The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 176 - 175. Temptress vs Silver Eye

Chapter 176: 175. Temptress vs Silver Eye

While Tyler was confronting Evergreen in Astrid’s body, Lily, along with Isadora Nightkiss, watched from a distance as the Silver Eye Pirates set up a mysterious formation.

The Vice-Captain, a towering figure in his giant form, barked orders, directing the pirates to place small, engraved devices into specific positions. The devices were covered in complex arrays, glowing faintly as they were arranged. Meanwhile, Captain Silver Eye sat cross-legged, waiting patiently for everything to be ready.

After a full day of work, the pirates finally completed the formation. Little did they know, four watchful eyes had been observing their every move from afar.

"Captain, it’s done," the giant Vice-Captain reported, his deep voice rumbling across the clearing.

Captain Silver Eye stood, walking toward the center of the array with deliberate steps. As he approached, he extended his hand, infusing the formation with his powerful aura. The array shone brightly, sending a ray of light shooting upward into the sky.

His silver eyes gleamed with excitement, and in the center of the formation, a silver flame ignited. It was a strange fire—one that emitted no heat yet had the power to melt the very ground beneath it. The indestructible surface, which had withstood the previous battle between Tyler and Captain Silver Eye, now melted away like wax under a candle flame.

"So there is something hidden beneath," Lily whispered from her vantage point atop the maze wall.

"Since we’re already here, why don’t we snatch it for ourselves?" Isadora suggested with a sly grin, her black eyes flashing with mischief.

"I don’t mind," Lily replied with a shrug, "but let’s wait and see what they dig up first."

As the ground melted away, a small, strange cube was revealed. Even the fire couldn’t harm it. The cube bore intricate patterns and glowing green inscriptions that pulsed with an otherworldly energy.

"That looks familiar," Isadora said, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall where she had seen it before.

Captain Silver Eye’s grin widened as he approached the cube, reaching out to claim it. But just as his fingers were about to touch it, a whip shot out from nowhere, coiling around the cube and yanking it away.

With a swift motion, Lily pulled the cube into her hand, landing gracefully on the ground in front of the startled pirates.

"Well, well... look at this," Lily said with a smirk, twirling the cube in her hand.

"Phantom Pirates... Temptress," Captain Silver Eye growled, recognizing her instantly.

"Vice-Captain Temptress, actually," Lily corrected, her voice dripping with mock formality.

"Is that even important right now?" Isadora chimed in, rolling her eyes.

The tension in the air thickened as the Silver Eye Pirates began to surround them, weapons drawn and ready for battle.

"You can’t escape like your captain did, Ms. Vice-Captain," Captain Silver Eye sneered, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her.

Lily calmly tried to store the cube in her storage pouch, but to her frustration, it didn’t work. The inscriptions on the cube prevented any magical containment. Sighing, she tied the cube securely to her waist and pulled out her whip, the leather crackling with latent energy.

"Why would I need to escape?" she retorted, her eyes glinting with excitement for the impending fight.

As the pirates closed in, Isadora suddenly smiled. "My darlings... be good boys and fight for me, will you?"

Her voice carried a seductive charm, and to Lily’s amusement, half of the pirates froze in their tracks. Their eyes glazed over, and they turned on their own comrades, weapons raised.

Chaos erupted as Isadora’s enchantment took hold, throwing the pirates into disarray. The once-united crew now fought amongst themselves, slashing at each other with reckless abandon.

Captain Silver Eye’s expression darkened as he watched his men turn on each other. "Damn you, succubus!" he roared, his silver aura flaring with rage.

Captain Silver Eye dashed toward Lily with blinding speed, his hand morphing into shimmering silver. But Lily was faster. With a flick of her wrist, her whip cracked through the air, lashing out at his hand. The whip coiled tightly around his arm, sparking violently against the metallic surface.

Suddenly, a massive leg loomed overhead, threatening to stomp. down on Lily. Before it could land, several pirates leaped onto the giant foot, dragging it away just in time.

"It’s you... the annoying Manhunter," Vice-Captain Burgess growled, glaring at Isadora, who stood with a smirk on her lips.

"Let’s finish what we started last time," Isadora said confidently, drawing a small, gleaming knife from her belt.

