Promise

"Did they escape?"

In Locke Territory, inside Locke's training room, Lem lowered his head and reported the intelligence he had received to Locke one item at a time.

"If they escaped, then they escaped."

Locke had long expected Gask and the other two to flee.

After all, Locke knew that Cross and Marik had joined forces with the three of them.

It was just that, in Locke's eyes, the things they pursued were all fleeting clouds. Without strength, sometimes even breathing was a crime in this world.

The news of Cross and Marik's capture could not be concealed at all.

After Gask and the other two received the news, they fled with only their families. Before the soldiers from Locke Territory sent to arrest them had even reached their lands, the three had already left Locke Territory and entered the sphere of influence of the Temple of Light.

Locke did not take Gask and the others' escape to heart.

All below the Saint level were Ants—this was no lie.

Without reaching the Saint level, even if Gask and the others were all Level Nine experts, they could only obediently report to the Undead Realm beneath the mighty power of time.

"Lem, you've done well during this time."

"However, I also hope you remember that in this world, strength alone is what matters most."

"Right now, Locke Territory has vacancies for two counts, five viscounts, and twenty-five barons."

"As long as you reach Level Seven, I will grant you the title of baron."

"At Level Eight, I will make you a viscount of Locke Territory."

"If you reach Level Nine, one of Locke Territory's count positions will be yours!"

"Even if you can reach the Saint level, I'll directly give you the position of Grand Duke of Locke Territory."

"However, Lem, if you intend to walk the crooked path like your father, then don't blame your uncle for being ruthless!"

"Yes, Uncle. Lem will remember your teachings."

Locke's final words made Lem's entire body tremble. He hurriedly stated his position to Locke.

"Alright, you may leave."

"Yes, Uncle. Lem will take his leave."

After bowing to Locke and Cole, who stood nearby, he withdrew from Locke's training room.

After Lem left, Locke turned his gaze toward Cole.

"What do you think?"

Cole's expression was complicated as he let out a sigh.

"During the time I managed Locke Territory, the Luqi Merchant Guild was managed by Lem."

"Judging from Lem's performance during this period, he has already learned to apply the methods of managing a merchant guild to managing a territory."

"Then are you dissatisfied?"

Cole fell silent.

Dissatisfied?

Perhaps.

Even now, Cole still felt that he had merely been unlucky. Before he could find a Soul of Purity, what he had done in Locke Territory had already been discovered by His Majesty Ceres.

If he had found a Soul of Purity before His Majesty Ceres discovered him, then perhaps he would now be like Big Brother, a lofty Saint-level Expert?

"Ah..."

Just by looking at Cole's expression, without needing to discern the emotions coming from Cole's soul, Locke knew that Cole's thoughts had begun to grow obsessive.

Closing his eyes, Locke no longer paid Cole any attention.

However, his Soul Power stirred slightly within Cole's soul. In an instant, Cole closed his eyes and began to snore.

In his sleep, Cole did not know what pleasant dream he was having, but the upturned corners of his mouth could not be suppressed.

This could also be considered a Soul Attack created by Locke.

Locke had created this move specifically for Cole.

With Locke's current attainments in the soul, making Cole fall asleep was effortless.

Then, by controlling the emotions within Cole's soul, Locke made Cole form dreams based on those emotions.

Within Cole's dreams, the emotions Locke controlled most were "happiness," "joy," and "delight."

In other words, Locke had woven countless "pleasant dreams" for Cole.

These pleasant dreams were all derived from Cole's own soul based on its emotions, fulfilling every one of Cole's desires.

Originally, Locke's intention had been to make Cole understand that all of this was merely an illusory dream, and that only what one possessed oneself was real.

But what Locke had not expected was that his actions had not allowed Cole to see through the dream. Instead, they caused Cole to sink ever deeper into it, unable to free himself.

After speaking with Cole several times, Locke also chose to respect Cole's wishes.

No matter how Cole fared in reality, he could never live as freely and comfortably as he did in the dream Locke had woven for him.

After entering a state of oneness with heaven and man, Locke continued his training.

Several decades passed. Locke had already comprehended eighty percent of the Law Profundity "Mist Illusion."

He had comprehended thirty percent of the Profound Mystery of Water Element.

He had comprehended twenty percent of the Law Profundity of Ice Sharpness.

Over the years, aside from comprehending Law Profundities, Locke had also considered Law Fusion.

Unfortunately, after all these years, he had not found the slightest point of compatibility among the three Water Law Profundities he had comprehended.

In the state of oneness with heaven and man, Locke's soul fused with the ever-present Law Profundity "Mist Illusion" between heaven and earth.

In this state, Locke perceived the outside world through the Law Profundity "Mist Illusion" that he had comprehended.

Locke did not know how others trained and comprehended laws.

However, when Locke trained, he always used the Law Profundity "Mist Illusion" he had comprehended to come into contact with more unknown Law Profundities that he had never encountered or comprehended.

After coming into contact with more unknown portions of a Law Profundity, Locke would use his own understanding of Law Profundities to comprehend those unknown portions.

Once Locke completely understood the unknown portions of a Law Profundity, it meant that his comprehension of that Law Profundity had improved by another measure.

Outwardly, this manifested as Locke being able to control more of the Law Profundity "Mist Illusion," and wield it with greater power.

Inside the training room, Locke suddenly rose to his feet. A mist sword condensed from white fog appeared in his hand. Then, following the sword with his body, Locke began to dance through the training room.

At this moment, if someone cultivating water-element battle qi with decent comprehension had witnessed Locke's movements, they would definitely have believed him to be the most captivating existence in the world.

Because Locke was using his sword to explain the Law Profundity "Mist Illusion" that he had comprehended.

If, at first, Locke had been using his sword to drive the Law Profundity he had comprehended, then later on, it had become the Law Profundity he had comprehended that drove Locke's sword dance!

Gradually, a faint layer of mist spread around Locke, completely shrouding his figure.

And within that mist, though there was not the slightest sign of turbulence, it inspired an inexplicable fear.