Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 475

Chapter 475: Fractured Alliance
Because of the things that happened Asura stopped training and helping the Vigilants like he desired previously. Now, he showed his face every few days and spent the time training with his wives instead.

This didn’t go unnoticed as Mu Yue and Mu Xue started to become concerned, while Féng He Ran, who learned the truth thanks to her prominent position in the resistance force, became equally disillusioned with them and spent more time with Asura.

“Prince Asura, do you plan to head to the training grounds today?” He Ran asked him while they faced each other, competing using only their aura.

The fierce black-and-white aura that emitted from the body of Asura was like a demon god, crushing those who tried to resist him.

Thanks to his constant training and reaching the pinnacle of his current stage, he was close enough to reach the untouchable layer of mortality, a demigod.

Meanwhile, the lovely Féng He Ran was inferior in strength and stamina, this training helping her build both as sweat poured down her cheeks and she trembled visibly.

“You’re doing much better today. Finally, you can speak without letting your voice stutter or tremble.”

Asura smiled at Féng He Ran, who looked pleased with the compliment, remembering when he first started this training with her, and she committed the most embarrassing accident in her life that he promised to take to his grave.

‘A princess like her urinating because of someone’s aura… it was a lovely sight.’

“Do you want me to go?”

While he didn’t see her as a woman because of her bloodline and accepted the role of guardian, he felt a sort of kinship and only viewed He Ran like a family member instead of a woman, swearing to avoid the mistake he made with Amalia, who sought his love without hiding it now.

“U-Uhm… I would because today there is a general meeting, and it will decide when our mission and first strike will happen.” Féng He Ran seemed to grow fond of Asura, too—she disliked telling him to do anything, and when asked, she looked sheepish, knowing what he endured with those editions running the Vigilants.

“Okay, today I’ll go with you and Mu Yue—recently, Mu Xue has been a little strange. She gets tired often, and her body devours mana constantly like she’s ravenous.”

‘Maybe that means the lady is…’ Féng He Ran thought to herself before nodding and preparing to leave. She wanted to have a quick shower because of the thick sweat covering her body, but she also would check on Mu Xue because of Asura’s words. “I will stay home today with Lady Xue.”

“No problem, I’ll go for a quick shower and let Lucia know my plans.”

***

Meanwhile, in the bedchamber of Mu Xue her forehead was filled with sweat. As she seemed to be strained, multiple shadows of Lucia held her hands while Mu Yue watched with a complicated gaze.

“Sister seems to be suffering so much…” Mu Yue whispered while turning her head to watch Lucia massaging Mu Xue, pushing and stroking her neck, forehead and shoulders to ease the tightened magic veins and pathways. In this way, Mu Xue’s eyes stopped becoming bloodshot while she was still sleeping.

‘Lucia… why are you looking so sad while touching her?’ Mu Yue wondered to herself.

The constant look of sorrow, whenever Lucia was near Mu Xue, gave her goosebumps as if something terrible had happened.

Rather than sad, it felt like jealousy, but Mu Yue didn’t understand the complex feelings of two women who loved the same man. She only liked Asura and was yet to fall that far into the abyss.

However, seeing how exhausted and sweaty Mu Xue was, she asked with concern. “Is Sister okay? What can I do to help?”

“Just keep being at her side for now… everything is under control,” Lucia smiled at the young princess of the Mu Clan before she started to rub the swollen stomach of Mu Xue gently with a bitter smile.

‘It seems she will be the first mother…’

Mu Xue opened her eyes suddenly and saw Lucia smiling sadly while staring at her stomach, mumbling things such as Asura’s name when he came into the doorway, peeking at her state.

Her ice-blue eyes shone the moment he appeared, as her body started devouring his Animus like a vacuum, the visible black and white aura being sucked into her body.

A part of her that was left unsatisfied became full of happiness when she looked down and saw her enlarged breasts and belly.

She was bearing his child… and would give birth early due to what she endured during this time.

That fact caused Asura to feel guilty as he closed his eyes, allowing almost all of his Animus to be devoured.

The moment he started feeling the painful sensation of losing his energy, the suction stopped with a slight crackle in the air, and the next moment, Mu Xue’s body began to transform into her ice devil form.

