Rise of the Cosmic_Emperor

While Vanya picked herbs, others used the window of safety to recover their dead and also those who were in their party but were still battling traps.

Those who were still around were looking at Hal's party and it was clear that they all wanted to get the Primal fruit from him but now they were cautious for more than just the masked and powerful lady with him but also the mere appearance and disappearance of that green snake.

After all, that was a Demon Beast.

They had heard of those who had the ability to tame and command those foul creatures but today was probably the first time for many of them to see someone who could actually do it. 

Of course, there was also the possibility that it was all just a trick. A Technique that had taken the fruit into his spatial ring through that strange-looking portal.

Whatever it was, the Blue-eyed young man who was not with the Doxons had the Primal fruit.

Also, what was with that definite resemblance between him and the Duchess?

The Antonov brothers for one frowned at him while Jelena was grinning and licking her lips at the thought Of 'having him'. If she had him, she had the fruit, was her logic.

Hal left the Garden without a second look at anyone and the Doxons left after him but went in a different direction. 

Once outside of the Garden which was as easy as taking a stroll, Hal and the ladies sent back the carriage that had brought him, Amelia, and Karmen here and opted instead for the one Emily had come with which was driven by her designated driver.

Before entry, Hal told the driver he wanted to make one stop first before heading to the Sensual palace and he was happy to oblige.

Once inside the carriage, Emily took off her mask and looked out the window without a word to Hal, who rolled his eyes at her and then asked, 

"Don't tell me... you're still upset?" 

Emily gave a small shrug but said nothing.

Hal began trailing his hand up her arm as he moved closer to kiss her neck while his other hand went to one of her breasts and squeezed it through the fairly flimsy clothing that covered it, 

"Mmm" Emily moaned a little from the touch but continued to look out the carriage window.

Eventually, as Hal continued to fondle her chest, she finally spoke her mind, 

"We're from the same generation, you know. Your mother and I"

Hal shared a look with Amelia who shrugged before he chuckled, 

"Well, I try not to stay fixated on the little details. Besides it makes it hotter, don't you think?" 

"That's not what I mean. I was referring to that display today. Where does she get off being all superior and impossible to catch up to?" Emily said in a bit of a tirade.

Hal paused his fondling and sighed but he said nothing.

He knew Emily well enough to know that she did not need his input right now.

"I mean, we are part of the same generation, even if she is older by half a century. And now she's being all impressive and leaving me in the dust. 

Sure, in terms of talent I am beyond impressive but some gaps can't be crossed with just impressive talent."

In the end, she turned and looked into Hal's eyes while he adopted an amused expression, 

"So... You want to get stronger faster?" He asked.

"What, is that wrong?" Emily asked with a roll of her eyes at how redundant his question was considering all she had said so far.

"No, no it's not wrong" Hal told her with a slight shake of his head.

"What is wrong though is that you say it like you are the only one with that mindset" he added after the space of a few seconds.

Emily's eyes widened slightly while Karmen and Amelia looked like they were trying not to be involved in the conversation.

Hal continued, 

"You think I liked seeing such an impressive display because she's my 'mother'? Because I should be looking up to her?

You are not alone in your wish for more strength and in case you have not noticed, you surpass me by two realms.

You don't see me acting pouty because you are stronger than me, do you?

Or do you think that's normal because I am younger than you?"

"I'm not acting pouty" Emily said with her lips now actually jutting out in a pout.

Hal shook his head with a smile,

"Yes, you are." He said.

Emily understood the gist of what he was saying.

True, Svetlana's strength was impressive but so was hers. And she was quickly making up for lost time I'm terms of her inability to dual cultivate properly due to her condition.

She knew he was not reprimanding her, just telling her that feeling down about it was not going to help anything.

"You're right. Who has time to feel down when there is a lot of essence sharing to be done?" She said with a bright smile and snuggled closer to him while he rubbed his hand up and down her arm while pulling her closer to himself.

"Also, this has helped me move one step closer to comprehending my Dao" she added and Hal paused,

"Your Dao?" He asked.

