"Boss, how many years are you going to spend comprehending this?" Pash turned to look at Rhodes, who was still sitting cross-legged, and sighed helplessly. Since the last Fog Sea Riot, Pash had guarded Rhodes for more than fifty years.
Rhodes showed no sign of waking. Instead, his aura grew increasingly terrifying, and the lightning that occasionally flashed around his body was frighteningly powerful.
Just as Pash was drinking alone, Rhodes's eyes shifted slightly beneath his eyelids, as though they would open in the next second.
System, Rhodes called softly in his mind.
Host: Rhodes (Wind-Thunder Divine Roc) Realm: Midgod (Lightning Element Midgod, Wind Element Midgod) Innate Divine Ability: Heaven and Earth Extreme Speed, (????) Willpower: 0.5 portions Soul: Midgod limit Profound Mysteries of the Laws-Lightning: Lightning Element, Profound Mystery of Judgment, Lightning Speed Profound Mystery (three fused), Lightning Magnetism Profound Mystery, Profound Mysteries of Thunder aligned with Lightning Flash Profound Mystery (Lightning Flash Profound Mystery not yet mastered) Profound Mysteries of the Laws—Wind: the three profound mysteries of fast, Profound Mystery of Slow, and Profundity of Wind-Walking have fused; Sound Profound Mystery (sound waves and music fused) Overall strength: Seven-Star Demon (strength of a Highgod with four profound mysteries fused) (Innate Divine Ability excluded, Willpower excluded)
Looking at the increasingly complicated system display, Rhodes found himself hoping that it would stop displaying aligned profound mysteries in the future. After all, there would be more and more points of alignment later on.
Rhodes had intended to cultivate the Lightning Law, but while fusing the Profound Mysteries of Thunder and the Lightning Flash Profound Mystery, he had unexpectedly comprehended the Wind Element's profound mysteries of sound waves and the Sound Profound Mystery. After all, they had already aligned before, and this opportunity had allowed him to complete their fusion directly. He could only say that sound-related profound mysteries shared certain similarities. This really had been an unexpected bonus.
What truly pleased Rhodes was that he had essentially comprehended all six profound mysteries of the Lightning Law thoroughly. If he had not unexpectedly comprehended the Lightning Magnetism Profound Mystery, he would definitely have mastered the Lightning Flash Profound Mystery this time. At the final critical moment, Rhodes had stopped comprehending it.
He planned to align and fuse more profound mysteries while still a Midgod, then become a Paragon in one stroke when he advanced to Highgod. Normally, that should have been a remote hope, but Rhodes had the Thunder Crystal!
Without the Thunder Crystal, Rhodes would not have dared dream of becoming a Paragon. After all, in the original story, even after who knew how many countless trillions of years, there were fewer Paragons than the seventy-seven Sovereigns.
Anyone who could become a Paragon had to possess astonishing comprehension, along with a little luck. Rhodes admitted that his own comprehension was utterly lousy. Just look at his Wind Element cultivation. Without Linley's steps and methods for comprehending profound mysteries, he would probably still have been a weak nobody.
What excited Rhodes most was undoubtedly mastering the Lightning Magnetism Profound Mystery. From now on, control-type Innate Divine Abilities like Lei Jialie's would no longer have much effect on his speed.
He did not dare claim that they would have no effect at all. It was like two deities fighting: one had a God's Domain that could restrict his opponent, while the other did not. Though the latter was fast, whenever he tried to attack, his speed would inevitably drop sharply upon entering the enemy's God's Domain, giving his opponent a chance to defend.
Now, Rhodes effectively had a God's Domain of his own. Although the magnetic space formed by the Lightning Magnetism Profound Mystery could not compare with an Innate Divine Ability, at least he had one. Being able to offset some of the restraint was enough for Rhodes to kill an enemy instantly.
Now that Rhodes had thoroughly comprehended his profound mysteries, he wanted to find somewhere to create new ultimate moves and strengthen his attacks. He had long been dissatisfied with the attack power of his previous ultimate moves.
After checking his strength, Rhodes immediately opened his eyes, ready to continue his journey with Pash.
The instant his eyes opened, a bolt of Thunder shot from them and struck the Star Mist Sea nearby. There was no telling how deep it pierced beneath the sea, but its dazzling light alone showed that it was far from weak.
Beside him, Pash was overjoyed to see that Rhodes had finally awakened.
Across the vast Star Mist Sea, an enormous castle sped forward beneath the blood-red sunlight.
At the castle's highest point, the two reclined, drinking fine wine without pause.
"All these years you spent comprehending profound mysteries, drinking on my own was no fun at all. It was such a struggle. Only one deity passed by all these years, and he was just a Midgod. So boring."
Pash poured out his grievances to Rhodes, drinking as he rambled on about the hardships he had endured over the years.
Rhodes simply drank his wine and watched Pash complain with a smile. He knew Pash was only talking. After all, they were in the Star Mist Sea, and the place where he had secluded himself to comprehend profound mysteries was unsafe. Pash could only stay at his side every moment, watching over him for fear that something might happen to him.
With one talking and the other drinking, the castle flew onward at tremendous speed, and their days seemed to grow interesting again.
Twenty years passed like this. There were islands in the Star Mist Sea as well. The small ones were exceedingly small, ordinary ones spanned ten thousand li, and larger ones spanned a million li. Whenever they encountered an inhabited island, Rhodes and Pash would stop their Metal Lifeform and descend to trade for supplies.
