On Zijing Continent, a streak of blue light landed and merged with a projected clone. Hope's true body had arrived. With a grave expression, he gripped the Five-Colored Blood Crystal, then suddenly increased his strength, releasing an astonishing aura.
Yet under the power of Hope, a Paragon Sovereign, the Five-Colored Blood Crystal didn't budge. It seemed even harder than a Sovereign Artifact.
"As expected, it's a Supreme God Token."
Hope slowly put away the Five-Colored Blood Crystal, his eyes narrowing as his thoughts raced.
Heaven and Earth Wonders were indeed rare. Many unusual ones could even enhance a Sovereign's strength. But Sovereigns were the most powerful beings in this world, and the only Heaven and Earth Wonder that even a Sovereign or Sovereign Lord couldn't destroy with all their strength was a Supreme God Token.
Considering Reding and the others' recent actions, their seemingly crazy behavior now had a much more reasonable explanation.
"Judging by the timing, it should be the Supreme God of Destruction's mission. The Supreme Material Defense Artifact originally belonged to Oufu."
Hope quickly stowed the Five-Colored Blood Crystal, then narrowed his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through them.
As the oldest Sovereign in the world, Hope had repeatedly tried to obtain Supreme God Tokens, but had never succeeded. Only during the final Supreme God of Fate mission had he discovered one.
But Augusta had been there too. Hope knew the true relationship between Oufu and Augusta, and understood that Oufu had essentially been the one vying for that Supreme God Token of Fate. In the end, Hope had no choice but to give up.
On the whole, obtaining one depended largely on luck. Over time, after Augusta acquired the Supreme Destiny Sword, Hope had temporarily abandoned his efforts.
"Reding and the other three suddenly started collecting Heaven and Earth Wonders, claiming they were developing new techniques. The real reason is probably a Supreme God mission. They must have other tokens in their possession. Looks like I'll have to make some plans..."
A water-blue glimmer flashed in Hope's eyes as he quickly made his decision.
"Utrade has always considered the Four Divine Beasts his own. If they fight the Four Divine Beasts in Hell, something could go wrong. The best option is to draw them out."
Hope looked toward Bloodridge Continent, weighed things over, and swiftly made up his mind.
All he had to do now was watch Ninisha and the Four Divine Beasts Clan come into conflict. The Four Divine Beasts would certainly find out about the Five-Colored Blood Crystal. Given their personalities, they would definitely look for an opportunity to come to the Water Elemental Plane and fight him.
First, the Four Divine Beasts had been plotting to hunt Sovereigns for all these years. That was hardly a secret. As the Sovereign of Water, he was neither a Paragon nor a Super Divine Beast, and his soul had no special qualities. He was one of the Four Divine Beasts' most suitable targets.
Second, if the Four Divine Beasts had the Supreme God Mirror, they would soon learn from their clan that he had obtained the Five-Colored Blood Crystal. They would certainly attack him to seize the Supreme God Token.
"Then let's see who's the prey and who's the hunter."
Hope calmly glanced toward Bloodridge Continent. Then his expression settled, and his figure vanished into a cloud of white mist.
Elsewhere, in the ancestral lands of the Four Divine Beasts Clan, within the Skyrite Mountains.
The Azure Dragon clan's territory lay within the winding Dragon Path. Members of the Azure Dragon clan's various branches were stationed there. At its heart stood the Azure Dragon Hall, with the elders' residences beneath it.
In theory, the elders didn't have to live there; they could stay in the territories of their own clan branches. Even so, the area was home to more elders than anywhere else in the clan.
"Damn it!"
A furious roar rang out, followed by a sorrowful cry that echoed through the gorge. A bald man with a dark expression flew out of his residence.
"Elder Emmanuel, what's wrong?"
One of the Azure Dragon soldiers on patrol couldn't help asking when he saw this.
"Get out of my way!"
Emmanuel snapped, his face dark. Then he turned into a streak of light and flew toward a nearby mountaintop.
At the same time, a brown-haired young man took flight from another direction and soon reached Emmanuel.
"Elder Emmanuel, we can't let this go. Let's report to the patriarch together. That Ninisha who insulted our Four Divine Beasts Clan has to die!"
The brown-haired young man, his face blazing with fury, was Kedun Reding's Earth Divine Clone—the same Kedun who had been killed by Ninisha on Zijing Continent alongside Emmanuel. He spoke to Emmanuel with murderous intent.
