Imperial Crown.

Chapter 551 Giving Up Immortality
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……

"Raven, you're an extremely intelligent person." "If you really don't want to, how about we make a fair deal?"

The eighth-tier World Tree, also known as the Elf Sacred Tree or the Astral Bone Tree. Even a single leaf is a priceless treasure, unavailable in the outside world. The surrounding magical energy is so dense it's almost suffocating. Cultivating here, Raven felt he could break through to become a fifth-tier mage in a very short time, without relying on a magic core!
The elven saintess sat on a throne formed from tree branches, legs crossed, looking down at Raven. Her voice was hollow, indifferent, and grand. She was at least 2 meters tall, at least two heads taller than Raven's 1.86 meters! Her face was obscured by shadows, but her long, beautiful legs and feet, mostly exposed, were clearly visible. Without extreme beauty filters or distortion effects, her naturally pale skin was flawless, like jade. Her toenails were painted the same pale green as the World Tree leaves. Her big toes were straight, full, and rounded, without any crookedness. Unlike Denise's slightly longer index toe, the elven saintess's toes decreased in length, a perfect blessing for those with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. She was the perfect "mother" in the eyes of those ghouls. She wore no stockings or high heels; from top to bottom, only the branches and leaves of the World Tree provided simple cover. Her slender waist was thinner than an A4 sheet of paper, and a glowing gem adorned her navel. She seemed to blend seamlessly into nature.

"All living beings like to call me Saintess, but I prefer them to call me Empress." The elven Saintess's voice echoed continuously, "Tell me, what do you want, and I can grant it to you."

To be honest, the elven saintess before him was indeed extremely beautiful, but Raven, observing her up close, was experiencing a bit of the uncanny valley effect. It was as if the beauty before him wasn't "human," but a robot or a humanoid creature. He felt no physical desire, only psychological fear.

“Help me break the blood curse,” Raven said without hesitation.

“Wasn’t this part of our plan?” Dai Yunyi said, somewhat puzzled.

"Let me leave," Raven said again.

“Next question,” Dai Yunyi said, with a hint of displeasure.

"Does God really exist in this world?" Raven asked.

"Yes." "But they're all dead." Dai Yunyi replied calmly.

"A divinely bestowed potion?" Raven thought of the divinely bestowed potion recipe he had been seeking but could not obtain.

“No problem.” Golden light emanated from Dai Yunyi’s hand, and soon, an object resembling a golden leaf floated into Raven’s hand.

Raven picked it up and glanced at it, unsure if there was anything wrong, before putting it directly into his spatial ring, thinking that the Elf Empress wouldn't lie to him.

"What level are you at right now?" Raven asked.

"Eighth-tier, nine-star." Dai Yunyi made no attempt to hide it.

"So what exactly do you want from me?" Raven asked.

"The Divine Mark of Immortality," Dai Yunyi said.

It really is the Divine Mark of Immortality. It seems Raven wasn't wrong! If Dai Yunyi only lacked battle qi, there was no need to be polite to Raven; she could simply be captured and refined instantly. The only question is whether this person knows of his Eye of Truth's existence?

This brought a bitter smile to Raven's lips. Ever since his transmigration, Raven had been constantly thinking about breaking the blood curse, yet in the end, he had actually saved his life thanks to the blood curse. Was this the capriciousness and fickleness of fate? How ironic and frustrating!

"Your Majesty, is there any other way to remove the blood curse from my body?" While immortality was desirable, Raven, after much deliberation, decided to abandon the Immortal Mark and return to his own territory. That was the life he truly wanted.

"What??"

For the first time, the elven saintess's voice showed a noticeable fluctuation, and the deep astonishment within it practically overflowed the screen. "Anno told me that you are an absolute lecher, and only in this way will you willingly hand over the Eternal Divine Mark." "If I don't sleep with you, are you really willing to give me the Eternal Divine Mark?"

Raven: ..., ..., ...

Imagine how speechless Raven must be right now. Is this really how everyone sees me, Raven? "Holy Maiden, you misunderstand. I, Raven…" Raven bit his lower lip, tilted his head slightly to the left at a 30-degree angle, and said, "I never get close to women."

Dai Yunyi: ...

"Then why did you do such a rude thing to my daughter?" Dai Yunyi asked, puzzled.

Raven: ...

"You just mentioned Anno, what does this have to do with her?" Raven changed the subject.

"?"

Daiyunyi was clearly puzzled, so much so that her face, heavily illuminated by light and shadow, seemed to form a large question mark. "Don't you know? Anno is actually a half-elf." "Her approach to you was all at my behest." "Back when Keynes XVI Habs destroyed the Fox family, Adjani and Ezio actually had another mission—to also destroy your Eagle City. I had Anno secretly stop it all." "Otherwise," "Raven, you would have died 11 years ago." Daiyunyi paused, then continued, "In fact, even your territory in the Nightthroat Province of the Orc Empire, it was I who spoke to the Court of Mountains and Seas, otherwise those Titan madmen would have already reduced you to ashes."

