"Please take us to the Yin Wood Sect, Demonhunter! It would take me 3 years to reach the place on my own. And then, even more to get back for the war. I might miss the war!" Pef pleaded with an earnest voice.

"...While your food is quite good, I was told not to interfere. So, can't do it." the Demonhunter answered with a casual voice.

"Why? I can't solve this by myself..." Pef wailed and hugged Meili in despair.

"Ehem. We'll be there in 3 days. If I am invited to your wedding, Divine Cook." The High Goddess of Life spoke out of nowhere.

Pef turned in surprise. "Really?"

Meili smacked the back of his head and added her voice. "We're very greatful for your assistance, High Lady. And of course you're invited. My Elders probably already sent their invitation."

"See? That girl has a good head on her shoulders. Are we in agreement, Divine Cook?" the powerful Eminence asked in a polite tone.

Pef measured the woman with suspicion. Was this some kind of sneaky plan of his glove? Or was the woman asking for a favour in turn?

He wasn't remotely as rich as he was back in the Lower Realms, not that a Steel Eminence worth their salt could ever find themselves lacking money. "I am not very rich, my lady..." he said in a cautious voice.

The goddess laughed and pointed at the Demonhunter. "The boy thinks I want his crystals."

"You are kinda greedy though." the Demonhunter answered with a careless shrug.

The goddess nodded and smiled. "I am not after your meager riches, young Patriarch. However, the Yin Wood Sect does hold a few secrets, related to Wood and Life Dao. Perhaps even a Tree Seed."

Pef gulped, realizing he held two such seeds inside of him right now. And the woman was likely 1000 times stronger than him. "You mean, from back then during the Tree Wars? It would be nice to find such a treasure. Anyways, I can invite you to my birthday party in a few months. I'll turn 48 years old!" he countered with a clever ploy.

"Yes, yes. We know you're awfully young, Divine Cook." the Demonhunter interfered with a bored voice.

"Keep that tone and you're not getting invited, Golden Koi. Friends help each other, you know?" Pef growled at the powerful cultivator, making the Life Goddess smile, for some reason.

"It's nothing you have done, my young friend. The Dean and the Eternium Knight have made an agreement. And we're both bound to that by default." the Demonhunter explained in a peaceful tone.

Pef scratched his cheek, and glanced at the Life Goddess for confirmation.

"That's likely correct, young cook. While the armored woman is a new Eminence, she does possess some powerful negotiation methods. Who else was there, the Array Wizard, right? And next, the Elfsmith. Probably that idiot Beasthunter too, seeing as he's missing right now." The Life Goddess mused in a thoughtful voice.

"We don't need several Eminences to deal with the Jade House! It's overkill, especially if my Legion was able to deploy here." Pef protested in a loud voice.

The Life Goddess nodded patiently. "So curious, isn't it? A new Eminence arises at the Academy, protected from head to toe in Eternium Armor, a Heart Mirror and who knows what else. Not only that, but I felt a faint threat from her. And she can disperse...well. I am rather curious who actually made that Ascension Wine."

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Lady Gia gulped out loud, giving Pef away as the true crafter.

"I made that." Pef admitted with a casual voice.

"Obviously. The Laws of the Higher Heavens would have stripped your soul otherwise, for taking such a boastful name like Divine Cook. I suspect this wedding feast will be even more eventful than I first realized. Too bad the poor Demonhunter cannot come." The Life Goddess quipped with a smirk towards the powerful Demonhunter.

"Errr. I guess I can join a wedding...but certainly not the war. It would be overkill." the Demonhunter spoke rapidly.

Pef smiled and went to smack the Demonhunter on his shoulder. "Great! You can be my best man at the wedding then. Or fish, whatever."

As Pef drew his hand back, the array he placed on the Demonhunter's shoulder scale blew inward, leaving a small dent, barely visible.

"Stop doing that, idiot! My scales are fragile!" the golden koi exclaimed in fake outrage, and punched Pef in the shoulder as well. A green array blocked the punch at skin level, glowing with Preservation Dao and a bit of Order.

"You're the idiot, Demonhunter. Your scales are the most durable item in the Higher Heavens, a dozen times more durable than not-arrayed Eternium. And this boy can scratch that?" the Life Goddess asked in a wondering tone.

"He cheats! Formations Masters are all cheaters!" the Demonhunter growled in annoyance.

"Hmmm. I doubt our Array Wizard can leave a mark on you, even after his newest Star. Let me see..." the Life Goddess murmured while gently poking the dented scale and healing the bone plate back into shape.

"What?" the Demonhunter asked as the goddess stood still for a second.

"Devour and Chaos Dao, projecting a small singularity into a piercing spike? This is very advanced stuff, Demonhunter. Stuff that might kill a weaker Eminence if struck at the right place." the Life Goddess said in slight awe.

"Bullshit! We're not called Steel Eminences because a random Iron Realm can kill us with a well-placed strike." the Demonhunter argued with a careless voice.

"Obviously not yourself, my overpowered golden koi. I said a weaker Eminence. Like that Jade guy who loves to relive same moments a million times." the Life Goddess said while eyeing Pef with a measuring gaze.

Pef took out his Heart Ruler and poked the Demonhunter in the ribs. "She's right, you know? I told you I became somewhat stronger in the past months. I trained so hard."

"You hear that, Demonhunter? He trained so hard." the Life Goddess added with a tiny smirk.

"Fine! You're a bit stronger now. But we won't duel again unless you reach Steel Realm too. Your Preservation Array only blocks 99.99% of my power. And as I am still 10000 times stronger than you, that 0.01 % that blows through your array can kill a 2nd Star Steel Realm if I use my full strength." the Demonhunter said in a mild voice.

Pef nodded and gulped the blood that rose into his mouth from the Demonhunter's punch. He still had a long way to go. Damn cultivation was so hard!