Divine Emperor of Death - Chapter 4442

"...!"

The Nether Orb Cobra was massive. It revealed its aura that was at Level Nine Empyrean Beast Stage. However, the density of its undulations was greatly exaggerated, making Nadia and the others shocked.

Their pupils dilated, and even Azbel, a King-Tier Level Four Empyrean Beast, came to a stop.

The elder Nether Orb Cobra in front of him seemed to be ridiculously powerful, even more so than an Emperor-Tier Level Nine Empyrean Beast whose prowess should at least be six levels higher.

"Ancestor...?"

He took a step back, his eyes flickering with a cautious intent. He put his happiness aside and remembered his mission to protect Nadia. He slowly released his aura as a King-Tier Beast, trying to pacify his Ancestor to stand down.

Surely, as a King-Tier Beast, he must have a standing even without having to be a part of the clan, right?

As he hoped, the massive Nether Orb Cobra’s divine light above its head shone even brighter. It opened its curled eyes wide, its vertical pupils staring at him with a cold gaze.

"Speak- where are you from, and what have you come to do?"

"Ancestor..." Azbel took a deep breath, "I have come to meet my father, who is from a clan nearby here. I know this because I have inherited memories from my parent. As for where I am from- I’m from the living realm, the True Immortal World. We’re all from there."

"..."

The Nether Orb Cobra stared at him with unmoving eyes.

It was as though a predator had locked onto its prey and would attack at the slightest sign of movement.

Azbel’s heart chilled.

Was he now allowed within the clan, or did his existence pose some kind of threat to this elder cobra who was somehow as powerful as an Exalt Beast without even being an Exalt Beast!? The massive pressure made him stiff and terrified.

The same could be said about Nadia and the others. They were all trapped.

One move from this strangely powerful Nether Orb Cobra can end their lives in an instant. They hadn’t expected an existence like this to appear. They had totally underestimated it.

The three-kilometer-long Nether Orb Cobra finally retracted its undulations. It shot a look at Nadia, its gaze lingering for a bit longer than a few seconds before scanning the others, its soul sense completely sweeping over them.

Finally, its size decreased as it turned around, "Follow me."

It slithered away into the dark valley, and the others didn’t dare disobey, following him as his senses were still locked onto them. They could feel it.

Azbel turned around lightly and indicated for them not to make a move.

He had already told them the Nether Orb Cobra race wasn’t the type to hunt recklessly since they observed, stalked, learned, and made a killing blow. They were smart and calculative.

Soon, the landscape within the valley parted.

Mounds of shed skin stretched across the roots of hollowed stone trees. These sheddings shimmered faintly like a cobra, each longer than a ten-meter tall beast and coiled in such patterns that they resembled runes or warning marks.

A purple plant burst open nearby, its petals mimicking a cobra’s hood before slamming shut with a hiss. It was as though the land itself was mimicking its apex predators.

Down a jagged slope, the path narrowed into a sunken basin, where the haze thickened into a miasma.

Here, the nether haze was quite heavy, causing those who weren’t resistant to use their energy to resist. They brought out talismans and protective veils, only used for these occasions.

The entrance to the Nether Orb Cobra den was a massive fissure in the side of an obsidian hill, veiled in layers of black vine and guarded by half-melted cobra statues, their eyes made of ever-rolling stones. It nearly spooked them when its eyes moved, possibly moving to the presence of a powerful aura.

Around the perimeter were relics made from coiled bones, skeletal wings of past intruders mounted like trophies. There were even the wings of Nether Devils here.

"Seems like we don’t need to worry about the Nether Devils here..." Azbel chuckled as he looked back, sounding prideful.

Nadia and the others nodded.

Clearly, this place has survived the attacks of Nether Devils.

They continued downward. The fissure narrowed, and they descended into a vast subterranean cavern whose sheer scale didn’t make it seem like like it was a cave but a world of its own.

Massive roots hung like chandeliers from the cavern ceiling, dripping with dark liquid that shimmered like starlight. Each drop hissed on contact with the stone, releasing a faint glow that provided the only ambient light apart from glowing fungi embedded in the walls.

From the high location, they looked down and saw that the clan was a congregation that could be considered a massive village.

There were not many structures like palaces to house them, but they sure had long pillars that they seemed to like coiling around and resting. The hundreds of Nether Orb Cobras reacted to their presence, turning to look at them while the others also came out of their sleep and glared at them.

However, they instantly became alarmed when they recognized Azbel’s aura that was withdrawn.

A King!

Seemingly afraid, the Nether Orb Cobras quickly congregated at the heart of their village.

Azbel didn’t know if they were reacting to him or their elder since he was right in front of them. Nonetheless, he didn’t care as he frantically searched for his father amidst the hundreds of Nether Orb Cobras. Numerous emotions swelled within him. He would never forget his father’s aura since it has been entrenched in his inherited memories.

However, no matter how he looked, he couldn’t find it.

Feeling nervous, he released his own aura into the cave, hoping that his father would notice wherever he was.

At this instant, an aura of another King-Tier Nether Orb Cobra exploded in reaction to his own aura. It was at Level Seven Empyrean Stage.

"Who dares to intrude on my territory!?"

A furious voice echoed from within. In a few seconds, a five-kilometer-long King-Tier Nether Orb Cobra came slithering by, its split-tongue flailing as it dripped poison.

"Brother, I don’t have any enmity with you. I have come to search for my father. As long as I find him, I promise to leave. I don’t have the luxury to be here since I have sworn to follow someone else in this lifetime."

Azbel laughed jovially, trying to defuse the situation.

"Is that so?"

The other King-Tier Nether Orb Cobra narrowed its eyes into tiny slits before looking into the distance behind.

"Which of them is your father?"

"This... I don’t sense him there. Can I go deeper inside?"

"Can’t. Your father is dead since these are the only warriors my Nether Orb Cobra Clan has left after the countless wars we wage with the other clans and the wretched Nether Devils."

"..." Azbel was left speechless.

His heart sank to hear that, but he still wanted to try, "Is there any other Nether Orb Cobra Clan that I’m unaware of?

"There are two more, each ruled by a suitable ruler like myself. It’s in those two directions, quite close. You won’t face any danger if all you’re doing is searching for your father. Just don’t go around strutting your aura."

The King-Tier Nether Orb Cobra warned. He blinked a bit with his huge eyes, looking over Azbel. His gaze landed on Nyoran as he sensed the aura of a Nether-Winged Abyss Raven, making him frown as they weren’t exactly on good terms. He was about to go tell her to leave, only for his gaze to rest on Nadia, his pupils dilating.

"A Nether Springs Death Wolf!"

This name instantly alarmed the Nether Orb Cobras in the center of the village, their auras fluctuating wildly with fear and reverence as they hissed.

On the other hand, two women held hands, seemingly sharing information through undetectable physical soul transmission as they exchanged words.

"I see. So this is where the idea of Godskulls came from..."

Rokushi Mirai narrowed her eyes as she looked at the giant bone of a Nether Orb Cobra at the back of the center of the village. It glowed with the same divine light that glowed on the elder cobra. However, the uniqueness was that each bone connected to make the full-fledged shape of a Nether Orb Cobra came from completely different Nether Orb Cobras.

It appeared like a Cursed Totem.

"Probably similar... " Schleya responded, "No wonder that elder cobra is so powerful- he carries the energy generated by the totem through unknown means... but totems are generally powerful bone or wooden structures that carry curses... Has the nether energy in this Dimension here changed how it works?"