"With the Ironscale Dragons? Now that...is a bit of a tricky situation."

Emperal muttered, his mind was already calculating the steps he needed to take. As much as he loved to, he didn’t want to go and involve himself with those giants, but...the world doesn’t reward the indecisive and weak-willed.

He had to take the risk and grab the opportunities himself.

Looking down, he saw that Sera was almost healed. Even her fingers had somehow grown back, but...her ears.

They hadn’t.

Sensing his gaze on her ears, Sera glared at the man in hatred. The ears of the Elves were their most sensitive and precious parts. It had their pride stored in them, and Emperal cut just that.

Seeing her glare, Emperal snorted. "Blame your trash mouth for that, and besides, I think it will heal just fine after a few days of...medicine."

At the end, his voice turned strange. Even he himself doesn’t know the method, but oh well.

"Now, get up. Let’s go to meet Lady Dresh."

Saying that, he stepped past her.

Sera gritted her teeth tightly, her mind going through countless thoughts when she saw his back, but ultimately, she loosened her grip and slowly stood up.

"Hmph, just wait. Once I complain to Lady Dresh, we will see what you will be doing."

She followed him, though her steps were a bit wobbly.

...

After walking for three hours silently, Emperal finally opened his mouth to speak.

"What’s her situation?"

He asked, without turning back.

"She is...surrounded and has been holding that piece of map for a week despite the repeated attacks of the Ironscale Dragonkin."

Sera replied, her expression twisted, as if she had swallowed something nasty. It had been like that from the moment they started their journey.

But of course, Emperal couldn’t care less about her thoughts. He was busy making his own plans.

"Surrounded, huh? Although given her strength and cunning, I am sure she will be fine," Emperal spoke out loud. Hearing his words, Sera’s brows twitched.

"Hmph! Talking as if you have known Lady Dresh for centuries."

"Even though I did not know her for that long, a few interactions were enough to know her personality. Unlike your arrogant ass, I am a humble man."

Emperal nodded, his ’humble’ expression irked Sera to no end.

"Humble my spongy ass!"

She spat, making Emperal nod his head.

"Your ass is indeed spongy."

"W-Wha–!! You...you bastard!"

Sera was shocked when she heard him comment about her ass, and a wave of anger hit her mind.

Seeing her like this, Emperal smirked. "What? What are you going to do about that? You do know that if I wanted to, I could force myself upon you, right?"

The moment his words echoed, all colour drained from Sera. A chill ran down her spine. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Emperal interjected.

"I was just joking, don’t worry, my standards are pretty high, you see."

"...Shameless bastard! How rude!"

Sera felt the urge to strangle this man, and what did he mean by his standard being pretty high?

The exchanges continued a while longer until Emperal lost his interest in this.

...

A few more hours later...

"This way," Sera said, as she pointed her hand at a deeper section of the forest.

They moved through the outer zone’s deep section for another hour, Emperal read the environment through his Trisight as always.

"Hmm, the density and purity of Soul Force are increasing the deeper we go. Not to mention the natural Verth."

The trees were a bit larger here, larger than the huge trees Emperal saw outside.

Sera looked at Emperal from the side, her Gainsborough eyes shining lightly.

Moving deeper, Emperal finally began feeling the auras of the Verth Shapers...they were genuinely an insurmountable gap for the current Emperal.

And Emperal knew it, his Soul Cultivation was still being cultivated, if he cultivated to a high level. Not even Verth Shapers were a threat to Emperal.

Or so he believed.

The ancient trees clustered around as Emperal walked forward. They were Dense and Old. Emperal’s eyes flickered slightly as he looked ahead. At the perimeter’s center, there she was.

Before, he couldn’t sense it, but now, due to his extreme sensitivity towards Verth because of Soul Energy, he can see it.

The overwhelming Verth around Dresh, even a dozen Verth Wielders’ Verth, paled in front of her. She was sitting there cross-legged with her eyes closed.

Sensing the two new presences, Dresh’s eyes snapped open!

"Well, well, guess who it is?" Dresh’s smile turned playful when she saw Emperal walk towards them.

Hearing this, Emperal chuckled as well, "Long time no see, Lady Dresh, and I have to say, every time I see you, you seem to be younger."

Dresh laughed heartily when she heard those words, her platinum green hair waving through the air as her eyes shone lightly.

"What a pleasant mouth, I wonder how many women you have trapped by pretending like that."

"Not at all, only beautiful women like Lady Dresh get it. The rest are...not up to the standards."

Emperal spoke, and Sera’s brow violently twitched when she heard that. But ultimately, she behaved in front of Dresh.

"Lady Dresh, who is that man?"

Suddenly, a voice echoed. Emperal raised his brows when he heard that condescending voice coming from behind Dresh.

Looking back, he saw two figures standing straight with sharp, pointy weapons in their hands. The one who spoke was a man; he had light silver hair and a tall build. He likely had a trace of noble blood flowing in him.

Dresh’s smile widened when she heard his words, "Well, he is close to me. Stand down"

The moment her words echoed, many gasps were heard. Even the man standing behind Dresh looked at Emperal in disbelief.

"...Your friend? Since when did this woman...start having friends?"

The man behind him spoke—inwardly.

He couldn’t help but look at Emperal once again, looking closely...his eyes widened.

"A half-blood, Stage Three Verth Seeker, this...this is the epitome of Trashness. What did Lady Dresh see in him?"

It wasn’t just him; the rest of Dresh’s subordinates looked at Emperal intensely.

Emperal sighed when he saw this. He couldn’t help but smile.

"It seems Lady Dresh is really bored sitting here."