The question was simple—
How many Sovereign Artifacts had the Sovereigns given them?
If each challenger only possessed an offensive Sovereign Artifact, Locke did not consider them much of a threat.
No matter how powerful an attack was—
If it couldn't land, it meant nothing.
But if they also carried material defense Sovereign Artifacts, that would complicate matters.
In the Coiling Dragon universe, beneath Overgod Artifacts, Sovereign Artifacts were absolute.
Below Sovereign level—
No one could break one.
Even above Sovereign level—
Only a hundredfold difference in power could shatter another's Sovereign Artifact.
A Six-Star Fiend with a material defense Sovereign Artifact could withstand even Shura-level attacks unharmed.
If these six possessed such protection—
Locke would need either his own Sovereign Artifacts or fusion divine power to end them.
Otherwise, victory would be difficult.
Still—
In this era, before Paragons emerged, Locke believed himself invincible.
Even a thousand epochs later, he would likely be remembered as a "suspected Paragon."
The Arena
One week later, Tianshan Prefecture reached its peak of frenzy.
The viewing stands had been filled for over a century.
Locke floated calmly above the arena, arms folded.
Opposite him—
Six challengers, evenly spaced.
He glanced upward.
Faint fluctuations in the heavens.
"Ten emotional ripples… Hell currently has eleven Sovereigns including the Four Divine Beasts."
"One Sovereign shows no reaction."
"Utred, perhaps?"
"Five display surprise… they didn't expect others to send emissaries too?"
He withdrew his perception.
That realm was not yet his battlefield.
His gaze returned to the six.
They wore Seven-Star badges.
But everyone understood—
Their Seven-Star qualification came from Sovereign Artifacts.
Facing Locke, whose Shura strength was genuine—
They were wary.
Without Sovereign orders, none would have come willingly.
Still—
Retreat was not an option.
Beckel stepped forward first.
"Lord Locke. We are Seven-Star Fiends now."
"Allow us to test whether we qualify for the title of Shura."
His earth-yellow spear shimmered, tearing shallow spatial cracks with each motion.
The others immediately caught on.
If this battle became a certification trial—
Their lives would be safeguarded.
Locke blinked.
Then smiled.
"Very well."
"If you seek certification, I shall announce the criteria."
"A Shura is the highest rank in Fiend Castle."
"To obtain the title, a Seven-Star Fiend must challenge an existing Shura, gain recognition, and receive the title directly."
"You wish to test your worth?"
"Then show me."
Thousand-Mile Heaven-Piercing Palm
Locke flipped his palm.
The sky condensed.
A hundred-meter divine hand descended.
"Danger!" Jiro roared.
Without hesitation, he swallowed a drop of Destruction Sovereign's Power.
Black flames erupted around him.
Though mismatched in element—
Sovereign's Power amplified him a hundredfold.
He lashed his whip.
A spatial canyon tore open.
The giant palm was pierced—
Jiro escaped through the gap, retreating from the arena.
"Damn him!" the others cursed.
But they had no choice.
Four more Sovereign's Power auras ignited.
Five Shura-level auras erupted simultaneously.
Together, they shattered the descending palm.
Locke was unsurprised.
Five boosted Seven-Star Fiends with offensive Sovereign Artifacts—
Their output could momentarily rival his.
But unless all five carried material defense Sovereign Artifacts—
They were not his equals.
Instantaneous Palm
"Thousand-Mile Heaven-Piercing Palm."
This time—
The palm did not descend from above.
It materialized directly before them.
Instantaneous.
Boom—
Beckel, Solaris, Jiro, and Merman were blasted away, blood scattering through fractured space.
Only Andrena, aligned with Destruction and most compatible with the Sovereign's Power, resisted with merely forced retreat.
But Sovereign's Power healed them quickly.
The sky above Tianshan was torn apart by overlapping spatial fissures.
Five versus one.
They should have dominated.
Instead—
It looked as though Locke was surrounding them.
His palm technique teleported attacks anywhere within his divine sense range.
They could not coordinate.
Each was forced into isolated defense.
Only Muya remained motionless.
Watching.
His previous calculations crumbled.
Locke had fully fused five Profound Mysteries.
True Shura.
The five boosted Seven-Star Fiends were merely delaying the inevitable.
Once Sovereign's Power expired—
If they lacked material defense artifacts—
They would die instantly.
Muya knew—
If he were in Locke's position, he would need to unleash Will amplification to handle five simultaneously.
Yet Locke had not used Will at all.
That meant—
This divine clone alone surpassed him.
Still—
Muya refused to join the encirclement.
He was a Sovereign's divine clone.
Though he had not extended Sovereign-level divine sense—
He knew the other Sovereigns were watching.
Participating was already a compromise of dignity.
Joining a five-on-one assault?
Unacceptable.
Only when he fought Locke directly—
And revealed himself—
Would that balance be restored.
So, he waited.
Watching as Locke dominated five Shura-level opponents alone.
And realizing—
This battle would not unfold as Pax had envisioned.
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