Infernal Realm, within the Starmist Sea.
Sadius and Lomio almost broke through simultaneously.
"Sadius, I've now completely fused all five types of thunder-element profound mysteries. At this point, I've reached the same level as a Shura."
"Hahaha, Lomio, I've made a breakthrough as well. I've fully fused three types of heterogeneous profound mysteries."
Lomio's interest was piqued.
"Then let's continue competing."
"How about this—let's both unleash our strongest strike towards the storm's center. Whoever's power proves greater shall be the victor. What do you say?"
"Fine."
The two stood facing each other on opposite sides.
Sadius withdrew his Violet Blood Divine Sword.
Although the Violet Blood Divine Sword was a high-grade divine artifact—nurtured by the dual-element fused divine power of the Violet Blood Fiend, a soul mutation being of great rarity—Sadius still worried that it wouldn't be able to withstand his ultimate World-Annihilating Sword Intent. So instead, he switched to a divine-spark-forged divine sword.
Lomio had no objections to Sadius changing weapons. As long as it wasn't a Sovereign artifact, an ordinary divine artifact only granted limited amplification to its wielder.
The two simultaneously unleashed their deadliest moves.
Lomio gripped his Warblade tightly as crimson lightning erupted around him. Terrifying thunder-element divine power condensed atop the blade.
With a single slash, an attack fused with five types of profound mysteries roared forth from the Warblade.
Sadius also unleashed his World-Annihilating Sword Intent.
Terrifying tri-element divine power continuously drained the ambient energies of the three corresponding elements from Heaven and Earth.
A colossal, illusory divine sword took form.
On one side surged the terrifying lightning blade aura.
On the other side, an incomparably massive projection of a divine sword descended.
The disparity in might was immediately clear.
Both catastrophic attacks struck simultaneously, splitting even the raging storm apart.
If it had ended there, one still might not have been able to judge whose attack was superior.
But then—On Sadius' side, the misty skies of the Starmist Sea themselves parted.
It was as though the very Heavens cracked open, revealing Infernal Realm's original dark-purple sky—revealing the single purple moon that was normally impossible to glimpse through the shrouding fog.
When Lomio saw this scene, he immediately conceded.
"I've lost. A tri-element soul mutation being truly is terrifying."
Just as Lomio admitted defeat, the sky above suddenly manifested a gigantic Sovereign's face.
A Sovereign!
A Sovereign had appeared without warning, startling both of them.
"Sovereign!" The two immediately saluted.
The Sovereign's enormous visage gazed down upon them.
"You two, which of you just split apart the Starmist Sea?"
Sadius was puzzled. Which Sovereign was this? Could it be Starmist Sea's destruction-type Mid-level Sovereign, Shinji?
"Reporting to the Sovereign, it was I." Sadius replied.
The Sovereign's massive face scrutinized him.
"That move you just unleashed—it fused three entirely different-element profound mysteries? You're a soul mutated being?"
The Sovereign's divine sense examined Sadius carefully.
Indeed, judging from the lingering divine power in the surroundings, he was clearly a soul mutation being.
Moreover, this fellow hadn't yet reached the stage of being able to freely retract and release his fused divine power at will.
He was still using Midgod-level power.
Could it be… a second tri-element soul mutate had been born within this universe?
"Midgod, are you willing to become my Sovereign's Emissary?"
But just at that moment—another colossal Sovereign face appeared in the sky.
"Shinji, Sadius is my Sovereign's Emissary."
"Zijing (Redbud), I didn't expect you to get ahead of me in claiming the universe's second tri-element soul mutation being."
"Just luck."
Shinji glanced at Sadius and sighed in regret. Then Shinji turned to look at Lomio.
Having just stepped into the five-fusion realm, Lomio would suffice as a general governor of a divine region—but as a Sovereign's Emissary, he fell short. After all, a Sovereign's number of emissaries was limited.
Seeing the situation, Shinji had no choice but to let it go.
Shinji's massive face faded away.
