Crimson Island, the island lord's residence.
Though it was called a residence, it was really just a fairly large house.
Inside, Luolie, the lord of Crimson Island, had his eyes shut as Black Tortoise Bowen injected a Soul Seed into the spot between his brows.
As Bowen planted the Soul Seed in Luolie, Redding felt a great weight lift from his heart.
A Soul Seed of the Death Element was an extremely overbearing method. Once planted, Luolie's life and death would rest entirely on a single thought from Bowen.
Even tens of thousands of miles away, Bowen could control Luolie through the Soul Seed in his body.
Luolie himself showed no great resistance to the Soul Seed inside him.
Redding had promised him that he would not be sent against powerful Highgods. He only had to handle logistics and continue managing Crimson Island.
Redding valued the Crimson Island lord Luolie's talent for managing affairs more than his cultivation.
Redding and his three siblings were among the strongest in the current Four Overgod Planes, but apart from Redding, the other three, and even Pash, were all inferior to Luolie at handling such mundane affairs.
Besides, Redding knew that in the Four Overgod Planes, no matter how high one's status was, strength was the foundation of everything. Delaying his cultivation for the sake of a little influence would undoubtedly be putting the cart before the horse.
If Redding wanted to compete with Uhtred, Orloff, and other future top-tier Sovereigns, he absolutely could not waste time managing an organization.
In other words, for Redding at present, a resourceful logistics manager was more important than a powerful enforcer.
In terms of fighting strength, if the four siblings worked together, even Uhtred and Orloff, those two future top Sovereigns, would be sent scurrying for cover in this era.
Inside the room, once the Soul Seed had been planted, Luolie bowed respectfully to Redding. "Master!"
Although Black Tortoise Bowen was the one who had planted the Soul Seed, Luolie knew that Redding alone gave the orders among these people. The others merely carried them out.
Redding waved a hand at Luolie and said evenly, "There's no need for formalities. We'll be leaving Crimson Island soon. Laius will stay here to help you. As far as everyone else is concerned, you'll still be the lord of Crimson Island, and Laius will just be a guest elder you invited. Do you understand?"
Hearing Redding's words, Luolie nodded firmly to show that he understood.
"Also, all those Highgod subordinates of yours must have Soul Seeds planted in them. They are not to breathe a word about today's battle."
"Otherwise, hmph!"
Redding said no more, but Luolie understood his meaning perfectly. If those Highgods were willing to have Soul Seeds planted in them, all well and good. If not, Redding would have to have a "heart-to-heart" with them himself.
After all, Luolie had managed Crimson Island well. The Star Mist Sea was unlike the land, where God Level experts could go wherever they wished. An island attracted God Level experts like a magnet drew iron.
Apart from the few Water Element divine beasts born in the sea, the vast majority of God Level experts, even those of the Water Element, were unwilling to stay in the water for long periods. Natural islands like Crimson Island in the Star Mist Sea therefore became coveted prizes for countless God Level experts.
Moreover, under Luolie's management, Crimson Island was far wealthier than other islands. God Level experts from other islands and the nearby seas were all willing to come to Crimson Island to trade.
Unless it was necessary, Redding really was unwilling to give up such a valuable place.
In the future, once Sovereign Sparks appeared, an island like Crimson Island, with so many God Level experts coming and going, would surely be a good place to gather information about them. And with so many God Level experts on Crimson Island, it was also an excellent springboard for recruiting God Level experts and raising a force of them to wage war.
Thus, even after taking in Luolie, a top-class manager, Redding had no intention of having him leave Crimson Island anytime soon. Instead, he would leave Laius's Destruction Element Divine Clone behind to help Luolie hold the island.
At the side, having received Redding's instructions to leave his Destruction Element Divine Clone on Crimson Island, Laius said to Luolie, "Let's spar when we have time."
When Redding had fought his way onto Crimson Island, he had taken Nemo to the residential area, while Laius, Bowen, and Pash had gone to the marketplace, only to find nothing.
By the time Laius and the others arrived, Redding already had a hand around Luolie's throat.
Missing out on the fight had naturally left Laius, a battle maniac, utterly frustrated. Since someone needed to stay and guard Crimson Island anyway, Redding simply had Laius remain on the island.
After giving Luolie a brief warning, Redding sent him out of the room to summon the island's Highgod elders.
Once Luolie left, only Redding, Laius, Nemo, Bowen, and Pash remained in the room.
Redding used Water Element divine power to form a thin film of water around the five of them, preventing anyone from eavesdropping.
After clearing his throat, Redding looked at Laius and said, "We'll continue on to the Zijing Continent. Second Brother, your Destruction Divine Clone will stay behind. Remember to recruit more God Level experts, and don't neglect collecting Heaven and Earth Wonders. Accept them all, whether they're useful or can increase your strength or not."
Heaven and Earth Wonders came in countless varieties. Some appeared completely useless, but when combined with other wonders, they could have tremendous effects.
With Crimson Island as a base, Redding could have Laius collect more Heaven and Earth Wonders.
Having received Redding's instructions, Laius asked no further questions and simply said he would do as told.
Since leaving the Blood Peak Continent, Redding's strength had not only grown at an astonishing rate, surpassing all his siblings', but his explanations of the profound mysteries of the Laws had also helped the others improve greatly.
It was not just Laius and the other two; even Pash's strength had improved considerably under Redding's guidance. Although Redding was more proficient in the four elemental Laws of earth, fire, water, and wind, his experience from his previous life gave him far greater insight into some aspects of the Edicts of Destruction than Pash, who was still feeling his way forward.
Thus, when Redding wanted to go to the Zijing Continent in search of Amethyst that could strengthen the soul, the other four felt only trust and approval throughout the journey, and nothing else.
Black Tortoise Bowen took out a square token carved from stone and handed it to Laius. "Second Brother, this is for restraining the God Level experts I've planted Soul Seeds in. Although it can't directly control their lives, it can certainly render them unable to fight for a short time."
Black Tortoise Bowen had always been steady. Since Laius was staying on Crimson Island, he brought out a way to restrain those God Level experts and prevent them from making a desperate move.
Laius did not arrogantly refuse Bowen's help. Instead, he patted Bowen on the shoulder. "Thanks, Fourth Brother!"
Once everything had been arranged, Redding had Luolie summon the island's other Highgod elders and dug out the High Godheads of two who refused to have Soul Seeds planted in them. Bowen planted Soul Seeds in each of the remaining Highgod elders.
With a means of restraint in place, Redding finally felt at ease and took his siblings onward toward the Zijing Continent.
No one noticed that, in a corner of Crimson Island, a God Level expert who gave off the aura of a Midgod placed a wonder as thin as a cicada's wing over his face, and the shape of his face shifted.
Watching Redding and the others disappear into the distance, Leijia, hidden in the shadows, smiled faintly. "With this wonder, I can begin the next step of my plan."
With that, Leijia sprang into the air and flew off in the opposite direction from Redding and the others.