After hearing this, Raven remained silent for a long time. He had gained several crucial pieces of information. First, Habs had long harbored the intention to kill him and had already taken action. Second, Anno's arrival was not without reason; it turned out to be at the behest of the Elf Empress, Daiyunyi.

Raven actually knew that Anno was a half-elf before, and he learned it from her battle with Zor'thane. Back then, the dragon Zor'thane roared in shock—"Anno is a half-elf blood witch!"

It turns out this was foreshadowed all along.

Third, Raven's journey to this point has never been due to the blessing of Lady Luck, but rather to the secret protection of the eighth-rank empress before him.

If you calculate it this way, Raven owes Dai Yunyi not just an indebted debt of gratitude, but practically several lives!
"I've made up my mind. I'm willing to hand over the Immortal Divine Mark."

Raven made up his mind. To abandon everything and live a solitary, immortal life wouldn't be happiness; for Raven, it would be extreme torture. He would give up immortality.

It sounds simple, but it's actually incredibly difficult. This kind of courage and willpower is unparalleled throughout history! Looking at all the previous transmigrators, which one didn't abandon their loved ones and twist their humanity for immortality! To achieve immortality, they either fawned, were ruthless and vicious, or acted with grand pretenses… These people would call themselves Heavenly Venerables if they did even the slightest good deed, and would masquerade as relatives and friends when they unjustly exterminated entire families, claiming to be old demons. Utterly hypocritical! Utterly twisted! Utterly disgusting! They are simply unworthy of being human; they all deserve to be reborn as beasts in the six realms of reincarnation!
Only Raven, who valued loyalty and righteousness, gave up immortality, a feat unprecedented and unparalleled!
"Are you really sure?" Dai Yunyi asked with a hint of excitement, so much so that she stood up from the tall chair made of vines and asked seriously.

"I've thought it through," Raven nodded.

"I must remind you one more time." Dai Yunyi's voice remained ethereal, cold, and devoid of any emotion, echoing repeatedly in the hall of the tree hole: "Once you hand over the Eternal Divine Mark, you will never be able to achieve immortality again. There is only one in the entire Miders Continent, and even in the entire star field. Even if you have extremely high talent and are fortunate enough to break through to the ninth rank in the future, you are destined to miss out."

Raven did not answer, but slowly sat down cross-legged.

"Before I extract the Immortal Mark, is there anything else you wish to say?" Dai Yunyi slowly walked up to Raven, her tone complex yet tinged with admiration. Thousands of years of planning had finally come to fruition today, leaving Dai Yunyi deeply moved. It wasn't that she hadn't trusted the people of the Middles Continent! In fact, she had trusted them time and again, only to be met with betrayal and hurt. Even Raven's ancestor, Don Quixote, refused to relinquish immortality or hand over the Immortal Mark. Therefore, to break the deadlock, Dai Yunyi spared no expense in building the altar and summoning someone from another world to descend upon this continent. This was also why she admired Raven.

“Once, a girl who loved me appeared before me.” “But I didn’t cherish her.” “Only when I lost her did I realize my regret.” “Nothing in this world is more painful than this.” Raven’s voice was calm and sincere. “If I could live my life again, I would definitely tell her in person—I love her.” “The time limit is ten thousand years.” “I wonder if the Holy Maiden could help me resurrect her?”

Dai Yunyi shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"And what about after you obtain the Divine Mark of Immortality? And after you become a god?" Raven pressed.

“We can give it a try.” Dai Yunyi hesitated for a moment.

“Then I have no regrets.” Raven nodded calmly.

"Why don't you wait until you break through to the fifth rank here?" Dai Yunyi considered for a moment. "That way, it will cause you less damage." "It won't make a difference if it takes a little more time."

This was for the best; Raven wasn't one to be sentimental. For the next few days, Raven began his quiet cultivation in this treehouse. It reminded him of his days in Eagle Fortress and the time he spent cultivating in the meditation room of Eagle City. Since being ennobled as an earl and cursed with aging, Raven couldn't remember how many years it had been since he had cultivated so peacefully and steadily.

Time flies, white horses pass by.

Raven spent another six months on the Astral Bone Tree. Fortunately, he wasn't bored; the entire tree resembled a large human city. In his free time, Raven would stroll around, broadening his horizons considerably. And, perhaps at the behest of the Elven Saintess, Luna Rego reappeared by Raven's side, remaining by his side. However, this time, she was noticeably less shy and flustered than before, occasionally even initiating intimate contact with him. Raven, being so easily embarrassed, naturally yielded and couldn't refuse.

As the amount of Demonic Qi within his body increased daily, Raven clearly felt the difference. Each time he condensed dozens of drops of Demonic Qi, his body would secrete a lot of black, foul-smelling impurities. This disgusted Luna Laige, who had to wash Raven for a long time each time. In less than two months, relying on the Sacred Tree's abundant magic power, Raven successfully broke through to the fifth-tier mage! He could finally fly! However, it was also time for Raven to fulfill his promise, and if he didn't choose the method of combination to extract the Eternal Divine Mark, Raven would have to go to the altar.

