Following

The Divine Domain was the ability a Godhead granted a god to control the elements of the world with their will.

It could also be said that a Divine Domain defined the "effective range" of a god-level expert's attacks!

Within the range of a Divine Domain, a god-level expert's attacks could appear anywhere at any moment.

Why was a Mid-God who had fused two Laws and Profound Mysteries, even with the boost from that fusion, still only "comparable" to a High-God who had refined a Godhead?

The greatest factor was the difference in their Divine Domains.

A High-God's Divine Domain had a radius of one thousand meters—ten times that of a Mid-God's and a hundred times that of a Low-God's.

A higher-level Divine Domain could suppress a lower-level one.

When a low-level god was enveloped by a high-level god's Divine Domain, all of their abilities were weakened by forty percent.

If the low-level god expanded their own Divine Domain to envelop themselves, they could reduce the weakening to twenty percent.

If a low-level god possessed two Divine Clones, they could stack their Divine Domains to completely negate the effects of a high-level Divine Domain.

In battles between High-Gods, their Divine Domains could cancel each other out, so they generally didn't use them much.

But Aier didn't expand his Divine Domain this time to suppress his enemies. Instead, he directly roused the elements of the world within it to carry out attacks using the Laws and Profound Mysteries.

"Heavenly Lock!"

"Clatter, clatter—"

At Aier's low shout, golden ripples rippled through his Divine Domain in an instant.

Then, golden chains flew out of the ripples, swiftly binding all seven High-Gods!

"How is this possible?"

The bandits' faces had gone from fearful to despairing.

Their leader had been killed by a single punch from Aier, and that alone had terrified them.

Who were they to think they could rob an expert capable of breaking through space itself?

Now that they were bound by countless chains, even the hope of escape had vanished.

Aier's Heavenly Lock was no longer the move it had once been, containing only the Earth Walking Profound Mystery. It now fused five Mysteries: Earth Element, Gravity Space, Earth Walking, Earth Pulse, and Vitality.

Even experts on the level of an Asura Prefect would find it difficult to break free once bound, let alone these High-Gods from a remote region.

Aier extended his right hand toward them, fingers spread. Then, he slowly clenched his fist—

"Crack—"

In an instant, the seven High-God bandits were strangled by the golden chains. Several chains wrapped around their Godheads and quivered, directly shaking the souls within them to death!

"Clatter, clatter..."

After collecting the Godheads from the chains, Aier smiled with satisfaction.

Among the seven Godheads were two High-God Sparks.

He placed an Earth Element High-God Spark in his Equipment Slot and chose to refine it, then put the remaining High-God Sparks into his Space Ring.

"Lord Aier!"

Seeing Aier return, Eric and the others hurriedly bowed to him. "Thank you, Lord Aier."

"If not for you, Lord Aier, we might not have survived."

Ordinary bandits usually only plundered a merchant caravan's goods to ensure they could keep doing business, but if the spoils weren't enough to satisfy them, they wouldn't hesitate to kill the caravan members and make up their losses with their Godheads.

"Lord Aier, the reward for this Four-Star Fiend Mission can't begin to express our gratitude."

"If you don't object, we're willing to offer you everything we own. We only ask for the chance to follow you!"

Eric had risen to become the president of the Green Chamber of Commerce not only through his own strength, but also thanks to his judgment and decisiveness, which far surpassed that of others.

Meeting someone as powerful as Aier might be the only such opportunity he would ever have in his life.

In Hell, the basic rule of survival was the law of the jungle.

Without sufficient strength, you could only become someone else's source of income.

Without a powerful backer, the people of the Green Chamber of Commerce didn't dare earn too much, for fear of attracting unwanted attention.

Losing some money would be one thing, but if someone took an interest in their ability to make money, they would lose even their freedom and be reduced to tools for enriching others.

Eric could tell that the youthful air about Aier was genuine.

With strength like his, Lord Aier was bound to become a major figure who would stir up Hell.

If Eric followed Aier now, then as Aier's status rose in the future, he and even his descendants could reap unimaginable rewards.

Seeing Eric and the others' actions, Olga opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something too.

But in the end, Olga sighed and gave up on the idea that had just occurred to him.

Indeed, after seeing the strength Aier had displayed, it wasn't just Eric who was tempted. Olga was tempted too.

The chance to connect with a powerful expert like Aier was one many could only dream of.

But Olga also knew that his relationship with Aier had already been erased by his own actions.

Aier was generous, but that didn't mean he would accept Olga.

If Olga asked, it would be fine if Aier agreed. But if he refused, he might kill Olga, worried that he would harbor resentment and seek revenge.

Olga was even worried that after Aier's name spread throughout Hell, powerful people seeking to connect with him might use Olga and his son's heads as stepping stones to advance themselves.

"After we finish this Fiend Mission, I'll take West and leave the Crimson Blood Tribe!"

In the end, Olga made up his mind.

Though he was reluctant to give up the profits the Crimson Blood Tribe brought him, he had no choice if he wanted to keep himself and his family safe.

That was better than not knowing when his whole family might be killed.

Ideally, they would move into a city, where they could be safe.

"All right!"

While Olga wrestled with his decision, Aier ultimately accepted Eric and the others' allegiance.

Aier had left Caeles City this time to head for the nearest Prefecture City, win a hundred matches in the shortest time possible, and challenge the Prefect.

He had thought of no faster way to make money—or, more accurately, obtain Godheads and treasures.

But in the meantime, Aier couldn't simply live off his savings.

If a chamber of commerce made money for him, he could keep cultivating with the help of his Equipment Slot.

Aier didn't care whether his followers were strong or weak. They couldn't match him anyway!

"I accept your allegiance."

"From now on, you may use my name in your dealings."

If Eric and the others could bring him enough Inkstones to buy High-God Sparks for cultivation, Aier wouldn't mind protecting the Green Chamber of Commerce.