Nine Grades of Sovereign, King Rank and Emperor Rank!

"Finished reading? The Eighteen Commanders have all been prominent figures in the Da Luo Territory over the years. They represent the strongest fighting force of the younger generation in the Da Luo Territory. They may not amount to much across the entire Northern Domain, but in our Northern Region, they can still be considered heaven-blessed prodigies."

"It has been two years since the last Great Lo Golden Pool Competition. In another year, it will be time for the triennial Great Lo Golden Pool Competition again. If you lack confidence, we can give up this time and wait for the next one."

Nine Nether tilted her head slightly and gave Lu Chen a faint smile.

Hearing this, Lu Chen set down the Jade Slip in his hand and looked into Nine Nether's eyes. Beneath her seemingly calm gaze was clearly a trace of expectation.

If he said he lacked confidence and refused now, she would probably be somewhat disappointed.

"You can hide for a while, but not forever. Though I have yet to experience the abilities of the other commanders, since I am in the Da Luo Territory, I cannot avoid such conflicts. On the path of the strong, there is only advance and no retreat. How could I hand such an opportunity over to someone else?"

A smile appeared on Lu Chen's handsome face as he quickly gave his answer.

"You really are as confident as ever."

Nine Nether raised her delicate brows, her tone carrying a hint of teasing. Yet the smile on her pretty face could not be suppressed.

"However, I cannot spend this entire year in secluded cultivation. Sister Nine Nether, I want to go out and gain some experience."

Lu Chen's expression turned solemn as he spoke seriously.

Nine Nether nodded in agreement. "That is indeed what you should do. You have only just broken through to the Supreme Realm and do not yet understand the combat methods of the Supreme Realm. You will inevitably suffer losses when fighting others. Going out to gain experience is only proper."

"However, before you leave, it would be best for you to cultivate the Supreme Sovereign Celestial Body and bring the Great Lo Token with you. With both strength and backing, if you train on some small or medium-sized continents, should trouble arise, the rulers of those continents will likely show you some respect."

"As long as you do not go around causing trouble, your life will at least be safe."

Lu Chen nodded.

Though he called it training, he knew clearly that he was merely going out to seize that opportunity related to a Heavenly Supreme and, at the same time, legitimize the more than fifty thousand drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid in his possession.

"There is one more thing. Since you have become a commander of my Nine Nether Palace, you should, by rights, be entitled to a salary."

Nine Nether said with a beaming smile.

"How much?"

Lu Chen's eyes lit up as he asked expectantly.

Nine Nether merely smiled without answering, raising one finger before him.

"Ten thousand?"

Lu Chen asked in pleasant surprise.

"One thousand!"

Nine Nether rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "What do you take the Da Luo Territory for? A treasure basin? As a King Rank force of the Da Luo Territory, my Nine Nether Palace only earns ten thousand drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid a year."

"Not to mention that while I was away these past years, the territories under my command were continuously swallowed up, and our income kept shrinking. Now, our annual income is already less than three thousand drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid. It is not even enough just to train the Nine Nether Guard."

"My Nine Nether Palace is now the poorest King Rank force in the Da Luo Territory, without equal."

"That bad?"

Lu Chen's mouth twitched. He suddenly understood just how valuable the tens of thousands of drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid in his Mustard Seed Bracelet were.

"If I did not have to support these several thousand members of the Nine Nether Guard, then a few thousand drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid would not be a small amount to me. After all, a First Grade Sovereign can only condense one drop a month. Several thousand drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid would be enough for me to cultivate for several months."

Nine Nether sighed, her tone full of helplessness.

Still, despite what she said, the several thousand people remaining in the Nine Nether Palace were all old members who had willingly stayed behind after her departure. Each of them was utterly loyal, so naturally, she could not mistreat them.

Lu Chen nodded to show his understanding, then continued, "Apart from the annual salary, do commander-level experts in the Da Luo Territory have any other benefits?"

"You can also choose one Lesser Divine Ability from the Scripture Pavilion."

Nine Nether parted her red lips and said with a smile.

"A Lesser Divine Ability?"

Lu Chen perked up. At last, there was something useful to him.

"Yes. So-called divine abilities are offensive techniques that transcend spiritual arts. Only true divine abilities can possibly unleash the full power of a Supreme expert's spiritual energy."

"Do not underestimate a Lesser Divine Ability. Like spiritual arts, divine abilities are divided into ranks, broadly split into three levels: Lesser Divine Abilities, Greater Divine Abilities, and Great Perfection Divine Abilities."

"According to the rules of our Da Luo Territory, commander-level experts may receive one Lesser Divine Ability for free, King Rank experts may receive one Greater Divine Ability for free, and as for Emperor Rank experts, apart from the topmost floor that houses the Scripture Pavilion's divine abilities, they may freely browse the texts on the first five floors."

"After all, cultivating divine abilities also takes time. Once one reaches Emperor Rank, they will already begin considering a breakthrough to Earthly Supreme. They would not waste precious cultivation time on a single divine ability, even a Great Perfection Divine Ability."

Nine Nether explained with a smile.

Lu Chen nodded. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Sister Nine Nether, how exactly are King Rank and Emperor Rank assessed? What grade of the Supreme Realm must one reach to attain them?"

Hearing this, Nine Nether glanced at him and said calmly, "You are quite ambitious, kid. You are only a mere commander, yet you already dare to dream of King Rank and Emperor Rank?"

"There is no harm in telling you. Generally speaking, First through Fourth Grade Sovereigns serve as commanders in my Da Luo Territory. At this stage, it is merely a matter of accumulating spiritual energy, with no essential difference between them, so the gap in strength is not great. It is common for people to successfully challenge those above their grade."

"However, from Fifth Grade Sovereign onward, the gap suddenly widens. That is because, from this point on, Supreme experts gain a special ability: control over Space Power!"

"This realm is also a major dividing line within the Supreme Realm. Subsequent breakthroughs are no longer simply about accumulating spiritual energy; one must also deepen one's comprehension of the spatial realm. At this stage, the importance of talent and insight rises greatly. Even across the entire Tianluo Continent, experts of this caliber are no longer unknown figures."

"They can establish a King Rank force, possess territories of their own, and even wage war against other small continents to become the ruler of a continent. Thus, they may be granted King Rank!"

"King Rank experts are generally Fifth or Sixth Grade Sovereigns. As for Emperor Rank experts, they are late-stage Supreme experts from the Seventh to Ninth Grade. Such experts would be honored guests in any top force of the Northern Region, the strongest beneath a domain lord. They can become overlords of a region, command the Various Kings, and shake an entire domain with their might!"

After hearing this, Lu Chen could not help revealing a look of longing. His eyes sparkled as he muttered, "A true man should be like this!"

"I did not expect you to be so hot-blooded. But then again, you are only eighteen this year. Without that youthful spirit, you likely would not have cultivated to the Supreme Realm."

Nine Nether looked at the youth before her with a smile, her face brimming with warmth.

Had she not been the same back then?

If this boy had not reminded her of the stubbornness she possessed when she had insisted on leaving her clan to venture into the world, she would not have brought him to the Da Luo Territory to explore this vast Great Thousand World!