"However, flaws do not overshadow merit. In terms of speed alone, Aelia, you are worthy of the title of Six-Star Fiend."
This, Locke did not exaggerate.
Aelia's innate divine ability—Shadow Strike—was even faster than Locke's Water Movement Technique. At short range, it was nearly indistinguishable from teleportation.
At equal realms, unless Locke employed something like Mist Technique—gathering massive quantities of water-element essence to amplify his movement—Aelia's burst speed would surpass his.
Of course, being an innate ability, Shadow Strike had already reached its ceiling.
Locke's was different.
The speed and range of his Water Movement Technique depended entirely on his comprehension of the Laws of Water.
The deeper his understanding, the faster—and farther—he could move.
Now that he had fused four Profound Mysteries, his movement speed was already comparable to Aelia's.
Once he fully fused five—
He would surpass him.
"I, Shura Locke, acknowledge that Aelia possesses Six-Star Fiend strength."
With that declaration, Locke flicked a thread of divine power.
It struck Aelia's Fiend badge.
The five stars upon it melted away, reforming into a crescent moon.
In his previous life, Locke had found it odd that Fiend badges were visually identical regardless of rank. A Seven-Star Fiend's badge looked no different from a One-Star's. One could only judge rank by aura.
After founding the Fiend Castle, Locke changed that.
One to Five Stars — marked by the number of stars.Six-Star — a crescent moon.Seven-Star — a white full moon.Shura — a golden sun.
The crescent engraved personally by Locke signified official recognition.
Aelia was now the second Six-Star Fiend of the Fiend Castle.
"Thank you, Lord Locke!"
Aelia was genuinely delighted.
To receive such praise for his innate ability—speed rivaling a Seven-Star Fiend—meant that even with slightly weaker offensive power, he could dominate among Six-Star Fiends.
"Lord Locke, I concede this battle."
There was no need to continue.
The elementalization and Water Prison technique alone were enough to show the vast gulf between them.
Pushing further might result in accidental death.
Not worth the risk.
Though the spectators who had paid dearly for viewing seats felt cheated by the anticlimactic ending, none dared protest.
Offend a Shura?
Or a Six-Star Fiend certified by a Shura?
Aelia's speed alone could slaughter them like wheat.
With Aelia's defeat, the Fiend Castle branch in Shadowmoon Prefecture officially opened.
Simultaneously, Locke had Xiao Bai transport the surplus inkstones accumulated over the past thousand years to the new branch.
This time—
He refined forty drops of Destruction Sovereign's power.
Combined with previous reserves, Locke now possessed over seventy drops.
"Soon. At most another thousand years, and I can launch the expansion mission using sovereign power."
For two thousand years, he had spent most of his time refining sovereign power.
His Law comprehension had progressed only marginally.
Fortunately, before fusion reached major completion, there were no bottlenecks. With the assistance of his Saint-level original body's tireless simulations, his fifth Profound Mystery was approaching full fusion.
The sixth was nearly one-third fused.
Given ten thousand years of secluded cultivation—
He was confident he could completely fuse five Mysteries.
Six?
He believed it possible.
But time was uncertain.
Another thousand years passed.
Another Prefecture Lord received Six-Star certification.
By now, the pattern was obvious.
The remaining eight Prefecture Lords challenged by Locke had all registered with the Fiend Castle and completed Five-Star certification.
They were copying Aelia's survival strategy.
What once seemed like duels had become formal assessments.
Then—
A mission from the Fiend Castle of Lionheart Prefecture shook Hell once more.
Mission Title: Expansion of the Fiend Castle
Type: Major Faction Mission
Eligibility: Prefecture Lords of the 108 Prefectures
Requirement: Within ten thousand years, establish Fiend Castle branches in all cities (including prefectural capitals) within one's jurisdiction that do not yet possess one.
Reward: One drop of Destruction Sovereign's power.
At first, curiosity drove the clicks.
Then—
They saw the reward projection.
A black droplet radiating immense, oppressive authority.
Three thousand years ago, few knew its name.
But when the Bloodriver Prefecture Lord used one and ascended to Shura-level strength, everyone learned its terror.
Now—
It had a name.
Sovereign's Power.
Only Sovereigns could grant such power.
Which meant—
Locke stood backed by one.
The Prefecture Lords went mad.
Trusted subordinates raced across billions of miles aboard the fastest metallic lifeforms to reach Lionheart Prefecture and obtain the spatial beacon amethysts and giant-face statues required for construction.
Some mobilized their entire prefectural armies.
Cities were prepared in advance—waiting only for the beacons to activate.
Hell's seven continents and 108 prefectures erupted in feverish construction.
No one knew when the mission would end.
No one knew how many drops existed.
Rewards flowed generously from Prefecture Lords desperate to incentivize speed.
The expansion entered hyper-acceleration.
For Locke—
This meant something extraordinary.
Every moment, vast waves of Fate Law comprehension flooded into his soul.
His understanding deepened daily.
"Buzz—"
Heaven and earth trembled.
The natural Laws descended.
Locke's Fate divine clone advanced to Highgod.
Originally, Locke believed covering a single continent would suffice.
Yet even now, on Amethyst Continent, only four of seventeen prefectures were fully covered.
But because expansion now spread across all of Hell—
The total number of Fiend Castles surpassed the total cities of Amethyst Continent.
Quantity outweighed territory.
Thus—
His Fate clone ascended.
And as expansion continued—
It would only grow stronger.
In Blackstone Tribe, the other gods sensed the descent of Laws.
But upon seeing where it occurred—
They simply continued their duties.
Locke's presence was no secret.
With his rewards, Blackstone Tribe now had two Gods presiding.
Under Gaspar and Korst's leadership, it had become a dominant force within dozens of miles.
And yet—
None of them truly understood.
What had just ascended—
Was not merely a Highgod.
It was the beginning of something far greater.
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