"Hahaha..."
Hearing his three younger brothers' assessment of Lord Locke before he had risen to prominence, Azure Dragon Sovereign Redding burst into laughter.
Indeed, even though the oath he had made with Locke would ultimately lead to his downfall, Redding held no resentment toward Chief Sovereign Locke.
When Locke had first made that oath with him, he had possessed only the strength of a Seven Star Fiend.
Yet in the span of only a few thousand years, Locke had grown to the point where he could rival a Sovereign's divine clone.
It was precisely because of that astonishing growth that Redding had failed to notice Sovereign Muya's divine clone, allowing the oath he had sworn to be broken through Muya's divine clone's actions.
"My brothers, listen to me..."
"Before I came to seek you out back then, I had already made an oath with Lord Locke..."
"But... that oath was broken."
Redding then explained to his three brothers the oath between himself and Locke, as well as the consequences of violating it.
"This time, while being pursued by the Light Chief Sovereign Augusta, the damaged oath within my soul has completely shattered."
"That means... the punishment for breaking my oath has arrived."
"And because the three of you swore to live and die alongside me, you will inevitably perish together with me this time..."
"I've wronged all three of you."
Lauis Nimo, and Bowen exchanged glances before smiling.
"Hahaha, Big Brother, what nonsense are you talking about?"
White Tiger Sovereign Lauis chuckled.
"Don't forget—we're only Lesser Sovereigns."
"Even if we're considered powerful among Lesser Sovereigns, before Intermediate Sovereigns and Chief Sovereigns, we still had to bow our heads and act respectfully, afraid that one day one of them might casually kill us for amusement."
"But ever since the four of us became sworn brothers, aside from the Four Chief Sovereigns of the Edicts and Lord Locke, who hasn't been wary of us?"
"Exactly, Big Brother."
Vermilion Bird Sovereign Nimo shrugged.
"As far as I'm concerned, rather than standing around like nobodies as Lesser Sovereigns, I'd much rather enjoy the prestige of Chief Sovereigns for countless ages."
"If the four of us hadn't stood together during the first Sovereign War, all of us probably would've had a very high chance of dying back then..."
Black Tortoise Sovereign Bowen spoke with deep emotion.
Lauis and Nimo both nodded.
During the first Sovereign War, more than thirty Sovereigns had died.
Even two Chief Sovereigns had fallen.
Among them, the Water Chief Sovereign had been killed by the four brothers themselves.
"Big Brother, don't burden yourself with this."
"We've already lived long enough."
"Thank you... thank all three of you..."
Redding's eyes reddened.
He had buried this secret in his heart for countless years before finally revealing it to his brothers.
Their response deeply moved him.
Taking a deep breath, Redding continued,
"My brothers, perhaps because it was a Sovereign's divine clone that caused me to violate the oath..."
"I can sense that this breach of the oath is being treated as though a Sovereign's divine clone attacked Lord Locke, rather than the Overgods personally punishing me."
"Instead, the Light Chief Sovereign Augusta has become the punishment for breaking my oath."
"I suspect that if we can survive Augusta's pursuit, then perhaps we will have successfully endured this punishment."
"And that... is why I've been leading everyone in retreat."
"Perhaps, somewhere during our escape, a chance of survival will present itself."
"Mm. Big Brother, we'll follow your lead."
White Tiger Sovereign Lauis nodded slightly.
"However, Big Brother, I hope you'll keep enough blood essence in reserve to unleash our fused innate divine ability."
"Even if we have to die, I want us to die fighting—not while running away!"
"Hahaha! Of course!"
Azure Dragon Sovereign Redding laughed heartily.
"Don't worry. I still have twenty-seven drops of blood essence left."
"Once it falls to ten drops, we'll turn around and face the Light Chief Sovereign head-on!"
"Good!"
"That's more like the spirit our Big Brother should have!"
...
The Yulan Continent.
Within the miniature plane he had created, Beirut sat with his eyes closed in meditation.
"Sigh... Still not enough..."
Slowly opening his eyes, Beirut let out a soft sigh.
Several hundred Ordinal Eras ago, while competing for Abyssal fruits in the Netherworld, Beirut had encountered a Paragon-level opponent.
