First Encounter with the Saint Domain

"Finally, the second task is complete."

When Andres saw the system message, he was overjoyed. If the timing had been appropriate, he would definitely have shouted aloud.

The improvement in his talent meant that as long as Andres cultivated steadily, he would eventually become a Wind Elemental Highgod.

A Highgod, even an ordinary one, was enough to dominate a Material Plane. Even in the Four Supreme Planes, they would hold a certain status and would not be at others' mercy.

However, Andres naturally would not be satisfied with that.

"There's still one final task."

Complete one more task, and he would obtain the talent of Wind Elemental Grand Perfection.

A Wind Elemental Grand Perfection was a super expert who had completely fused the nine Profound Mysteries of the wind element, a true emperor among gods.

In the era before Sovereigns had been born, Paragons were the true peak experts.

If I can achieve Paragon before the Sovereign Sparks descend, then I'll hold an absolute advantage when fighting for them.

Andres's goal was crystal clear.

In this era, Sovereigns had yet to be born, which meant there were no Sovereign Artifacts either. A Paragon's destructive power was even more terrifying than in the era of the original work.

In the original work, although certain powerful Lords were no match for Paragons, if they possessed Material Defense Sovereign Artifacts and soul-defense Sovereign Artifacts, even Paragons could not kill them.

But that was no longer the case now.

"Once things here are settled, I'll leave at dawn tomorrow and return to Oga City to find Teresa."

Andres was somewhat impatient.

The final Binding Quest was to help Teresa reach the Saint Domain.

There were two major thresholds to the Saint Domain. One was reaching Peak Level Nine in Battle Qi, and the other was comprehending the realm of "Momentum."

Andres did not need to teach Teresa Battle Qi. What he needed to do was guide Teresa into comprehending "Momentum" as soon as possible.

"Hmm?"

Just as Andres was planning his next move, he suddenly sensed something. He abruptly turned his head and looked toward Inori.

His thoughts had raced only for an instant. At this moment, Inori, the guards, and even the short Beastman were all still stunned. None of them had noticed that a shadow had silently approached Inori.

It was a slender woman dressed in tight black clothing that outlined her exceptionally slim figure. She had a pretty face and smooth, pitch-black skin like black satin, while her brows and hair were silver-white. Her ears were long and pointed.

"A Dark Elf? Why would there be a Dark Elf?" Andres's expression changed drastically.

The Elf Race lived on the Sacred Tree Continent and was a powerful race capable of contending with the Beastmen.

The Elf Race had many branches, such as Life Elves and Water Elves. Dark Elves were one such branch.

Dark Elves were naturally attuned to darkness and excelled at lurking and concealment. They were experts at assassination and gathering intelligence.

On the Sacred Tree Continent, the Dark Elf Race was the strongest assassin organization, but they rarely operated on the Noah Continent.

Her target is Inori. Could the Beastmen have specifically hired an assassin from the Sacred Tree Continent? A guess flashed through Andres's mind.

Yet it did not quite make sense. Given Resior's strength, there was no need for them to hire another assassin.

Andres could not figure it out, but there was no time for further thought.

He had plans for Inori's Fire Elemental Lesser God talent and did not want her to die just like that.

"Watch out!"

Andres shouted as he charged swiftly toward the Dark Elf Assassin.

Inori finally reacted as well, but it was already too late.

This Dark Elf Assassin was clearly extremely experienced. She had chosen to strike only during the instant Inori had been distracted.

Moreover, she was stronger than the Beastman assassin, having reached Ninth Rank.

An assassination attempt by a Ninth Rank assassin was something Inori might not have been able to withstand even if the Scarlet Scale Serpent were still alive, much less now that it was dead and Inori was distracted.

"Trying to kill her won't be so easy!"

Andres thrust out his sword. Under the influence of "Momentum," he drew upon the surrounding space and pressed it toward the Dark Elf Assassin, immediately causing her movements to stall.

"Good chance!" Inori's eyes lit up. She had already been mounted on the Unicorn, and she quickly fell to one side, using the Unicorn as a shield.

Clang!

The flexible sword in Andres's hand collided with the Dark Elf Assassin's dagger.

Seeing Inori hide behind the Unicorn, the Dark Elf Assassin knew the assassination had failed. She decisively abandoned Inori, choosing to first block Andres's sword before fleeing.

But she had overestimated herself.

Splurt!

The dull sound of a blade cutting through flesh rang out.

Andres's sword sent the Dark Elf Assassin's dagger flying, and his attack did not stop. The blade directly swept across the assassin's throat.

A large amount of blood sprayed from the wound in her neck.

The Dark Elf Assassin clutched her wound, unable to utter a single word before collapsing dead.

That was close. Fortunately, this assassin wasn't that strong, Andres thought.

After their brief exchange, Andres had already gauged the Dark Elf Assassin's strength.

She had only just entered Ninth Rank and had not comprehended "Treating Light as Heavy." She was even weaker than Resior.

Andres surveyed the surroundings once more. Only after confirming there were no other dangers did he finally relax completely.

Bzzz—

At that moment, the surrounding world suddenly changed. In almost the blink of an eye, everything within several hundred meters became a Thunder World. Countless arcs of electricity flickered through the air, and Andres felt as though the entire world were pressing down on him.

"Is this 'Momentum'? No, this is a 'Pseudo-Domain'! There's a Saint Realm expert!" Andres's expression changed drastically.

He recalled a technique frequently used by Saint Realm experts in the original work. Because it had been created by imitating the "Divine Domain" of God-level experts, it was also called a "Pseudo-Domain."

God-level experts could use a "Divine Domain" to control the elemental essence of heaven and earth within a certain area, easily immobilizing Saint Realm experts.

Saint Realm experts could not use a Divine Domain, so many Saint Domain masters had found another path. By unleashing a massive amount of Battle Qi, they could harmonize it with the surrounding elements and indirectly control the elements through their Battle Qi, achieving an effect similar to a "Divine Domain."

Of course, a "Pseudo-Domain" was still far inferior to a "Divine Domain."

However, when a Saint Realm expert used a "Pseudo-Domain" against lifeforms below the Saint Domain, it posed no difficulty at all.

In the original work, when Linley sparred with the Saint Realm expert McKensie, McKensie had used a "Pseudo-Domain."

At this moment, everything within several hundred meters was enveloped in the "Pseudo-Domain" of a Lightning Saint Realm expert. Everyone was suppressed by the elemental essence of heaven and earth, their movements hindered.

Why does this 'Pseudo-Domain' seem to be targeting me? Andres's heart sank.

He discovered that the surrounding lightning elements had condensed into a Lightning Spear, pointing at him from afar!