C1203 Once so Close to Me

The sudden emergence of a dilapidated warship on the Lower Continent not only caught Denise's attention but also astonished Rong Xun and his companions.

Streams of concealed soul thoughts emanated from the alien landscapes, drifting towards the warship.

Rong Xun and the others suspected that their pursuers had arrived, using the alien warships for camouflage.

"Just like the beings of this realm, they are all non-humans," Rong Xun, in the late period of the Yang God Stage, sensed and reassured himself. He discreetly informed Han Dan and Kin Haolong that there was no need for alarm.

Xie Binn remained unflustered, his thoughts racing like sparks through the dense forest, still in search of the valuable Celestial Thunder Wood.

At the plaza before the grand palace, Docter, of the Eighth Level Bloodline, hovered with his sleeves casting a scatter of starlight. His eyes, like glittering diamonds, shone intensely. "Why have you come so suddenly?"

He was clearly privy to the situation.

After a brief hesitation, Docter descended, his brow furrowed as he entered the hall where the Celestial Star Beast resided.

The warship, smeared with paint to conceal its wear, seemed to have Denise precisely in its sights, emitting a thunderous roar as it approached the forbidden area.

Denise's face tensed as she pleaded, "Please, don't be angry. I'll handle this as quickly as possible!"

The Star Race's esteemed young lady, wielding a staff inlaid with numerous crystals, hurriedly excused herself to Yu Yuan and departed posthaste, setting the rendezvous with her intimate friend outside the forbidden zone.

Since her friend would find her regardless of her location, it seemed more prudent to meet outside.

With a resounding boom, the battered warship altered its course to follow Denise and eventually came to a halt on a clearing just outside the forbidden area. The ship's doors swung open, and tattered individuals from the Shadow Clan, Mondnacht Clan, and Asura Clan emerged in succession.

These exotic visitors, burdened with backpacks and parcels, included families with both elderly and young.

Denise's lovely face involuntarily twitched, her smile strained.

"Denise, why didn't you go to the agreed-upon location?"

A striking young woman from the Asura Clan emerged, her fiery figure clad in gleaming silver armor that hugged her ample chest. Sharp, natural spines adorned her knees, elbows, and shoulders, glinting with a cold light. A dark red belt, reminiscent of a serpent, encircled her slender waist, while her long, bare legs and shapely buttocks were sheathed in leather armor.

This was Elena.

Following close behind was Pattinson of the Shadow Clan. He offered Denise a weary smile and said with an apologetic tone, "I simply couldn't wait any longer and had no other choice but to impose upon your hospitality."

Exhaustion was evident in his eyes. Despite being at the peak of the Eighth Level, his vitality seemed utterly depleted.

"My elder brother has died. Calves is gone, and so is Elena's father," Pattinson explained. "We've lost our strongest warriors in an instant. Our hideout has been revealed and overtaken by rival bandits. The infighting among them is even more savage and bloodthirsty. We've lost many brothers along the way."

"All that's left is... what you see before you."

Pattinson was aware that Elena and Denise shared a close friendship. Many of the diverse races now in the Epitaxial Realm were once refugees, brought there by Elena.

They had reached the end of their rope and had nowhere else to turn but to Denise for refuge.

Denise was supposed to pilot her Galaxy Ancient Starship to rendezvous with Elena, Pattinson, and the others, and then transport them to safety.

Their conspicuous and battered pirate warship was meant to be scuttled.

However, Denise's plans were derailed when she unexpectedly encountered Yu Yuan in the Epitaxial Realm. Subsequent unforeseen events left her spread too thin to act, forcing her to remain behind.

After a long and fruitless wait for Denise, Pattinson and Elena, learning that their enemies were closing in, had no choice but to make their way to her.

Both felt remorseful, knowing their actions could potentially bring trouble to Elena.

But they were out of options.

"Pattinson, have your people set up camp nearby and don't stray too far," Denise directed. "And your warship—find a place to conceal it where it won't be spotted. The Epitaxial Realm isn't what it used to be; I must be exceedingly cautious. Elena, come with me. There's someone I need you to meet."

"Oh," Elena responded, her voice devoid of enthusiasm.

After a moment of silence.

"Her father, Fernand, was once a close comrade-in-arms with my father. Due to certain events, her father became an outlaw, but she and I have always kept in touch. My father was aware of this and chose to look the other way."

Denise pointed to the Asura girl and candidly recounted the events that had transpired.

Yu Yuan massaged his temples, watching the girl who had said her goodbyes at the Destruction Fortress and now stood before him once again.

What were the odds?

"Elena?"

After Denise finished speaking, she turned to find her dear friend with eyes reddened, fixedly staring at Yu Yuan, tears slowly brimming over.

Elena, fiery in spirit, continued to stare at Yu Yuan unblinkingly.

Her jaws clenched tight, yet she remained silent.

A torrent of grievances and yearnings flooded her heart, bringing tears to her eyes, but she refused to make a sound.