Only then had he realized that although he was indeed extremely powerful beneath the Paragon level...
Against a true Paragon, he was merely somewhat tougher to kill.
Had he not reacted quickly during that battle by breaking through the third layer of mist surrounding the Necropolis of the Gods and relying on his body—whose toughness rivaled a divine spark—to charge into the lightning chains surrounding Mount Nether, he would probably have been banished into the spatial turbulence.
"A suspected Paragon" was ultimately only "suspected."
It was not a true Paragon.
After returning to the Yulan Plane, Beirut reflected deeply upon that defeat and sought to advance even further in his comprehension of the Laws, hoping to become a true Paragon.
To that end, he created a miniature plane within the Yulan Plane to increase his affinity with the Laws of the Yulan Plane.
Unfortunately, after several hundred Ordinal Eras, he still remained stuck at the fusion of five Dark Laws Profound Mysteries, unable to find the point of compatibility for the sixth.
After sighing softly, Beirut extended his tail out of the miniature plane, letting it sway through the spatial turbulence.
Having once earned tremendous fame among the highest circles of the Seven Divine Planes and Four Higher Planes, Beirut knew that throughout countless years, Highgod experts at the Prefect level who had completely fused five Profound Mysteries were as numerous as fish in a great river.
Yet...
Those who ultimately became Paragons numbered fewer than the fingers on two hands.
After making no progress for so many years, Beirut could accept it.
Even so, a trace of frustration still lingered in his heart.
Unless he became a Paragon...
He had no idea when he would be able to avenge the humiliation of being driven into Mount Nether by that Paragon in the Netherworld.
With a body whose toughness rivaled a divine spark, Beirut was certain that once he became a Paragon, his strength would absolutely surpass that person's.
But if he failed to become one...
Then he could only preserve his own life before that opponent.
His strongest innate divine ability, God Devourer, was useless against a Paragon.
Beyond that...
Beirut possessed no means capable of threatening one.
...
Within the dazzling spatial turbulence, Beirut's tail left behind countless afterimages as it swept through the colorful currents.
Ever since being ambushed in the Netherworld and having one of his hands knocked into a spatial rift, Beirut had performed many experiments.
As long as less than half of his body entered the spatial turbulence, he could use the half that remained within the material plane to control the portion inside the spatial turbulence.
The less of his body entered the spatial turbulence, the faster he could move.
If only his tail entered the spatial turbulence...
Then its speed within the turbulence was virtually no different from its speed inside the material plane.
Occasionally, Beirut's tail would even fish out damaged Sovereign artifacts or divine sparks—objects sturdy enough to withstand the pressure of the spatial turbulence.
This had become one of the few forms of entertainment available to him.
Ordinary people fished in rivers, lakes, or seas.
Beirut...
Fished for treasures within the spatial turbulence.
Today was no different.
He extended his tail as far as possible, letting it travel through the colorful currents like a streak of black light.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Beirut's expression changed.
Having spent hundreds of Ordinal Eras fishing for treasures within the spatial turbulence, he had long since become accustomed to its fluctuations.
But just now...
He suddenly sensed that the flow of the spatial turbulence had changed.
It was as though a calm ocean floor had suddenly produced countless whirlpools, causing the spatial turbulence to surge like the sea itself.
It was the first time Beirut had ever encountered such a phenomenon.
"Could it be... that the Sovereigns are doing something within the spatial turbulence?"
That thought suddenly surfaced in Beirut's mind.
It wasn't an unreasonable assumption.
The spatial turbulence was not a place ordinary Deities could enter.
Even a Paragon, once inside, would be imprisoned by the overwhelming currents and carried away endlessly...
Without a Sovereign's assistance, even a Paragon could drift within the spatial turbulence for countless years without ever escaping, effectively imprisoned forever.
Only Sovereigns could move freely through the spatial turbulence as though it were nothing.
If such a disturbance had appeared...
Then the Sovereigns had to be doing something inside.
Moreover...
It wasn't very far from where he was.
Thinking this, Beirut spread out his divine sense into the spatial turbulence.
