Inferno State.

Inside the Bennett Family Council Hall.

"Isabella Wright, if you hadn’t been causing trouble all the time, how could Ethan Bennett end up like this?"

"Isabella Wright, Ethan destroyed his cultivation and shattered his core to save you. The least you could do is hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit to save him..."

"Isabella, the Bennett family has never treated you unfairly. Be obedient and hand it over…"

…

As soon as Isabella regained consciousness, her head throbbed as if she’d walked straight into a marketplace.

Her thoughts were a mess, but a few key words still managed to pierce through the racket.

Ethan Bennett?

The Bennett family?

Wasn't Ethan the protagonist of *Dragon God Ascension Chronicles*?

And didn't the protagonist, Ethan Bennett, have an older sister who met an early death? That was Isabella Wright.

Why the Bennett family's daughter had a surname different from the others wasn’t clarified in the novel.

This Isabella didn't live long, but her infamy carried on. Even after her death, the story was filled with endless curses about her.

Because while alive, she was known to be nothing but trouble—a selfish woman who lacked any sense of family honor.

Yet Ethan Bennett, annoyingly enough, was a top-tier sis-con.

Whenever he got something good, it would go straight to her hands.

Whenever danger loomed, he’d move heaven and earth to shield her. Whoever dared to bully his sister would inevitably face him in a fight to the death.

But compared to Ethan Bennett’s loyalty, Isabella Wright’s antics were unbearable to watch.

Even when her brother was at death’s door, needing the treasure she held to save him, she refused to hand it over willingly.

It would take constant persuasion from the Bennett family before she begrudgingly parted with it. And afterwards, she'd demand compensation.

She was disliked to the point that not even the cultists could stand her. A group of them stormed the Bennett household to capture her, ultimately using her as a sacrifice to forge the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

Her end was bleak—scattered into oblivion.

After Isabella Wright's complete disappearance, the male protagonist’s cultivation journey unfolded smoothly, eventually bringing him to the heights of godhood.

...

Lost in thought for just a moment, Isabella Wright blinked and quickly scanned her surroundings, instincts kicking in, searching for a way to hide.

It was that first glance that left her stunned.

Intricate carvings. Gleaming gold. Gems embedded in jade fittings.

Everywhere she looked spoke of wealth, and the sheer opulence of the hall left her breathless. She thought to herself—if she could grab just one of those treasures, she'd live comfortably forever.

Her curiosity urged her to fathom the current situation, but her greed kept her eyes fixed on an enormous spirit pearl nearby. She couldn’t tear her gaze away.

At last, she agreed with the saying, “Temptation—when strong enough—breaks anyone’s restraint, anyone’s calm.” If it weren't for the crowd, Isabella Wright would have already been digging through her space for treasures.

Her sudden expression of excitement only further stoked the dissatisfaction of those in the hall.

"Isabella Wright! It seems you haven't realized your mistake in the slightest. Ethan Bennett is at death's door, and yet you have the mind to glance around like that!"

The rebuke came imbued with irritation and disdain.

Isabella Wright now knew for sure—they were addressing her.

Conflicting emotions surged within her.

She had become the late elder sister of Ethan Bennett...

Her gaze swept across the hall.

Luxurious golden palace.

The scene resembled a tribunal.

Everything made sense now.

The book described how Ethan Bennett faced death, while the selfish Isabella Wright refused to hand over the Ember Phoenix Fruit. In the end, she relented at the critical moment.

Well—

She suddenly felt an unexpected sympathy for the character.

Because the Ember Phoenix Fruit was nestled within her own body.

Somehow, the original Isabella had managed to keep it hidden from this lot.

The Ember Phoenix Fruit could extend one's life by a millennium, refine muscles and bones, enhance cultivation talent, stabilize the soul...

And reshaping one's golden core was the fruit's most minor benefit.

For a family like the Bennetts, the foremost in Tianyan Province, with vast reserves and myriad resources, they couldn't possibly lack items capable of reshaping a golden core. These people just wanted to steal her treasure.

Not a chance.

Never!

Isabella Wright raised her voice, her tone firm and unyielding, "Will my regret, pain, or tears bring Ethan back? If you truly care about him, why waste time here blaming me?"

The crowd stared in surprise. The once timid, soft-spoken Isabella was suddenly sharp-tongued and assertive.

Isabella gave a deliberate shake of her head, feigning disappointment. "You have no idea how much it hurts inside!"

Staring at all the treasures flashed before her, treasures she couldn’t claim as her own, how could her heart not ache?

At that moment, Isabella was grateful for two things.

First, that the Void Stone bound to her soul had come along.

Second, she arrived just in time—the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit wasn’t handed over yet.

"Isabella Wright, stop spouting nonsense! If you’d just hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit, we wouldn’t be wasting our time here!" barked a middle-aged man, his face contorted with anger.

"Oh," she replied flatly.

Even the original Isabella knew not to give it away.

No way she would!

The man, clearly infuriated by her attitude, lifted his hand, a powerful surge of energy slashing toward Isabella.

The slash was intercepted mid-air. A deep voice commanded, "Isabella! Watch your manners. Apologize to the Tenth Elder!" Isabella Wright’s gaze settled on the man seated in the highest position. His calm demeanor and commanding presence radiated the authority of someone in power.

This must be Liam Bennett, the head of the Bennett family. Her father.

The others didn’t seem to care about the differences between her and the original Isabella Wright. Understandable—after all, their minds were fixated on the Inferno Ember inside her.

But Liam Bennett, her father? Did he really fail to notice the changes in her entirely?

She decided it didn’t matter. She had no intention of staying here for long anyway.

Ignoring Liam Bennett’s demand for an apology, Isabella feigned politeness and said, “Father, I recall Oliver Bennett obtaining a Refining Fruit last month. Pairing it with a Condensation Pill should fully restore Ethan’s core...”

Then, turning her gaze onto Oliver Bennett—his expression dark and murderous—she added, “Oliver, you have both items, don’t you? Why haven’t you brought them out for Ethan’s recovery?”

“Lies!” Oliver Bennett shot her a frigid glare, his killing intent unmistakable.

Those treasures were meant for his advancement to a higher realm. No chance he’d hand them over for Ethan’s sake.

But wait—how could she possibly know he had those things? Unless... had Liam Bennett revealed his secret?

Isabella smirked, her tone dripping with mockery. “Oliver, seems like your concern for Ethan isn’t all that genuine.”The crowd's gaze landed squarely on Oliver Bennett.

The Phoenix Nirvana Fruit was indeed invaluable. But it wasn’t something just anyone could refine; one wrong move, and it could mean complete destruction of the soul.

But the Purifying Fruit? That was different. As long as you could cultivate, you could use it.

Suppressing the murderous intent rising within him, Oliver knew there was no point denying it anymore—they already had him cornered. Yet, just losing his treasures like this? That was a bitter pill to swallow.

Oliver finally spoke, his tone cold, "I can hand over the Purifying Fruit and the Condensing Pill, but those alone will only mend the young master’s Golden Core. If you really want to ensure his future cultivation remains untarnished, the Phoenix Nirvana Fruit is still necessary..."

Liam Bennett immediately followed up, his voice steady, "Isabella, Ethan is the hope of the Bennett family. We can't allow anything to jeopardize him. Don’t worry, I’ll compensate you in the future."

Isabella Wright held back a sneer. As expected, those in power always sat comfortably, waiting for others to pay the price for their agendas.

She locked eyes with Liam and said coldly, "I don't want future compensation. I want it now."