeared in front of him was a long hall that seemed to stretch towards the end. A common platform appeared in the end, and a pale-faced young man seemed to be seated on a cultivation cushion.

Davis took a step into the air and flew towards the end. In a minute, he arrived and took a step on the platform beside the pale-faced man, standing beside him.

"I've come as you requested, Ancestor~" Davis chuckled.

"Your disrespect towards me is as plain as ever..." Ancestor Dian Alstreim lightly shook his head in frustration.

"However, don't you think that it was careless to not guard against the tail-attack of the Ice-Tailed Sea Serpent? If I hadn't sent a soul transmission, what would have happened to you? Be more careful about your life and death. I still haven't announced the matter of your bloodline to the world, so no one other than the people present at that time knows you're an Alstreim, and that is why I precisely called you, wanting to talk to you for that sake..."

Looking at him be criticized as if Ancestor Dian Alstreim was his grandfather, Davis chuckled, "I was more concerned about the life and death of those two Ice-Tailed Sea Serpents..."

He pointed towards Ancestor Dian Alstreim's side, causing the latter to look aside slowly.

"!!!"

Ancestor Dian Alstreim's body slightly shook. He was almost given a jumpscare as he saw a flawless, blindingly beautiful woman stand towards his other side. He couldn't help but chuckle as he turned to look at Davis.

"No wonder... But is this the Dragon Queen's will? She won't completely let you go even after all that?"

"What are you saying?" Davis shook his head but nodded, "However, in a way, Ancestor is correct."

"Isabella couldn't bear to leave me alone, and so, she left her magical beast pet with me. I am now Nadia's master."

*!!!~*

It was as if an explosion had occurred! Ancestor Dian Alstreim's eyes went wide as he possessed a shocked expression on his face.

"You're kidding... There's no way a King-Tier Magical Beast would acknowledge a master a second time..."

Davis smiled and retreated.

"Nadia, attack Ancestor Dian for me once..."

*Whoosh!~* ...

A dark-winged blade shot toward Ancestor Dian Alstreim without warning. Ancestor Dian Alstreim didn't even have time to react to Davis's words before he was struck right on his face. The place he sat on was destroyed while the cultivation cushion was shredded in an instant.

"Wonderful..." Davis looked in a direction as he exclaimed, "Is that the Earth Smiting Searing Flame Step in its full glory?"

"Brat! You're going too far!"

Ancestor Dian Alstreim appeared from the far end of the platform, his feet covered in blazing crimson flames. He cast a glance at the impertinent wolf that refused to feel fear in front of his overwhelming power.

'As expected of a King-Tier Magical Beast...'

If he had hesitated to retreat, he knew that he would at least have a bloody hole in his arm. However, he was more shocked to see that the wolf had accepted Davis as his master.

There wasn't even a minute moment of the brief before he was attacked. He felt that spoke volumes of the pact they possessed as a human and a magical beast. Even though he still found it difficult to accept, the sight he saw left no second questions in his mind.

Davis still had a surprised expression on his face. The attack that caused the explosion was Nadia's, but it was the reason for the subsequent explosion!

At that instant, Davis managed to see that the first explosion was due to Ancestor Dian Alstreim hitting the empty air, flying in the opposite direction to avoid the attack. It caused the cultivation cushion to jump before it got shredded into pieces by Nadia's attack.

Such speed and immense power in a movement technique caused his eyes to open up in admiration.

"Hehe... Aren't you glad, Ancestor? You won't need to follow me all day long to guard me as my Protector." Davis chuckled, acting foolish.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim was stumped, unable to understand Davis's intent. In the past, wasn't he arrogant towards him? Why was he playful now?

He harrumphed and answered, "Tell me whenever you go out. As long as you adventure out of the Alstreim Family Territory, I'll secretly accompany you."

"Very well. I won't stand on ceremony then...!" Davis snapped his finger, and Nadia turned into a dark sphere of light that entered his soul.

Watching it happen right in front of his sight, Ancestor Dian Alstreim's eyes twitched. He had no further reason to doubt Davis's words now. His horizons were truly broadened time and time again with Davis's presence.

"Why is your face pale?" Davis suddenly asked.

"Are you mocking me?" Ancestor Dian Alstreim looked as if he was going to lecture again before Davis explained.

"No, from the time I first saw you, you always look pale as if you are sick. Is Ancestor going to die soon or something?' He jokingly asked.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim paused as he looked at Davis's expression. He pursed his lips before he answered, "That's because, in the past, I have eaten a longevity-type fruit that overdrafted my vitality but assimilated with another effect, giving me a few thousand additional years of youthfulness."

"Hehe, was it in hopes that Ancestor Tirea Snow would turn to look at you?" Davis raised his brows with a smile.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim's lips twitched. This brat was just too much!

He didn't know how this brat found out that he liked Ancestor Tirea Snow, but with people witnessing the battle he fought together with her, he felt that the observers could more or less tell what he thought about her.

He didn't fall for provocation and answered.

"No, it was to advance my law comprehension."

"Mhm? What does Ancestor mean?" Davis became confused.

Was there a need to overdraft vitality to comprehend laws? Could it be that something that could help comprehend required a sacrifice?

"During one of my adventures, my vitality got in the way to digest a certain pill that helped me comprehend Level One Abstruse Intent of Fire Laws, so I used that longevity-type fruit to push the limitation out of the way and comprehended Level One Abstruse Intent of Fire Laws as a result.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim explained before he looked away, "I won't recommend using it since it's a double-edged sword. Sometimes, you won't gain what you're supposed to gain but would be just left with the negative-effects."

"I see..." Davis clasped his hands, "Thank you for the knowledge, Ancestor."

Ancestor Dian Alstreim's expression finally revealed a smile, 'Finally, it seems like the brat knows to at least thank...'

=======

[Everyone, the [Nine Eastern Territories] has been changed to [Nine Western Territories] from now on! The explanation is provided below, in the author's note.]

=======

Creators' Thoughts

Readers, I have made a big mistake. My pea-sized brain somehow decided to think that west was east for the fifty-two territories map's overall direction, so I ended up naming it Nine Eastern Territories when it is actually Nine Western Territories. However, for the inner directions, I was able to maintain accuracy as usual.

Maybe it was because I first named it "Eastern" that my mind didn't see any discrepancies afterward. I am completely sorry, and I feel like killing myself for this stupid low-level mistake, worse than Zoro. Please forgive my negligence that has lasted for over 400 chapters.

Thanks to TottalNoob and Faruk for pointing it out in Discord. Fortunately, the name "Nine Eastern Territories" doesn't have a deeper significance to it as it's just named after the direction.

Now, I'm going to change Nine Eastern Territories to Nine Western Territories in every past chapter. Wish me luck and also forgive me for the mess.