***

“Asura, I think we have to talk,” Lucia said after they left the room.

“What about?” Asura turned to look at his black-haired wife with interest because usually she wouldn’t come to speak to him without a reason.

“Do you have to leave now? I am sure they can wait another day…”

Asura displayed a glum face. He realised that his actions toward Mu Cheng had backfired this time. If he remained close, he would already know the details and date of their plans. However, their alliance became strained because of the treacherous Féng Mei.

The majority voted to allow him inside the resistance headquarters, but they didn’t trust him because of Mu Cheng’s treatment of Asura. Though neither could be blamed, Asura knew that if it was his woman who didn’t trust someone, he wouldn’t even let them inside and would trap then kill them.

“Sorry, I have to go. If I don’t know anything, it might become a problem later, maybe not with me, but with them. I know how much Mu Xue and Mu Yue care for their family members, even the branches. So I cannot move recklessly and let them die even if I know it’s futile for them to try without me and the others.”

“I can deal with problems when they arise, but you have to get back before the end… Xue will be upset if she doesn’t find you by her side before the end.” Lucia muttered softly, looking conflicted and yet her gentle and caring personality was something that Asura adored. He simply couldn’t find any flaw in Lucia or the rest, excluding their past grudges against one another.

“Thanks, Lucia, I will do my best to return before it starts… I can’t let my family lose theirs at this auspicious moment, can I?” Asura kissed her cheek before leaving with Mu Yue. And although she looked pleased, she also felt odd when she touched her cheek and felt moisture.

“A tear? Well… I wish it were me lying on that bed about to give birth…” Lucia then shook her head, dismissing her negative thoughts as she headed towards Mu Xue’s bedroom, feeling bad because of what had transpired in the past. The kiss Asura gave her made her feel like he saw through her jealousy and fake kindness. A feeling of guilt made Lucia act coldly toward Mu Xue earlier, treating her as a worthy maid in the past.

‘One day, I hope I can tell her everything… For now, I will support you with all I can.’

Lucia stroked the sweaty hair of Mu Xue, who gazed at her with glassy, narrowed eyes but a small smile remained on her face.

“I-I’m happy we can become friends…. finally…”

“If that’s what you want, Xue. Shall we become the best of friends, something special?”

***

Meanwhile, Asura and Mu Yue stood in the middle of the training camp, yet the stench of blood assaulted their noses.

Mu Cheng led them to this spot in the empire where the secondary team would gather, however… The scent of blood felt wrong, it wasn’t fresh but something rotten. “How long since they died…?” Asura thought while walking through the Vigilant base; the amount of dead bodies inside was more than a hundred.

“Asura! Look there!” Mu Yue pointed towards an open tent, revealing the dead body of a high-ranked official from the imperial city itself. This man served as a liaison between the resistance and the emperor’s palace. As a former traitor to the empire his death signified that some crucial information leaked beforehand.

“Lucia, we need to go NOW!”

“Oh~ I am afraid it’s too late for that, Rebel scum!” A deep voice, the powerful aura emitted from the male’s body, causing Asura to feel a sense of danger.

‘A Stage Nine Warrior?!’

The middle-aged male was the empire’s guardian and one of the few who reached the utmost peak of strength in humanity without relying on spiritual items, just pure talent and perseverance.

His nickname, ‘Demon Hunter’, resounded around the entire continent for hunting demons, just like his predecessor and the equivalent of the sword saintess in Silvara. He was dangerous, so Asura pushed Lucia into his shadow and ordered her to return.

‘Go back to the shadow realm, then head to Mu Xue. You MUST keep her safe until I arrive. I am counting on you, Lucia!’

With the anti demon and hybrid barriers around the capital, Asura’s powerful body and magic were a stage lower. This meant danger when facing the man who stood silently before him, his power enough to crush most monsters. It meant that Asura danced on their gameboard happily.

“I don’t believe you’ve given your name, old man.”

“Oho~ I am but an old butler, however. Prince Asura, if you do not pull back, that lovely ice devil of yours will perish along with her filthy demonic children!”

The middle-aged man didn’t care about anything; he clearly just wanted to kill Asura.

“You really shouldn’t have done that… Imagine, imagine the stupidity of insulting my wife…”