The situation in the Fire Elemental Plane wasn't unique. The Four Divine Beasts Clan strongholds across the various planes had all begun to suffer terrifying attacks.
The Ashcroft Clan in the Netherworld, the Bolin Clan in the Celestial Realm, the Wenna Clan in the Wind Elemental Plane, the Deen Clan in the Earth Elemental Plane, the Edric Clan in the Life Divine Realm...
By comparison, the Four Divine Beasts Clan in the Fire Elemental Plane had fared much better. After all, Tiya, an Asura, had held off Shengnaer, buying her clansmen some time to escape.
A hundred years later, at the ancestral home of the Four Divine Beasts Clan in the Skyrite Mountains, inside Azure Dragon Hall.
Gaislesen sat impassively at the highest seat. The air around him seemed frozen into ice crystals, sending a chill through anyone nearby.
"Big Brother, the last squad has returned from the Celestial Realm. Now, aside from the branches we've completely lost contact with and the seeds we sent away in advance, every member of the clan has returned."
Gaia stood below and delivered her report. Her mask hid her expression. Like Gaislesen, she radiated a coldness that kept everyone at a distance.
"I understand. Notify all the Seven-Star Fiend elders to prepare for battle. Distribute the Sovereign's Might as well. Our decisive battle is probably not far off."
Gaislesen nodded, his expression filled with resolve.
"Big Brother, should we try to contact Cairns and the others?"
Gaia hesitated, then asked quietly.
"Little sister, do you really think we can still find them?"
A bitter smile appeared on Gaislesen's face, as if all his strength had suddenly been drained away.
Cairns was the Azure Dragon Sovereign's new emissary and one of the Four Divine Beasts Clan's honorary elders. In theory, if all the honorary elders came to the Skyrite Mountains to stand guard, the clan would be in a much better position.
But now, the emissaries of the Four Divine Beasts Sovereigns had all gone into hiding. Not one of them intended to help the clan. This left Gaislesen furious, and deeply helpless.
"Big Brother, according to the reports from our people out scouting, eight Asura clans have now gathered on Bloodridge Continent. If we face them head-on, I'm afraid we'll have a hard time holding them back."
After a moment of silence, Gaia unconsciously clenched her fist.
As the clan's First Elder, she wasn't afraid to die. Especially after her father and son had both died, she had wrapped herself up in a shell, leaving nothing within her but hatred and responsibility.
But now, facing an attack from the Eight Great Clans, she felt powerless too. There were six of them against eight, and they were at a disadvantage. Besides, the Eight Great Clans weren't the Four Divine Beasts Clan's only enemies.
"Even if we have to fight to the death, we won't make it easy for them. The Eight Great Clans can kill our people, but they can't wipe out the glory of the Four Divine Beasts Clan. The seeds we sent to the Material Plane are still there. The Four Divine Beasts Clan will surely rise again!"
Gaislesen struck the armrest of the Azure Dragon Throne, as if explaining himself to Gaia, or perhaps trying to encourage himself.
At the same time, high above Bloodridge Continent, a cloud of gray mist gathered and took the shape of a figure cloaked in black robes. Everything around the Skyrite Mountains lay clearly in view.
"If things continue like this, the Four Divine Beasts Clan will soon be wiped out."
Utrade's divine sense swept across Bloodridge Continent. Watching the Four Divine Beasts Clan steadily shrink its defenses, he furrowed his brow.
From Utrade's perspective, he didn't care about the Four Divine Beasts Clan's survival in itself. But his research required members of the clan as test subjects. At least for now, the clan couldn't be allowed to perish.
Still, this was a matter between gods. For him, as the Sovereign of Destruction, to descend in person would be somewhat undignified.
After pondering for a moment, Utrade's figure vanished. A projection flew toward an island deep in the Chaos Sea.
Deep in the Chaos Sea, an island surrounded by layers of mist and blood-red fog stood beneath a magnificent gray palace.
Outside the palace, within a simple gray-white pavilion, sat a figure in a dark teal robe, his long green hair falling loose around his shoulders. Over a hundred crystal balls lay on the table before him, each containing a trace of soul energy.
Every crystal ball represented a fragment of a soul. They contained the insights into the Laws and Profound Mysteries of peak Saint-level experts. The process seemed simple, but the soul was the foundation of life, and extracting fragments of it required extraordinary skill.
Only one person in the divine planes could extract soul fragments: Dannington, a Death Paragon High God!
"Hm?"
Dannington suddenly looked up at the sky nearby. His sharply angled brows were like blades, and his gaze was keen.
"Shh..."
Gray Sovereign's Might gradually gathered, taking the form of a figure hidden beneath a black robe.
"Dannington greets the Sovereign!"
As Utrade appeared, Dannington first set down the soul fragment in his hand, then bowed slightly and spoke.
"Dannington, there's something I'd like you to do. The Four Divine Beasts Sovereigns have fallen, and the Four Divine Beasts Clan may face annihilation. I'd like you to step in and protect them."
The Sovereign of Destruction's voice was hoarse, his words concise and carrying little emotion.
"You want me to protect the Four Divine Beasts Clan, Sovereign?"
Dannington raised an eyebrow and looked at the Sovereign of Destruction in surprise. He had clearly never expected him to make such a request.
"Although Reding and the others have fallen, the Four Divine Beasts Clan still represents the face of the Sovereigns to some extent. It wouldn't look good for them to be wiped out like this."
Utrade calmly explained, answering Dannington's question.
"But if you wish to protect them, Sovereign, why not simply say so yourself?"
Dannington didn't agree immediately, instead asking another question. He didn't entirely believe the reason the Sovereign of Destruction had given him.
From Dannington's own perspective, he didn't want to get involved with the Four Divine Beasts Clan. After all, as a Paragon in Hell, he had once been threatened by the Four Divine Beasts Sovereigns into becoming their emissary. In the end, the Sovereign of Destruction had protected him.
"This is a matter between gods. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to lower myself by intervening directly. And it won't be for long. You only need to protect them for a hundred trillion years."
Utrade continued, then looked at Dannington with an impassive expression.
"I understand, Sovereign. I'll protect the Four Divine Beasts Clan for a hundred trillion years, as long as they don't leave the Skyrite Mountains."
Dannington was silent for a long while, then nodded in agreement. It wasn't especially difficult. Since the Sovereign had put it that way, he could at least go and see to it. It was only a hundred trillion years, after all.
The Sovereign of Destruction nodded, then dissolved like a gust of wind.
"The Sovereign really does favor the Four Divine Beasts."
Dannington shook his head slightly, put away the soul fragments, and transformed into a streak of light that shot into the sky, heading toward Bloodridge Continent.