"You two know each other?" Denise, though not the quickest to catch on, noticed her friend's distress and exclaimed in astonishment, "Impossible! How could this be?"

Yu Yuan was taken aback as he watched Elena's expression shift, her gaze flitting between him and Chen Qinghuang, skepticism giving way to recognition in her eyes.

Hadn't he altered his appearance to blend in with the Dark Elfkind?

Hadn't Xie Binn failed to detect anything amiss?

How had this girl recognized him in such a short span of time?

"How did you figure it out?"

After a long pause, Yu Yuan exhaled a sigh and asked, resigned.

"It wasn't by sight. I... I recognized it by scent. There's a unique medicinal fragrance about you that I remember." As she spoke, the fiery Asura girl's cheeks flushed, and she added shyly, "We were once very close."

"How did you two meet?" Denise's face was a canvas of curiosity and intrigue.

"Denise, my father had nothing to do with Swarz's death!"

Elena, struck by a sudden recollection, adopted a grave expression and began to clarify earnestly, "I don't recall Swarz ever setting foot in the Plover Realm! Both my father and I have met Swarz. If he had come to the Plover Realm, we would have recognized him!"

"What about Swarz?" Denise felt a pang in her heart.

"He died just outside the Plover Realm," Elena said after a moment's thought. "Initially, to gain entry to the Plover Realm, one needed an escort from the Babel Chamber of Commerce. Swarz's bloodline level wasn't high enough, so he was likely kept outside the realm temporarily. I don't think he ever made it inside."

"His death probably has something to do with the Starry Behemoth known as the Chaos Roc or the Great Demon God Greco."

Elena had been troubled by this issue on her journey. After careful consideration, she was certain she hadn't seen Swarz in the Plover Realm.

She was acutely aware that her father had played an ignominious part during the Asura King's invasion.

She didn't want Denise to feel that her father had a hand in her brother's death.

Denise's delay in joining her had caused Elena to worry that Denise was resisting her help because of this.

"I don't blame you. Given what you've said, it's clear my uncle had nothing to do with it. Besides, Uncle Fernand has already..."

Denise sighed deeply, her sadness palpable.

Seeing Denise's reaction, Elena's worries eased. She then turned her attention back to Yu Yuan.

"Princess Denise, would you excuse us for a moment? I need to have a word with her in private," Yu Yuan said, coughing to mask his discomfort under Elena's intense gaze as he ushered her out.

"Oh."

Denise left with an odd look on her face.

"What's with your appearance? Ah, I understand—you're worried about being found, right?" Elena mused aloud, nodding knowingly. "We bandits always have our ears to the ground. We've heard about you... and her."

The Asura girl glanced warily at Chen Qinghuang before quickly averting her gaze.

The Secular Bird!

Elena marveled silently, recalling the ancient legends with a mix of fear and excitement.

"Let's hear about your situation," Yu Yuan prompted.

After a pause, Elena broke down in tears, crying so violently that it seemed her heart might break. She sobbed and convulsed as she recounted her story.

"My father traded his death and allegiance for my freedom. The Asura Clan has declared that I can rejoin them whenever I wish and have even granted me a spot to train in the Dark Domain. Yet, no sooner had Pattinson and I returned to our lair than we were attacked by rival bandits."

"I could return to the Asura Clan and claim that spot in the Dark Domain, but what about the old retainers who were loyal to my father?"

"I can't stand by and watch them all be slaughtered, their families wiped out! I made a promise to my father, to them, to protect them!"

"That's why I didn't go back. Instead, I've been leading them, fleeing from one place to another."

"Our numbers, both clansmen and followers, are dwindling. Every so often, we lose some."

"We've become the very definition of 'stray dogs,' and the infighting among the bandits is far more brutal than I ever imagined."

"..."

Outside the forbidden area.

"Miss Denise, where's Elena?"

Pattinson, preoccupied with coordinating the Shadow Clan, was taken aback to see the ruler of this world emerge without Elena by her side. His expression turned grave as he blurted out, "You didn't hand her over to someone, did you? I'm aware that a bandit like her can fetch a pretty penny!"

His words immediately cast a menacing glare from the surrounding bandits.

Denise scoffed, her voice icy, "Have you lost your mind?"

"Then where is she?" Pattinson pressed.

"You might find it hard to believe, but she ran into some acquaintances." Denise's expression was peculiar. "A pair of Dark Elfkind siblings, one adept in the art of poison crafting, just happened to show up in my world."

"Dark Elfkind skilled in poison crafting?" Pattinson furrowed his brow, deep in thought, yet coming up empty.

After a while.

Elena materialized at the Star Energy Barrier, guided out by Denise. She greeted the perplexed Pattinson with a beaming smile, "It's Hart and Benin from the Dark Elfkind! How much high-level alien beast flesh do we have left on our battleship? I need all of it; Hart has an urgent use for it." She playfully raised her eyebrows at him.

"Hart? Benin?"

Pattinson paused, his mind racing. Weren't Hart from the Silver Scale Clan and Benin from the Void Spirit Succubus Clan both dead?

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