"Oh yes. You know, the thing that best defines me" Emily reiterated with a nod.

Then she looked over at her daughter who was no longer making a point to ignore the conversation, 

"Amelia has started comprehending her Dao too" she added.

Hal looked Amelia in the eye, 

"You have?" 

Amelia grinned and nodded, 

"Of course. It's not that hard and I think I am getting closer to knowing what truly defines me as a person and a cultivator."

This seemed to Hal like a hard dose of reality.

Here he was still having no idea what summed him up as a person and this two were already well on their way. 

He had tried so many already. Lusty, perverse, selfish but none of them truly defined him. They would do well to define a degenerate but it would seem he was much more than just a degenerate deep inside.

There was something more to him that he could not quite put his finger on and it frustrated him.

Then he received an alert from his communication Talisman which he brought out of his Inventory and Ehrlich's voice sounded out of, 

"Finally! I've been trying to get in touch with you for hours. Where the hell are you?" He asked.

"Nowhere that is any of your concern" Hal told him in a curt voice.

Ehrlich growled on the other side, 

"I want the map. Bring it to me at Roxy's shop now. It's already evening but if you hurry I can still be out of this damned Duchy by nightfall" he said.

"Can't. I'm busy" Hal told him.

Ehrlich sounded almost shocked at his response,

"What? Now listen here, you bastard, bring me the map tonight so I can get it to the princess soon as I can" he said.

"You do realize you're being so hyper that you've ignored the fact that I might not be alone, right?"

Ehrlich paused,

"Are you alone?" He asked.

Hal looked at the ladies with him and smirked, 

"What do you think?"

Ehrlich took a deep breath to calm his frustrations but it did not seem to work as his next words came out as a yell, 

"BRING ME THE MAP RIGHT NOW!" he said proving, as Hal had always believed, that he was a complete idiot.

The sound did not go past the inside of the carriage though as Hal had already cast a noise-canceling Rune, 

"As I said, I can't. I'll be busy from now till tomorrow morning. I will bring you the map at noon tomorrow though so until then, do sit tight and enjoy the Doxon Duchy's wonderful sights." With that, Hal cut off the connection and muted the Talisman before tossing it back into his inventory.

Right at that time, the carriage stopped and Hal knowing it was for him went out of it, 

"I'll get Rita and we'll come together." He said.

"Master, let me come with you" Karmen said but Hal shook his head, 

"No, go with them. I shouldn't be here long anyway" he said and closed the carriage door.

It then turned and began its journey to Sensual palace while Hal was left alone in front of the absolutely magnificent structure that was the Doxon Duchy palace.

Just a quick look around and he could view many guards placed at strategic locations all about the front of the structure. 

He wondered if it would be difficult for him to get in even with his telltale Doxon eyes but it turned out to be easier than he could have ever thought as a female guard dressed differently from the guards actually guarding the palace gates approached him the moment he was in front of the gate.

She was pretty but way too serious looking in his opinion.

Just off the top of his head, Hal could think of a few things that would get rid of that look in a second.

The lady bowed to him, 

"Young master Hal" she said.

Hal thrust his hand forward, 

"Whoa there. What's all this 'young master' business? I came here to pick someone up and not to be insulted"

The lady looked up and her expression remained the same as she said, 

"That's very funny, young master Hal." 

Hal furrowed his brow, 

"Is it? One wouldn't be able to tell by the look on your face." He said and she turned around.

"Please follow me" she said and led the way.

They didn't go far and soon they were at a Teleportation circle which she stepped on and he followed her before she activated it and it took them deeper into the palace, to its core, in the space of a second. The part of the Palace that housed the main Doxon family members.

They now stood in front of it and then stepped off and walked inside.

While Hal admired the architecture of the Duchy palace, the lady led him down a corridor to two giant closed doors.

The giant doors swung open and Hal followed her inside to a wonderful high ceiling hall inside which he saw no Rita, No Svetlana but four very angry-looking Doxons.

Well, actually five but the fifth Doxon was not angry looking, he was laughing boisterously which did not quite follow the tension in the air....