For the remaining four months, Raven spent almost every day at the altar. Beside him, besides the elven saintess, were three elderly elven women, almost inhuman in appearance, each possessing terrifying seventh-tier strength. What embarrassed Raven greatly was that he had to be completely naked while at the altar. This made the traditionally conservative and feudal Raven feel somewhat ashamed.

"Aivaso Feathered King Hody Cavern—" (Elf language)
Through the altar, the elven saintess and three elven old women simultaneously unleashed their power. An overwhelming and unstoppable surge of magic roared across the altar, causing the entire Astral Bone Tree to tremble slightly as it erupted with a blinding light. This small altar held immense power, a testament to the terrifying energy it contained! As beams of light struck Raven, the altar emitted a strange and chilling buzzing sound. "Ah—!" Raven screamed in agony. At that moment, he even witnessed his soul leave his body! Yes, it truly left his body! Not a figure of speech! His soul was clearly bound tightly by countless fine red threads, resembling a red fishing net. He looked like a monk swinging on a swing in a tree. No wonder the elven saintess was willing to merge with him. These blood curses were not only hidden within Raven's body but also concealed within his soul. Perhaps it was because it was able to backfire on Margaret's soul curse back then! After much thought, it seems only "soul fusion" could extract these immortal divine marks! Soon, Raven lost his human form... no, his soul lost its human form. Because the soul is originally an energy body! Naturally, it couldn't withstand the impact of the immense magical power. Streams of red blood curses floated towards the elven saintess like horsehair worms, only to be caught by her outstretched jade hand. These blood curses transformed into a soft, coiled shape, like a ring, hovering around her index finger.

Seeing that Raven could no longer hold on, the elven saintess had no choice but to give up and let Raven's soul return to her body. Raven lay sprawled on the circular altar, his body already soaked, utterly powerless, unable even to twitch his little finger. He did manage to open his mouth, but like a dead fish, he couldn't utter a sound.

"What did you say?" The elven saintess walked over and whispered in Raven's ear.

"I think I look too young," Raven said weakly, struggling.

Dai Yunyi: ...

So this is what it feels like to have your soul leave your body—it's not much different from drowning. Raven remembered when he was a kid, he and his classmates used to have a breath-holding contest, burying their faces in a basin of water. To win, he held his breath for almost two full minutes! That was back in the first or second year of junior high, when he hadn't received any professional training. Two minutes of holding his breath was excruciating. His entire chest felt like it was being torn apart by a bursting fire! The feeling of his soul leaving his body just now was very, very similar to what he felt as a child. A little later, Raven estimated that he would have truly been annihilated. However, Raven noticed a detail: the eyes of his soul form were golden.

Next, the elven saintess and three old women began healing Raven. Occasionally, they would give him some unknown liquid to drink, which Raven guessed might be tree sap. However, it didn't dissolve the blood curse within him. If it really was tree sap, then it seemed he had guessed wrong! This process continued intermittently for over four months, repeatedly pulling and pulling. Finally, today, the blood curse within Raven was completely cleared. During this time, Raven asked many questions about cultivation, such as combat techniques, magic, and the laws of the void. The elven saintess answered all his questions without reservation. As time went by, their relationship began to become somewhat subtle and ambiguous. After all, Raven's body had been seen by her countless times. However, because of Luna Laige, both of them tried their best to restrain themselves.

To Raven's curiosity, the elven saintess merely wrapped the Immortal Mark entirely around her palm, which later even transformed into a constantly wriggling crimson glove. She did not swallow or refine the Immortal Mark.

However, Raven soon received a shocking piece of news. "What did you say?" His expression was extremely gloomy, and for the first time, he felt a strong desire to kill the elven empress in front of him!
"What? Are you unhappy here? Or... do you not like my daughter?"

Dai Yunyi spoke without a ripple in her voice.

"You promised me you'd let me go if I handed over the Immortal Mark." Raven lunged forward, grabbing the elven empress's smooth waist and pinning her firmly against the chair. Their faces were very close. Although Raven couldn't feel Daiyun's breath, he was certain the woman before him could feel his. Raven spoke each word with unparalleled dominance: "I even gave up immortality to leave! I bet the one who doesn't want me to leave isn't Lunaraig, is she?" As he spoke, his hands began to move, slowly rising and then squeezing hard. The empress's body visibly trembled.

"It's true, it's really that she doesn't want you to leave." Dai Yunyi struggled, but to no avail. With her eighth-level strength, if she really wanted to struggle, she would have already sent Raven flying.

Women who spend their years in seclusion, cultivating in solitude and loneliness, are far easier to seduce than ordinary women, despite their formidable strength. Raven had long noticed something amiss with Dai Yunyi. Several times, she had even deliberately transformed into Nancy's appearance.

"There's no way I can stay here."

"I still have a very, very long way to go."

"You mere pretty face with a skeleton and white skin, do you think you can bewitch me and confine me to this place?"

"My mind must never be disturbed, and my will must never be broken."

After Raven finished speaking, he released Dai Yunyi, who was already a lump of mud, and walked out of the hall.

He has to leave.

……

(End of this chapter)