After all, the Infernal Realm was so vast that every island had different wines. They did not even need to trade Divine Sparks or divine artifacts. Any small amount of the amethyst in their possession was a treasure now.
Fine wine merely satisfied the palate, but amethyst could genuinely strengthen you, even if refining it took a long time. Took a long time to refine? Who told you not to have Willpower? Rhodes curled his lips disdainfully (๑•́₃•̀๑).
The Star Mist Sea stretched endlessly, with islands occasionally coming into view. Rhodes had originally wanted to look for Tear Luo Island from the original story, meet the renowned Mosi, and see whether the fellow really had undergone Soul Mutation. Unfortunately, they had encountered no place by that name along the way. He reckoned Mosi probably had not been born yet, so he stopped dwelling on it.
"Whoooosh~~~~~~"
The Metal Lifeform advanced through the waves.
Smiles appeared on both Rhodes's and Pash's faces.
Far ahead, a coastline had appeared, stretching an immense distance.
The Blood Peak Continent from the original story. We're finally here! Rhodes said inwardly. At the same time, he glanced at Pash, the Blood Peak Sovereign of the original story, wondering whether he could get his old friend a Mid-level Sovereign position instead in this lifetime.
At that thought, Rhodes could not help laughing aloud. He was not even a Sovereign himself, and he had heard no news of any Sovereign Spark, yet here he was indulging in idle fantasies.
Since entering the Star Mist Sea, Rhodes had cultivated for more than fifty years. The Metal Lifeform had flown for over twenty years during the early part of their journey. Later, the two had stopped pausing at islands and flown at full speed for another twenty-one years, finally reaching the continent.
The Metal Lifeform moved extremely fast and soon reached the shore.
From what Rhodes and Pash had learned, the continent beneath their feet was currently called the Aksu Continent. It was said to have been named after the leader of the Light Alliance. However, because no single power could claim the entire continent, its name had often changed before.
Perhaps it would be called the Aksu Continent today and the Ultraman Continent tomorrow. Whichever alliance was strongest gave it its name. Whenever the alliances on the continent encountered the Demon King's forces, they joined hands to resist the Demon Alliance. Once the Demon Alliance withdrew, they attacked one another again. Everyone wanted a continent to themselves.
The continent's greatest source of confidence in resisting the Demon King was the Light Alliance. It was said that forces from other Divine Realms stood behind the Light Alliance, making its depths simply unfathomable. Someone from the Light Alliance had once faced the Demon King alone. No one knew what agreement had ultimately been reached, but the outside forces had withdrawn, and the Demon King had never personally visited this continent again, leaving the struggle for it entirely to the deities under his command.
Otherwise, these forces would have submitted to the Demon Alliance long ago. They simply could not beat it!
"Pash, how did you manage to cultivate a Fire Element Divine Clone during all these years traveling the Star Mist Sea? There's nothing here but water and lightning."
"I don't know. One day, I saw heavenly lightning strike an island and make Earth Fire erupt, and I instantly comprehended the Profound Mystery of Explosion in the Fire Elemental Law." Pash spread his hands helplessly, indicating that he did not know how he had comprehended the Fire Elemental Law either.
The truth was that Rhodes had asked this question several times over the years. He had even sought out islands himself to watch the heavenly lightning, as though hoping that he too could comprehend the Fire Element. However, Pash had noticed that every time Rhodes returned from trying to comprehend it, his expression was invariably awful.
It had indeed given him several opportunities to laugh at Rhodes.
Perhaps he really had no talent for the Fire Element, and his wish to achieve a Four-Spirit Mutation like the one in the original story might never come true.
Rhodes thought bitterly, Fan fiction is all lies. Researching Soul Mutation, my ass. Who knows how many years the Sovereigns have existed, yet you never hear of any of their children undergoing Soul Mutation. Meanwhile, anyone who transmigrates either has All-Element Law Talent or can easily figure out Soul Mutation. Where are my Holographic Law Talent and Soul Mutation? Pah, liars!!!
Over the years, with Rhodes's guidance, Pash had made rapid progress in the Fire Elemental Law. He had thoroughly comprehended the simplest profound mystery, Fire Element, long ago, and was working hard to find a point of alignment between the two profound mysteries of the laws. Pash had very high hopes for his Fire Element Divine Clone. He did not expect its combat strength to catch up with Rhodes's while he was a Midgod, but it could not fall too far behind.
Had Rhodes known what Pash was thinking, he would definitely have said, "Go wash up and get some sleep, brother!"
"Pash, we might have to spend some time on this continent. I want to find a place, but I have no direction to go on. Right now, the only landmark I have is Stone Sword Mountain. We'll need to search about three years' journey in each of these directions."
Rhodes looked at Pash apologetically. After all, searching was the most boring thing and wasted time as well.
"Haha, do the two of us brothers really need to say things like that? As long as there's wine to drink, that's enough." Over the years, Pash had completely lost any desire to spar with Rhodes. The domain formed by Rhodes's newly comprehended Lightning Magnetism Profound Mystery was far too unpleasant. Although it was not as powerful as the Innate Divine Abilities of Lei Jialie and his wife, it was still extremely uncomfortable to deal with.
PS: The first chapter is three thousand characters. I have a short business trip today, leaving in the morning and getting home tonight. I'll keep writing when I get back. Thanks to the brothers who cast monthly votes and recommendation votes. Feel free to invest and bookmark. Lastly, let me ask for votes again. ｡:.ﾟヽ(｡◕‿◕｡)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟ My deepest thanks!
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