Then the Redbud Sovereign used her willpower to isolate the surrounding space.
"Sadius, congratulations. Fusing heterogeneous profound mysteries into a tri-fusion already surpasses ordinary five-fusion experts. It's just a pity…back then you chose an offensive Sovereign artifact. Had you chosen a material defense-type Sovereign artifact instead, you would have been the true number one below the Great Perfection realm."
Sadius did not regret his choice.
His body could still be strengthened, and his soul was protected by the Coiling Dragon Ring.
As long as the Coiling Dragon Ring's "patch" finished its repair, his strength would rise another level.
"Sadius, in just over two thousand years, the Planar Wars will begin. If you can earn enough military merit during the war, you can still exchange it for a Sovereign artifact."
"Many thanks for informing me, Sovereign."
Sadius indeed wanted to visit the Planar Battlefield.
Linley's birth was already impossible. He didn't know how the subsequent storyline would develop.
Uhtred should still end up developing the Four Divine Beasts' combined divine ability.
As for Orloff, that fellow hid far too deeply.
Without Linley as the protagonist, perhaps Orloff truly could achieve invincibility within the Coiling Dragon Universe.
Of course, piercing through space to investigate the ultimate truth of the universe would still be impossible for him.
Even if one gained endless willpower, countless supreme artifacts, and devised the strongest ultimate techniques—
Everything would still be achieved under the operation of the world's rules.
Those fated by destiny had no chance of true transcendence.
Orloff had walked the wrong path from the very beginning.
The Bula Clan's innate limitations bound his achievements.
In this universe, if one wished to transcend, there was only Linley's original path.
Thinking of this, Sadius couldn't help but feel a trace of sorrow for his own future.
Among earth, fire, water, and wind, he only had innate talent for earth.
To transcend, unless he could cultivate innate talents in water, fire, and wind as well, there was no hope of detachment.
"Enough. Head to the Skyrite Mountain Range first."
After saying this, the Redbud Sovereign's projection dispersed.
With the Sovereign gone, Sadius flew over to Lomio.
"Lomio, does our previous wager still stand?"
"Of course it stands. I, Lomio Bornes, will voluntarily follow Sadius for one million years from this day forth."
Lomio was still a proud man.
Though his strength was inferior to Sadius, he was still a five-fusion powerhouse. Other than Sovereigns and Great Perfection Highgods, he wouldn't call anyone 'Lord.'
"Good. Lomio, I'm heading to the Skyrite Mountain Range on the Blood Ridge Continent. Come with me."
Lomio hesitated for a moment but ultimately agreed.
He had originally planned to remain in the Starmist Sea, cultivating while eradicating bandits.
Now he had to leave directly, and it felt a little uncomfortable.
But since he had already sworn fealty to Sadius, he would naturally follow his orders.
The two flew toward the distant metallic lifeform.
Inside the metallic lifeform—
Everyone had been utterly dumbfounded by the chain of events they had just witnessed.
Dylin, Cesar, Harsel, and Doehring Cowart all gained new insights from what they saw.
The four immediately began meditating and cultivating.
Sadius arrived with Lomio in tow.
The six-eyed Golden Lion brothers instantly controlled the metallic lifeform to open its doors, allowing the two to enter.
When Dylin and the others saw Sadius return, they immediately stopped their cultivation.
"Everyone, allow me to introduce someone. This is Lomio Bornes, a Shura-level powerhouse of the thunder element. From today onward, he'll be our companion and will join us on our journey to the Skyrite Mountain Range."
Lomio glanced at the group.
Three ordinary Highgods—they'd likely refined Divine Sparks to ascend.
Three Lowgods—also rather mediocre.
Finally, his gaze fell on the Midgod Dylin, who at least seemed to have better innate talent than the others, but still…mediocre overall.
Even if they trained for a trillion years, they'd only reach Six-Star Fiend level at best.
"Greetings, everyone. I'm Lomio." Lomio introduced himself simply.