Because of this, tavern owners formed alliances with local intelligence organizations.
Every day, the intelligence organizations would send members to chat casually in the taverns, deliberately revealing bits of information in conversation for outsiders to overhear, allowing travelers to obtain the information they sought.
In return, the tavern owners would share a portion of their profits with the intelligence organizations.
The more a tavern paid, the more information the intelligence agents would leak—and the more valuable that information would be. Sometimes, they would even throw in one or two secrets regarding powerful experts.
As for taverns that contributed less money, the intelligence agents naturally revealed less information.
Of course, this didn't mean that if a tavern refused to pay, the intelligence organization would stop sending people there altogether.
After all, the people who appeared in taverns, teahouses, and restaurants were themselves valuable intelligence collected by these organizations.
"Hey, have you heard?"
Not long after Beirut sat down, the voices of the two men at the next table suddenly became noticeably louder.
The moment they spoke, everyone in the small tavern shifted their attention toward them.
Although the intelligence agents in a small tavern rarely revealed anything truly important, experienced experts could often infer major developments from a series of seemingly insignificant details—sometimes deducing information even the intelligence organizations themselves hadn't fully grasped.
"Heard what?"
His companion clearly understood his role perfectly, immediately looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"Big Brother, did you get another inside scoop?"
"Mhm. I'll tell you, but don't spread it around."
"Don't worry, Big Brother. After all these years, who doesn't know we're famous for keeping secrets?"
"Hehe. It's because I know you're trustworthy that I'm telling you."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't tell just anyone."
"Exactly, exactly. Big Brother is truly wise."
"So... what's the news?"
"Hehe. This is firsthand information I got from my second cousin on my eldest aunt's side's maternal uncle's family's ancestor."
"My second cousin on my eldest aunt's side's maternal uncle's family's ancestor is a squad captain in the Sovereign Army. His information absolutely can't be wrong."
"Hiss... Big Brother, I never knew your connections were this impressive. Once you make it big, don't forget about me."
A squad captain in Locke's Sovereign Army was completely different from squad captains in other Sovereign Armies.
At the very least, they were Five Star Fiends who had fused two Profound Mysteries.
Alternatively, they had achieved considerable accomplishments in magical battle formations and could lead a squad capable of matching—or even defeating—a Five Star Fiend.
Such experts were upper-echelon figures no matter where they went.
In some smaller clans, they could even serve as elders.
By this point, everyone in the tavern understood what was happening.
The two intelligence agents had spent all this time establishing the credibility of their "connections" without actually revealing the information.
Although intelligence agents usually only shared common knowledge or local customs that anyone staying long enough would eventually learn, occasionally they would disclose genuinely rare information depending on the circumstances.
As for when they chose to reveal such information...
That depended entirely on how the customers responded.
"Owner, another dish for me."
"Waiter, bring me two more jugs of good wine."
"This braised griffin head is excellent. Bring me another serving."
Even Beirut tacitly ordered another jug of wine.
Only after nearly everyone in the tavern had added food or drinks to their orders did the two intelligence agents finally stop their lengthy exchange of pleasantries.
"My second cousin on my eldest aunt's side's maternal uncle's family's ancestor told me... that family's little princess seems to have come down from the mountain."
"What? That family's little princess has descended from the mountain?"
The instant those words were spoken, the entire tavern erupted in shock.
Including Beirut.
Every face carried both a solemn expression and eager anticipation.
In this world, there was an enormous gulf between Deities and Sovereigns.
Ordinarily, the limit of a Deity was the Paragon realm.
Without obtaining a Sovereign spark, they could never progress any further throughout their entire lives.
However...
The existence of one family had overturned that absolute truth.
The Locke Clan!
The Locke Clan was also known as a Sovereign Clan.
Unlike the Four Divine Beasts Clan or the Augusta Clan, however, whose status as Sovereign Clans came from their ancestors being Sovereigns and leaving behind Sovereign bloodlines...
The Locke Clan was different.
Its title as the "Sovereign Clan" had been upheld by generation after generation of the Locke Clan's descendants.
It was said that the clan's founding ancestors were two Sovereigns.
Through the power of those two Sovereigns, every generation of Locke descendants who possessed exceptional elemental affinity would inevitably become soul mutants.
Before reaching the Sovereign level, every one of them had carved out glorious reputations throughout the Seven Divine Planes and Four Higher Planes.
Then, every several quintillion years, when those princes and princesses of the Locke Clan who had once become famous reappeared...
They had already stepped into the realm of Sovereigns.
Furthermore, every one of these Locke Clan Sovereigns had achieved Sovereign-level power without using a Sovereign spark, ascending through cultivation as Deities and earning recognition from the other Sovereigns.
