Ce Wangtian’s expression turned grave when he felt Emperor Slayer’s terrifying aura. Emperor Slayer possessed incredible combat strength. Calling Hu Wu and Tian Ya for help had been the right move. If Ce Wangtian and the Astral Anura had taken action on their own, the Progenitor would not have been confident at all.
In fact, the man had contacted Hu Wu and Tian Ya the moment Astral Anura had shared that he could track Emperor Slayer down. This was not only because Ce Wangtian was wary of Emperor Slayer, but also to keep Astral Anura in check.
If the toad had good intentions, then having the two Ortusers’ support would cost them nothing more than a favor in exchange for learning about Astral Anura’s motives that could be reported to Lu Yin. If the toad proved to be a problem, then Hu Wu and Tian Ya could serve as a guarantee. Combined, the two were more than a match for Emperor Slayer.
Ce Wangtian believed that he would have enough time to summon reinforcements even if Astral Anura turned on him and attacked.
No one who had survived for as long as Ce Wangtian had was a fool.
The Emperor Slayer burst out from underground and immediately showed his caution by preparing Horizon’s Mirror so that he could flee at any moment.
The beast was afraid, and he was shocked that someone had actually found him. Neither Emperor Wu nor the Ascendant Hall had ever managed to track him down before.
The fact that Emperor Slayer had not only been found, but that his trackers had even dared to attack him revealed their extreme confidence. Emperor Slayer had no intention of chasing death and would rather escape at the first opportunity.
Still, before fleeing, he needed to understand who had found him.
Hmm? A toad? A very familiar toad.
"Toad?"
Astral Anura clenched his steel fork tightly and pointed it at Emperor Slayer. "I’m Astral Anura."
Emperor Slayer’s anti-gravity quickly spread out from his body as he scanned for any hidden powerhouses.
Given that there was only Astral Anura, Ce Wangtian, Hu Wu, and Tian Ya present, Emperor Slayer saw no need to escape immediately, as he could do so whenever he wished.
"That’s enough, you can stop searching. There's no one else here. It’s just us," Astral Anura shouted.
Emperor Slayer continued to examine the region, only to find that there really was no one else hiding. At that moment, his expression completely transformed. He became ferocious, savage, and radiated strong hatred. "Toad, are you the one who disrupted my sleep? You are courting death!"
His terrifying aura exploded.
Hu Wu and Tian Ya worked together, unleashing their own powerful auras to counter Emperor Slayer’s. While the beast was strong, the couple showed no fear. Their Thunderclap Skyrend was able to momentarily stun even Lu Yin, and they had always trained with the High Seraph as their goal to defeat.
Emperor Slayer's eyes flickered. Hu Wu and Tian Ya were indeed troublesome opponents, and the toad was even a Dukkhan. This battle would not be easy.
"Alright, you old lizard, while we might not be able to keep you here, you can’t do anything to us either," Astral Anura stated.
Emperor Slayer just sneered. "Where did you get such confidence, toad?"
"It's Astral Anura, you overgrown lizard."
Emperor Slayer grew furious. "What did you call me? How impudent!"
Astral Anura sneered. "Don't push things. Since I found you once, I can find you again. Don't make me share your location with the Grandverse Manor’s Third Boss. He’ll come and beat you up every day."
Emperor Slayer’s eyes bulged. "You can actually track me?"
"What do you think we're here for? Sightseeing?" Astral Anura retorted.
Emperor Slayer hesitated. His greatest advantage was his Horizon’s Mirror, which not even Emperor Wu could overcome. If not for that ability, Emperor Slayer would have been eliminated long ago, given his reputation throughout the Spirit Nidus. After all, he was an eight-spirit criminal on the Black Spirit List. Whoever eliminated him would receive incredible rewards from the Ascendant Hall, and they might even become a Seraph.
If my location gets exposed... Emperor Slayer instantly remembered the battle at the Umbral Deep. He would never forget that fight. The Third Boss was a truly ridiculous opponent. No, he was an absolute monster.