At Kedun's words, Emmanuel narrowed his eyes, fighting the urge to slap him to death. His face remained expressionless.
Emmanuel hated Kedun almost as much as he hated Ninisha. In his view, if Kedun hadn't acted like an idiot and threatened her at the end, Ninisha might not have killed them.
But Kedun had been defending the clan's honor. If Emmanuel killed him for that, Elder Gaia, the Grand Elder, would never forgive him.
"We can't let this go. We'll report it to the patriarch. Don't worry, Kedun. We're both doing this for the clan's honor."
Emmanuel drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and spoke without expression.
Unlike most of the clan's elders and members, Emmanuel was selfish and valued his life. Most members of the Four Divine Beasts Clan weren't afraid to die while away from home. If they encountered anyone who showed "disrespect" to the clan, they would charge in and fight to the death, even if they were outmatched. They would die for the clan's honor without regret.
Emmanuel, by contrast, wanted to stay alive. That was why, when he realized he couldn't defeat Ninisha, he had immediately sent her a quiet plea for mercy. He hadn't expected someone to interrupt him.
Still, although he disliked people like Kedun, who valued the clan's honor more than their lives, Emmanuel had to put on a similarly indignant expression.
Soon, the two of them arrived at the entrance to Azure Dragon Hall, one after the other.
"Patriarch, Emmanuel and Kedun request an audience!"
Emmanuel drew a deep breath, lowered his head, and spoke in a low voice. Then he stood quietly in place.
"Come in!"
A voice filled with authority rang out. Emmanuel's body tensed, and he then walked slowly into the hall.
The two passed through the corridors of Azure Dragon Hall and gradually reached its center. On the throne above them sat a figure with his eyes closed.
He wore a loose azure robe. His long, silken green hair framed an exceptionally handsome face that nevertheless radiated authority.
The Azure Dragon Patriarch—Gaislesen!
"Thud! Thud!"
Emmanuel and Kedun held their breath and dropped to their knees, their faces full of reverence.
As the foremost of the Four Divine Beasts Clan's four patriarchs, Gaislesen held absolute authority within the clan. Even Emmanuel, a Seven-Star Fiend elder and the Grand Elder's grandson, a third-generation clan member, had to tread carefully before him.
The Four Divine Beasts Sovereigns stood far above them. Though they were the clan members' objects of faith, they rarely managed the clan's affairs directly. As a result, to many, Gaislesen's authority was no less imposing than that of their ancestors.
"Emmanuel, what is it?"
Gaislesen slowly opened his eyes and spoke in a deep voice, his tone brimming with unquestionable authority.
"Patriarch, my Water Divine Clone was killed on Zijing Continent."
Emmanuel lowered his head and spoke cautiously.
"Hmm?"
Gaislesen's previously placid face instantly turned cold. His furious voice rang through the entire hall.
"What happened? Who did this? How dare anyone kill an elder of the Azure Dragon clan!"
As Gaislesen spoke, a freezing aura enveloped the hall. Emmanuel and Kedun shuddered instinctively, their hearts filled with alarm.
As a child of the Azure Dragon Sovereign and patriarch of the Four Divine Beasts Clan, Gaislesen was an Asura of Hell backed by a Sovereign Artifact. He hadn't been this angry in many years.
"P-Patriarch, it was someone called Ninisha. She has a Sovereign Artifact."
Feeling Gaislesen's overwhelming fury, Emmanuel immediately broke into a cold sweat and hurried to answer.
"A Sovereign Artifact? Tell me the details."
At that, Gaislesen slightly reined in his aura and casually waved a hand as he spoke.
"Yes, Patriarch."
Emmanuel breathed a sigh of relief, then slowly recounted what had happened: how Ninisha had supposedly "stolen" the Four Divine Beasts Clan's Five-Colored Blood Crystal, how she had then "insulted" the two of them to their faces, and how she had "actually killed them."
"Ninisha, how dare you! So what if she's a Sovereign Envoy? Anyone who provokes our Four Divine Beasts Clan has to die!"
As soon as Emmanuel finished speaking, Gaislesen sprang to his feet. Frost covered his body, and violent bloodlust surged within him. His voice rang out, brimming with murderous intent.