However, he quickly discovered that compared to his divine sense, his own eyesight could actually see farther within the spatial turbulence.
Following the disturbance in the currents, Beirut soon spotted the Sovereigns approaching.
Boom!
An overwhelming pressure instantly crushed the divine sense Beirut had extended into the spatial turbulence, causing his face to turn deathly pale.
Because his divine sense had been destroyed, Beirut couldn't hear what the Sovereigns within the spatial turbulence were saying.
However...
Through his miniature plane, he could still witness everything taking place.
Just as Beirut had expected, the tremendous disturbance within the spatial turbulence was indeed caused by Sovereigns battling.
But it wasn't a duel between two Sovereigns as he had first imagined.
It was a battle involving five Sovereigns.
After watching for a short while, Beirut understood the situation.
A Light Sovereign was pursuing four Sovereigns of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire.
Judging from the innate divine ability used by one of the fleeing Sovereigns, Beirut immediately recognized their identities.
The ancestors of the Four Divine Beast Clan...
The Four Divine Beast Sovereigns.
After all...
That enormous Azure Dragon phantom stretching over a thousand meters was simply too distinctive.
...
"Roar!"
An Azure Dragon phantom more than a thousand meters long appeared behind Azure Dragon Sovereign Redding, coiling through the air before releasing another mighty dragon's roar toward the rear.
In an instant, the flow of time throughout a vast region behind the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns slowed dramatically.
The contrast could clearly be seen simply by comparing the movement of the spatial turbulence inside and outside the affected area.
"Pfft..."
After using his innate divine ability once again, Azure Dragon Sovereign Redding spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Big Brother!"
Lauis Nimo, and Bowen hurried over to support him.
"Big Brother, why don't we fight him?"
"That's right! Looking at the Light Chief Sovereign, he's determined to kill us today."
"We've been running for so long, and not a single Sovereign has come to help us."
"If this continues, no miracle is going to happen."
"That's right..."
Hearing his three younger brothers, Redding let out another sigh.
They had been pursued by the Light Chief Sovereign for at least half a day now.
Practically every Sovereign already knew about the battle between the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns and the Light Chief Sovereign.
Yet...
Not a single Sovereign had stepped forward to support them.
The Four Divine Beast Sovereigns understood why.
After all, they had always been isolated from the other Sovereigns.
In terms of rank alone, they were merely Lesser Sovereigns—the lowest tier.
However, because of their fused innate divine ability, the Death Chief Sovereign had placed them among the Law Chief Sovereigns.
The Lesser Sovereigns didn't mind much.
Regardless of whether the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns' status had been elevated, they had always been among the strongest Lesser Sovereigns.
Thus, although they treated the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns with greater respect, they didn't feel much psychological imbalance.
The Intermediate Sovereigns and the Law Chief Sovereigns, however, were different.
In their eyes, the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns had merely stumbled into incredible luck by possessing a fused innate divine ability, allowing them to leap directly from the lowest tier of Lesser Sovereigns to the third tier alongside the Law Chief Sovereigns.
How could they possibly accept that?
Naturally, because of the difference in strength, they still had to show the proper respect before the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns.
But...
No one enjoyed bowing before someone weaker than themselves.
Even the Amethyst Sovereign, whom Azure Dragon Sovereign Redding had once helped, was no exception.
Because of this, although the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns possessed the status of Chief Sovereigns...
No other Sovereigns served under them.
Thus, now that the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns had fallen into misfortune, it was only natural that no Sovereign stepped forward to speak on their behalf.
The reason Azure Dragon Sovereign Redding had led his three younger brothers in flight for so long...
Was because he wanted to see whether Chief Sovereign Locke would appear for them.
After all, back when Chief Sovereign Locke had yet to grow powerful, the Four Divine Beast Sovereigns had indeed given him considerable assistance, shielding him from the covetous gazes of the Destruction Sovereigns of the Infernal Realm.
What Redding didn't know...
Was that Locke had already recalled even the Water divine clone he had left to watch over Rena as soon as she became a Paragon, devoting himself entirely to comprehending the mysteries of the universe's Laws within the Elemental Plane.
(End of Chapter)
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