As time passed, everyone gradually realized that the Locke Clan possessed a method allowing Deities to continue cultivating beyond their limits.
A method that could even allow a Deity to possess power comparable to a Sovereign!
Because of this, every time a new generation of Locke Clan descendants descended from Necropolis Mountain, countless factions paid close attention.
Each force would send its most talented genius to make contact with the Locke descendant.
Whether as a companion or as a rival, the goal was simply to remain by their side.
If fortune smiled upon them and they earned the Locke descendant's favor after that descendant matured, they might receive an invitation to join Sovereign Locke's lineage on Necropolis Mountain.
Although, up to this point, the Locke Clan had already produced five Sovereign-level experts, and not a single genius who had joined the clan had ultimately become a Sovereign...
Everyone believed those people must have learned the secret behind the Locke Clan's ability to cultivate to the Sovereign level.
After all, there were rumors that whenever these now-powerful experts returned to their families and were questioned about the matter...
The expressions in their eyes resembled those of a Demigod who had fused only a single Profound Mystery yet had learned the secret of fusing multiple Profound Mysteries—while ultimately being forever unable to comprehend a second one.
A mixture of helplessness and regret.
To avoid offending the clan, even the intelligence organizations referred to them only as "that family."
The news that this generation's princess of that family was descending the mountain was, without question, a storm that would sweep across the Seven Divine Planes and Four Higher Planes.
Beirut drained the wine in his cup in one gulp before gradually calming his excitement.
A cultivation path that allowed Deities to reach the level of Sovereigns...
Who wouldn't covet such a thing?
If not for the fact that the Locke Clan possessed more than one Sovereign, even the Sovereigns themselves would probably covet the secret they held.
However, Beirut didn't need to think very hard to know that since the Locke Clan's Sovereign ancestors possessed a method allowing Deities to rival Sovereigns...
Then those Sovereigns themselves must stand among the absolute strongest of all Sovereigns.
Only such overwhelming strength could deter the other Sovereigns from making a move against the Locke Clan, allowing it to grow until it possessed five Sovereign-level experts.
"Once I gather three of the highest-grade Netherfruits and let Harry, Hart, and Harvey consume them..."
"Perhaps I can bring the three brothers out to try their luck."
"If we're fortunate enough to meet that Princess, perhaps we can learn the secret of cultivating from the Divine level to the Sovereign level from her."
Although Beirut was greatly tempted by such a cultivation method, he also understood that the chances of finding the young princess and becoming acquainted with her somewhere within the Seven Divine Planes and Four Higher Planes were simply too low.
Right now, the most important thing was still obtaining Netherfruits capable of greatly increasing his three sons' strength.
And not only in Beirut's little tavern.
Throughout all five Greenleaf Castles surrounding the Necropolis of the Gods, news that the young princess was about to descend the mountain was already beginning to spread...
...
"Rumble..."
At the summit of Necropolis Mountain, surrounded by chains of lightning, stood a violet Sovereign's Palace.
Looking down from the summit, three palaces could be seen arranged in distinct tiers below.
If a Deity whose elemental affinity matched one of those palaces were to enter Necropolis Mountain and witness them, they would undoubtedly feel like an insignificant ant gazing upon the blazing sun.
This was because the three palaces below were all formed entirely from elemental energy condensed by Paragon-level Laws.
Someone with exceptional comprehension might even break through a significant bottleneck merely by looking upon those palaces.
Boom!
Suddenly, a tremendous explosion rang out from the Sovereign's Palace atop the mountain.
A youthful figure was blasted straight out of the palace before crashing directly into the lowest of the three palaces—the one formed from Paragon-level Wind Laws.
"Locke, calm down. Calm down..."
The Death Chief Sovereign, Lilia, held Locke's hand while gently patting his back, trying to soothe him.
"Hmph! I'm not angry. Not angry in the slightest!"
Locke glared fiercely at Grant Locke, whom he had just sent flying, practically grinding his teeth to pieces.
"How old is Rena?"
"And yet that brat Grant actually dared let Rena leave Necropolis Mountain by herself?"
"If he doesn't care about his daughter, I still care about my great-granddaughter!"
"You're exaggerating..."
Seeing Locke so furious, the Death Chief Sovereign could only sigh helplessly.
At the same time, she couldn't help blaming Gra a little herself.
More than a thousand Cycles had passed.
The Locke Clan had now reached its fourth generation of descendants.
Although each generation of the Locke Clan still had only a single heir, under Locke's guidance, his son Loran and his great-grandson Grant Locke had become dual-element soul mutants.
His grandson Veer Locke and his great-great-granddaughter Rena Locke were even triple-element soul mutants.
By now, Locke's son Loran, grandson Veer Locke, and great-grandson Grant Locke had all possessed Sovereign-level strength for countless years.
(End of Chapter)
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