Quickly, the beast’s aura started to relax.
A disturbingly human smile spread across his face as Emperor Slayer exposed his white teeth in what he believed to be his most pleasant smile. The pearly white was strikingly conspicuous against the backdrop of the fiery red asteroid. "I just woke up! Oh my, aren’t you my little toad brother from before? What brings dear Brother Toad here? Feel free to say whatever you wish. If there’s anything that I can do to help, I’ll be sure to do so!"
Astral Anura’s jaw dropped. The switch-up was far too fast and jarring.
Ce Wangtian considered himself to be rather shameless at times, but at this moment, he understood that Emperor Slayer existed on an entirely different level. Just a moment ago, he had been radiating pure hatred.
Hu Wu and Tian Ya’s caution immediately spiked. They were quite familiar with the legends regarding Emperor Slayer. He was an eight-spirit criminal because he was the most tenacious individual on the Black Spirit List. He had survived for so long not only because of his overwhelming strength, but also because of his shamelessness. One moment he could be smiling, while the next he might bite.
There was a saying in the Spirit Nidus: anyone who wished to befriend Emperor Slayer must be utterly selfless, to the point of sacrificing their entire selves.
Astral Anura’s eyes flickered as he said, “Stop acting all friendly. I have a question for you. You said before that I look familiar. Have you seen any other toa- Bah! Astral Anuras?”
Emperor Slayer’s smile only grew. “Little Brother, I can’t quite remember. It seems like I’ve seen others like you before, but that was so long ago. Back then, I had an excellent reputation and friends everywhere, and I constantly visited them. Of course, that was entirely due to my righteous behavior. No matter if it’s in work or in my personal life, honesty is the way to win others over.”
“Stop with the nonsense. Tell me now, or else I’ll constantly share your location with the Third Boss,” Astral Anura threatened, his steel fork flashing with a cold gleam.
Emperor Slayer’s smile flashed brighter than ever, and he did not reveal even the slightest hint of anger at being threatened. “Little Brother, I wasn’t lying to you. If anyone is lying, it’s you, Little Toad.”
Astral Anura’s lips twisted into a sneer. The other beast’s words induced an incredibly unpleasant feeling. The toad felt as though he had been insulted.
“Just give me a bit of time, and I, your big brother, will surely remember. Please understand just how many years have passed. Honestly, it’s difficult to recall anything from so long ago, but for you, I will put forth my full efforts. Earnestness is the most important thing. I have roamed about the megaverse by being virtuous. You should remember that advice.”
Ce Wangtian scratched his ear, growing impatient. “There’s another matter that we need to discuss with you.”
Emperor Slayer directed his dazzling smile over to Ce Wangtian. “Speak freely, handsome little brother.”
Ce Wangtian was left speechless. Little brother? He was an ancient Progenitor. Still, it was fine to be called handsome... “Ahem. We need to get into the Heavencraft Domain, but their spirit threads are too difficult for us to break through.”
Emperor Slayer flexed his sharp claws. “I understand. Just wait for me.”
“Hold on!” Astral Anura hurriedly interjected. “We can’t let anyone make a connection between what you do in the Heavencraft Domain and us.”
Emperor Slayer’s smile did not so much as twitch. “You don’t need to worry. Anything that you say, your big brother will take care of.”
Astral Anura felt rather awkward. In particular, seeing Emperor Slayer’s smile was quite unsettling. “Once the Heavencraft Domain has been dealt with, you better quickly remember why you think I look familiar, or else...”
Emperor Slayer’s expression remained sincere, his smile never changing. “You can relax. Your big brother will remember as soon as possible. I would never fail to live up to my little brother’s expectations.”
With that, he leapt away, shattering the void as he raced off in the direction of the Heavencraft Domain.
Once Emperor Slayer left, Astral Anura and Ce Wangtian exchanged glances. They then quickly rushed back to the Heavencraft Domain as well.