Inside a majestic dark temple in the Shadow Courtyard.
The black-robed young man, Xide, sat upon a luxurious dark-gold throne, leisurely sipping an unknown red wine, looking utterly at ease.
Not far before him, a beautiful blonde elf stood below the steps to the throne. She first bowed respectfully, then asked, "Lord Shadow, Aogemate's actions lately have truly become rather lawless. Are you really not going to step in and rein him in?"
Alpha knew that Lord Shadow's strongest clone was currently in the Higher Plane-the Infernal Realm. But even this weaker darkness Divine Clone of his could easily deal with a clown like Aogemate.
"There's no hurry. Hasn't an interesting little fellow emerged recently? His strength is enough to deal with Aogemate. I can't be bothered to intervene this time, so I won't steal his thunder." The black-robed young man on the throne wore a faint, mysterious smile, as though anticipating a good show.
"Do you mean the one who killed Korno?" The beautiful blonde elf quickly caught on, but could he really handle the current situation?
After all, Aogemate cultivated the Edicts of Death and excelled above all at toying with souls. His bizarre methods were far beyond those of an ordinary God.
"Don't worry. Someone like him would absolutely be considered a genius even in the Infernal Realm, where experts stand as thick as trees. A mere Aogemate won't be able to stir up any waves in his hands." The very reason Shadow was in no hurry was that he had learned of Luo Ao's existence last time.
"Lord Shadow actually thinks so highly of him?" A trace of puzzlement flashed through Alpha's beautiful eyes, and she was rather startled. In all these years, this was the first time she had seen her lord praise any genius so highly.
"Heh, what makes him special is beyond comparison with ordinary people. You may leave, Alpha. The Shadow Courtyard need not intervene in this matter." With the black-robed young man's order given, the blonde beauty immediately withdrew respectfully.
Only after Alpha left did Shadow turn to look into the distance, murmuring to himself, "Soul Mutation... what an enviable talent. With this fellow's talent for Fusion Profound Mysteries, his strength will probably catch up to mine very soon."
Soul mutants were extremely rare even in the Infernal Realm. His strongest Divine Clone there had only encountered two so far, and this "Luo Ao" was the third he had now met.
"Sister Betty, is there really no way you can step in and rein in Aogemate?" At that moment, in the nameless valley that nurtured the Sacred Spring, a lively silver-haired girl was pleading with Miss Betty, the planar overseer.
"Echidna, it's not that I don't want to act. I really don't have complete confidence in dealing with him. After all, he cultivates the Edicts of Death, which excel above all at attacking souls, while I cultivate the Wind Law, and my soul defense is my weakest point..." Faced with Echidna's request, Betty looked as though she wished to help but could do nothing.
In truth, what she said was not wrong. Since her clan had sent her to this Material Plane to serve as its overseer, her talent for cultivation naturally could not have been particularly high.
Although the Wind Law she cultivated was formidable in physical attacks, the soul was genuinely her weakness. If she really fought Aogemate, it was indeed hard to say who would win.
Moreover, guiding the experts of the Material Plane to the Divine Planes and Higher Planes was her duty in the first place.
Far from hindering her, Aogemate's actions could even be said to have done her an enormous favor. She could hardly be happier, so how could she possibly risk her life fighting him?
"Echidna, don't worry too much. As long as you stay with me, I imagine Aogemate won't dare push you too far." Betty immediately reassured the silver-haired girl.
She was a God, after all, as well as the planar overseer. Presumably, Aogemate would have to be somewhat wary of her.
"But what about Elton, little Andy, and the others? They're only Saint-level magical beasts. According to what you said, Sister Betty, Saint-level magical beasts going to a Divine Plane would simply be serving themselves up as ingredients for others." The silver-haired girl's words left Betty silent for a while.
"I'm sorry, Echidna. If I only sheltered a handful of people, Aogemate might show me some respect. But your dragon race has so many Saint-level members. I can't possibly shelter all of them by myself."
She was only one person; protecting Echidna alone was one thing. After all, Echidna was a divine beast whose future achievements might be extraordinary, and she did indeed want to befriend her.
As for those ordinary Saint-level dragons? However much she wanted to befriend Echidna, she could not simply become the dragon race's nanny for her sake.
"Is there really no other way? Sister Betty, are Gods really that terrifying? Would even my innate divine ability be useless against him?" The silver-haired girl was unwilling to accept it. She truly did not want to see so many of her old companions go to a Divine Plane to die, one after another.
Especially little Andy and the others. Although she always liked to bully those little fellows, the thought of them going to a Divine Plane and being slaughtered at will like ingredients truly sent a chill through her.
"Echidna, don't do anything foolish. Your innate divine ability is powerful, but you're still only a Lowgod. At most, you could affect him somewhat, but you absolutely couldn't kill him. Instead, you would throw your own life away." Betty immediately shook her head.
"If you become a God too, then you could use your innate divine ability to kill him in the future." Hearing Betty's words, Echidna fell into utter despair.
Wait until she became a God?
She had only broken through to Lowgod ten years ago. Although she felt that comprehending the Laws had become considerably easier after becoming a deity, bringing her comprehension of a second profound mystery to completion was still not something she could accomplish right away.
"Andy, Lucy, everyone..." The silver-haired girl's eyes were filled with grief, yet she also hated her own helplessness.
Aogemate, once I become a God, I definitely won't let you off! the girl silently swore, and she became even more diligent in her cultivation.
However, just as the old Dragon God decided to take everyone to the Light God Plane to brave its dangers, an astonishing piece of news suddenly arrived-
Aogemate was dead!
That tyrant who had sought to rule the entire continent and forced so many Deity Level experts to leave the Boya Continent, that great demon king who had pressed down on everyone until they could barely breathe, had actually died just like that?
Such a calculating, forbearing tyrant, so insufferably arrogant-who exactly had killed him?
"Who killed him?" Curiosity filled the silver-haired girl's eyes, but even more than that, her heart was full of joy.
But whoever he was, he was a great hero of the Boya Continent! She had to thank him properly.
No one had to risk leaving their homeland now. This was wonderful.
"Who was the expert who acted? There shouldn't be any other Gods left on the continent." The planar overseer Betty was rather surprised to hear the news.
"I'm not sure. I only heard that a blaze of searing fire shot into the sky from the Divine Court's palace, and Aogemate was killed in a single strike. That person also slaughtered every one of his lackeys, leaving not a single survivor." The person delivering the news did not know the details either. All he knew was what had spread outside.
But one thing was certainly true-Aogemate really was dead.
Fire? Could that person have acted? Betty's heart stirred as she recalled the events of thirty thousand years ago.
Could it be her?