Collecting the Envoy

"How rude!" At this moment, an aged voice drifted up from downstairs. "Since this friend is unwilling to leave, I might as well come up and make your acquaintance. Ignorant fellow, listen closely: not every powerhouse wears some flashy Fiend badge on their person!"

Desterie looked toward the sound. An old man with the hair of a crane and the complexion of a child was walking up the stairs, accompanied by a gentle-looking man with long green hair that reached his knees. The old man laughed, "My friend, you are too much of a stranger. I was merely hosting honored guests and did not intend to disturb your leisure. May I ask how to address you?"

Desterie casually tossed two cups toward them. The old man and the gentle man caught them with lightning speed, yet they were both forced to retreat several steps involuntarily, looking at Desterie with astonishment.

Desterie smiled leisurely, his tone playful. "Come over and have a drink. However, before asking for a person's name, shouldn't one introduce themselves first?"

The old man suppressed the shock in his heart and said with a hint of respect, "I am Rosagov, the City Lord of Fenglin City, and this is Edric, the patriarch of the Edric Clan."

"Edric?" Desterie couldn't help but turn his head to look him over carefully, then chuckled. "So, you have an Asura backing you up. No wonder a mere Seven-Star Fiend dares to be so fearless!"

Because he had learned quite a bit of information about the Life God Realm and its top-ranked experts from Infillia, and because he had to divide his attention regarding the Four Divine Beasts Clan, Desterie's original plan to visit the Edric Clan had been shelved. He hadn't expected fate to be so curious as to have them meet here.

The Edric Clan was one of the eight clans that hunted down the Four Divine Beasts Clan across planes in the original story; they originated from the Life God Realm and primarily cultivated the Laws of Life.

"May I ask who you really are?" Sensing Desterie's completely indifferent attitude, Rosagov composed himself and said solemnly.

Edric, standing beside him, remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together as he watched Desterie.

Desterie did not answer Rosagov, continuing to drink and eat as if no one else were present.

After a long while, Edric suddenly cried out, "You are Desterie! Mr. Desterie, known as the number one person beneath the Paragon level!"

"The number one person beneath the Paragon level?!" Rosagov was extremely shocked. Someone actually dared to claim such a title? Divine-level beings had infinite lifespans, and those who sought fame through vanity were endless. A title like "number one" would surely attract a multitude of dissatisfied experts to challenge them. Even if a powerful person had no worries about their life, they would still find the constant harassment difficult to endure.

"Good eye, Edric. Sit down and let's chat," Desterie smiled.

Rosagov, however, suddenly became reserved. Being pulled to the table by Edric to sit, he was only a Seven-Star Fiend; the highest-ranking figures he had ever encountered were merely Asuras like Edric.

After sitting down, Edric hurriedly signaled for Rosagov to apologize with a smile. "Rosagov, Lord Desterie is the number one person beneath the Paragon level, personally verified by the Paragon Highgod Iluka! Being able to meet Lord Desterie today is our extreme good fortune! But may I ask what brings you to Maple Leaf City, Lord? Is there anything we can assist you with?"

Desterie did not answer immediately. He left the two of them hanging for a moment, drank a few cups by himself, and then took out an image. "Take a look and see if you have ever seen the object in this drawing."

The two looked over at the sound. In the drawing was a deep, translucent Black Pearl, placed inside a red leather wooden box, depicted with vivid realism.

"This seems to be just an ordinary pearl..." Rosagov observed.

"This item is no ordinary Black Pearl. Not to mention that Sovereign artifacts cannot destroy it, even if it were thrown into the spatial turbulence, it would remain completely undamaged."

"This..." Edric hesitated for a moment. "I have seen many Black Pearls, but I have never heard of one with such texture that is also indestructible."

Rosagov also shook his head. "I have never seen it."

A thought suddenly occurred to Desterie. He signaled for Rosagov to step out first, then asked Edric, "Whose Sovereign envoy are you currently?"

Edric laughed dryly. "Lord, please don't mock me. Although I have some achievements in the Laws of Life, I have never gained the favor of a Sovereign. I am not currently the envoy of any Sovereign."

"Oh?" Desterie was somewhat surprised. Subconsciously, he had assumed that all the patriarchs of the "Eight Great Clans," except for Bolin, were Sovereign envoys. He hadn't considered this possibility—it seemed Edric's time to become a Sovereign envoy was still in the future. In the long passage of time, the death and replacement of Sovereign envoys were quite common occurrences.

Desterie then asked, "Then what is your relationship with the Four Divine Beasts Clan?"

Edric's gaze instantly shifted from gentle to furious. "I will not hide it from you, Lord. If risking my life could make the Four Divine Beasts Clan pay a heavy price, I would spare nothing!"

"Oh? Aren't you afraid I might report you to the Four Divine Beasts Clan?" Desterie was surprised by his candor.

Edric smiled. "What kind of person are you, Lord? If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it directly. Besides, the conflict between my Edric Clan and the Four Divine Beasts Clan is known to everyone in the Life God Realm. It is only because of the Four Divine Beasts Clan's backers that I am powerless to take revenge, so there is no need for lies or deception."

"Haha, good!" Desterie laughed loudly. "Then from now on, you will work for me. What kind of Sovereign artifact do you want?"

Edric didn't react for a moment, wearing a dazed expression. "Sovereign artifact? Lord, what do you mean?"

But he didn't even notice that his tone had become even more respectful after his previous sentence.

"Just as you think. I am inviting you to serve as my Sovereign envoy. For this, you may choose one Sovereign artifact!"

"Sovereign... Lord, are you a Sovereign?!" Edric said, stunned. The next second, his eyes brightened, revealing a look of wild joy. "Rumor has it that during the Plane War ten thousand years ago, someone became a Sovereign. I always thought it was nonsense. Could it be you, Lord?"

After receiving an affirmative answer from Desterie, he continued joyfully, "Edric is willing to become a Sovereign envoy! I hope you can grant me a material attack Sovereign artifact, Lord!"

"The fact that I am a Sovereign is something you should know, but do not spread it," Desterie smiled. "Actually, you are not my preferred candidate for a Sovereign envoy, but it just so happens that you have a deep grudge against the Four Divine Beasts Clan, and I am also locked in a life-or-death struggle with them. You could say we are each getting what we need."

With a common goal, Edric working for Desterie was the same as working for himself; this was far more convenient than recruiting a Sovereign envoy who would complete tasks mechanically. Besides, the so-called top-ranked experts wouldn't be much stronger than Edric, and at the very least, the possibility of being killed in an instant was unlikely.