As it turned out, while repairing his injuries on the seabed, Zhong Baiye had already considered whether Aether might seize control of his body. As a precaution, he had placed the Sigil of Permission Zhongli had given him inside his mind as a protective charm.
Zhong Baiye had only learned that it could be used this way after his strength reached the level of a Demon God.
If someone else seized control of his body, the Sigil of Permission would keep sending out signals to awaken his consciousness.
It was thanks to the Sigil of Permission that Zhong Baiye's consciousness had successfully awakened. In fact, he had woken up the instant Aether took control of his body, but he had not rushed to reclaim it. Instead, he wanted to see what Aether intended to do.
Through the Snake God's repeated probing earlier, Zhong Baiye had learned how to control Pride's Heart. What he had not expected was for the heart to shut down as soon as he mastered the technique.
Zhong Baiye had decided to reclaim his body during the chaos of the earthquake so the other two Demon Gods would not interfere.
But once he actually regained control of his body, the heart behind him shut down. Now both Demon Gods were eyeing him like predators.
"I'm not the Highness you were talking to earlier. How about you two deal with this heart yourselves?"
After saying that to the Snake God and his companion, Zhong Baiye turned and ran without a second thought. But having only just regained control, he had yet to fully master his body again. One careless step sent him tumbling to the ground.
Watching Zhong Baiye's antics, the Snake God and the Mist Demon God were utterly bewildered.
The Snake God glanced at the now-extinguished