Burgess, once a towering figure, suddenly shrank down into a dwarf-like form, though his fists remained unnaturally large. With a grunt, he swung his massive arm at Isadora, but she easily dodged. The giant fist crashed into the fluffy ground, bouncing off its surface like a spring. The impact caused Burgess himself to bounce uncontrollably, much to Isadora’s amusement.

"Haha... you look cute like that," Isadora teased with a laugh.

"Cute? Tsk..." Burgess clicked his tongue, though his face flushed with embarrassment.

Isadora noticed his reaction, her sharp eyes gleaming. So he’s mentally exhausted from working on that array all day. I might be able to control him. She thought, already plotting her next move.

Meanwhile, Captain Silver Eye’s legs transformed into silver, giving him an even greater burst of speed as he raced to catch Lily. Thinking quickly, she snapped her whip at the ground, using the recoil to launch herself into the air just as Silver Eye stumbled beneath her.

Seizing the opportunity, she lashed out again, her whip aiming for the back of his neck. But at the last moment, his skin turned to silver, causing the whip to spark harmlessly against the hardened metal.

"Tsk..." Lily muttered under her breath in frustration.

Silver Eye’s eyes glowed ominously, and Lily barely dodged as a wave of silver fire scorched the spot where she had just been standing. The fire hissed and crackled, but the ground, unlike before, remained intact.

For a moment, they stood apart, gauging each other’s strength. Both of them knew they were evenly matched.

"Give me the Orion Cube," Captain Silver Eye demanded, his voice cold and unyielding.

"The Orion Cube!" Isadora’s eyes widened as the name registered. She couldn’t help but glance back at the mysterious cube tied to Lily’s waist.

"Hey, darling," Isadora called sweetly, turning her attention back to Burgess. "You don’t really want to fight a maiden, do you?"

For a brief moment, Burgess faltered, his movements slowing as a dazed expression crossed his face. He shook his head, then nodded, his mind clouded under Isadora’s subtle influence.

But Captain Silver Eye wasn’t about to waste any more time. His body erupted in silver fire, his entire form gleaming like polished metal.

"Looks like I’ll have to end this quickly," he muttered. Without warning, he shot forward, transforming into a blinding beam of light.

Before Lily could react, the impact struck her squarely in the chest, sending her flying across the maze. She coughed up blood, her body bouncing painfully against the soft, springy ground.

"Burgess, stop playing around!" Silver Eye snapped, his voice cutting through the haze clouding Burgess’s mind. Instantly, the giant’s thoughts cleared, and he straightened, his focus restored.

Isadora clicked her tongue in annoyance. But before she could act, Captain Silver Eye turned his attention to her, vanishing in a flash of light and reappearing directly in front of her.

Isadora, ever quick on her feet, activated an escape charm. In the blink of an eye, she vanished from the spot, leaving only a shimmer of fading energy behind.

Captain Silver Eye glanced around, his sharp gaze scanning for any trace of her. Not far off, he saw Lily still tumbling across the maze, using the momentum to propel herself away.

"Tsk... like captain, like vice-captain," he muttered under his breath. "But you won’t escape." With that, he disappeared, giving chase.

"How long should we keep running?" Isadora asked.

"Don’t worry. His transformation is temporary. Once it’s over, we can counter him," Lily replied. Then, glancing at Isadora, she added, "From your reaction earlier, it seems like you know what this is?" She held up the cube.

Isadora took the cube and examined it closely.

"The terrain is changing," Lily warned. The fluffy cloud passage transformed into stone stairs, and an abyss-like hole appeared in the center.

"You can keep the orb you got from the temple. I’ll take the Orion Cube," Isadora suddenly said.

Lily was about to retort, but before she could react, Isadora shoved her toward the stone area. In the next moment, she activated a charm and vanished, taking the cube with her.

"This b!tch..." Lily Gomes cursed.

Lily frantically searched for a way out, but the stone stairs looped endlessly, trapping her in a maddening cycle. No matter how fast or far she ran, she came back to exact place.

Suddenly, a silver flash cut through the darkness, and Captain Silver Eye appeared before her.

Lily growled in frustration.

"Give me the cube..." Silver Eye’s words were cut short as he lunged, his fist glowing with silver energy.

Before she could react, his punch connected with her chest, sending her flying off the stairs and into the abyss below.

As she plummeted into the dark void, her thoughts raced. " That Virgin Manhunter, I will definitely pay you back. "

A silver light beam followed her.