A Hundred Thousand Years

After testing, Aier found that the time it took him to refine a Mid-God Godhead depended on how many Laws and Profound Mysteries it contained.

A Godhead containing two Laws and Profound Mysteries took three years and three months.

One containing three took three years and nine months.

One containing four took four years and three months.

And one containing five took four years and nine months.

It seemed that refining a Godhead in the Equipment Slot was calculated according to the number of Laws and Profound Mysteries it contained. Each additional one added six months to the time required.

If Aier wanted to strengthen his body, refining Low-God Godheads offered the best value. It took only two years and nine months to extract the essence from one Godhead.

However, what Aier wanted to try now was to see what changes occurred if he absorbed Laws and Profound Mysteries after refining a Mid-God Godhead.

"Since I'm going to try it, I may as well use a Mid-God Godhead containing five Laws and Profound Mysteries!"

"Besides, at most I'll only be wasting five years."

Aier's growing strength had made him more composed. He no longer pushed himself to improve as desperately as before.

"Equipment—"

"Refine!"

For Aier, who was nearly two million years old, five years passed in the blink of an eye.

But when he actually started waiting, he realized that five years really did seem rather long.

So, in his spare time, Aier began wandering around Caeles City with his Earth Element Divine Clone. He saw all kinds of things he'd never encountered before, ate foods he'd never even heard of, and listened to gossip that brought a smile to his face...

During this time, Aier naturally sensed that quite a few people had their eyes on him, including Olga, the chief of the Crimson Blood Tribe.

Aier didn't feel much of anything toward these people.

Give him a little more time, and they would all become passing clouds on his road to power.

"Absorb!"

Sensing that five yellow spheres of light had appeared in the Equipment Slot, Aier quieted his mind and drew them directly into his soul.

In that instant, countless Earth Law Profound Mysteries appeared in Aier's soul.

In essence, these five Mysteries were no different from the six Earth Law Profound Mysteries Aier had already fully comprehended.

And yet each of them was also somewhat different from the Mysteries he had already comprehended.

Everyone saw things differently!

Each person had their own understanding of Laws and Profound Mysteries.

After absorbing these insights, Aier's understanding of the depth of the Laws and Profound Mysteries hadn't improved.

But his comprehension of the breadth of the Laws of Earth had grown considerably.

Once Aier had fully absorbed these insights, he could sense that five of the six Earth Law Profound Mysteries had become faintly connected to one another.

Perhaps if he calmed down and continued cultivating, he might succeed in fusing the Laws and Profound Mysteries!

"Ha ha ha ha..."

In the cultivation room, Aier plunged his right hand into his hair and laughed wildly.

As long as he absorbed enough insights into the Laws and Profound Mysteries, continually broadening his understanding of the Laws of Earth, he could fuse the Laws and Profound Mysteries he had comprehended.

It seemed that the realm of mastery wasn't beyond his reach after all!

"Heh heh heh, heh heh heh..."

After a while, Aier calmed down.

"Then I'll put refining Godheads from other elements on hold for now and raise my potential first!"

At this point, gaining a few more High-God Divine Clones wouldn't significantly increase Aier's strength.

On the other hand, if his Earth Divine Clone grew powerful enough, Aier could cultivate Divine Clones of the other elements whenever he wanted.

Having made his decision, Aier didn't hesitate. He merged that wisp of Godhead essence into his body, slightly strengthening it, then placed a Low-God Godhead of the Earth Element into the Equipment Slot.

And so, a hundred thousand years passed.

That day, Olga finally saw Aier emerge from the small house again.

Without making the slightest attempt to hide it, Olga left his own house and followed behind Aier.

"Lord Olga, it's been a long time. You're still looking as hale and hearty as ever."

Seeing Olga, Aier smiled and nodded in greeting.

Both Olga and Aier knew that if Aier left Caeles City, the two of them would inevitably fight.

Olga couldn't let Aier get away.

That Heaven and Earth Wonder was something he was determined to claim!

Aier likewise had no intention of letting Olga go.

Although Olga couldn't attack Aier inside Caeles City, he'd gone out of his way to make Aier's life difficult over the years.

Now he was following him without even trying to conceal it.

"Hmph. You brat, you've certainly managed to keep your cool."

"But I have the Crimson Blood Tribe backing me. I can stay in Caeles City as long as I want."

"What about you? I imagine you've nearly run out of those ten million-plus Inkstones by now, haven't you?"

The killing intent in Olga's gaze practically spilled out.

Like Aier, he had lived in Caeles City for a hundred thousand years, all to hunt him down.

Even though he'd only rented a house, he'd still spent nearly ten million Inkstones.

In fact, he'd poured the Crimson Blood Tribe's earnings from the past hundred thousand years into it, and had even burned through most of what they'd earned before that.

If he couldn't get enough out of Aier, he'd be taking a huge loss.

"Mm, Lord Olga, you're as perceptive as ever."

Aier nodded with a smile. "See? I'm just heading out to earn some Inkstones."

"Lord Olga, I'm planning to take the demon assessment in Caeles City. Would you like to come along?"

"With you there, Lord Olga, I'm sure I'll be safe."

Olga gave Aier a long, searching look.

Does this guy really have that much nerve?

Or has a hundred thousand years passed, and Aier now has the confidence to match me?

For a moment, Olga hesitated.

But then he thought of all the resources he'd spent waiting for Aier over the years, as well as the Heaven and Earth Wonder that might be in Aier's possession. In the end, Olga made up his mind.

I'll take it!

"Fine. After all, you did come from my Crimson Blood Tribe. Let me see you off on your final journey!"

"Then I'll have to thank you, Lord Olga."

Aier thanked Olga as if he hadn't heard the killing intent in his words.

Then Aier and Olga went straight to the Fiend Castle in Caeles City.

Only after the people at the Fiend Castle respectfully handed Aier a Demon Badge did he suddenly remember that the Fiend Castle's assessment was only for Mid-Gods and Low-Gods.

Any High-God who wanted to join the Fiend Castle could receive a Demon Badge, and would automatically start out as a Three-Star Fiend.

To raise their Fiend rank, they had to demonstrate sufficient strength by completing missions of the corresponding rank.

"By the way, are there any Five-Star Fiend missions in Caeles City?"