(Given the protagonist's current personality, he probably wouldn't care about these characters from the original work, but as the author, I've decided to let some of them make a brief appearance. It just feels strange not to. If you don't like it, then don't read on.)
More than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye.
About nine years ago, Jason formed a mercenary group, and for the next few years he traveled all over the continent on adventures.
This can be considered as fulfilling a wish of someone who has traveled through time.
Inside an underground cave, the "Green Crystal Mercenary Group" is resting.
Jason originally wanted to name the mercenary group "Coiling Dragon Mercenary Group," but he couldn't persuade Monica otherwise, so he had to use that name instead.
Although the group suppressed their strength, they still took on some rather difficult missions, which is why they have maintained a fairly high reputation over the years.
This cave was originally inhabited by a level nine "Lich".
The "Lich" is a creature that can be created in two ways: generally in the Netherworld, a soul with the talent for death transforms into a ghost, and a ghost that breaks through to the Saint-level becomes Lich.
Ghosts and Lich of the Netherworld, as the darlings of the Netherworld, are naturally more intelligent than others of the same level, cannot be contracted by necromancers, and have much higher combat power than others of the same level.
The second way to become a "Lich" is through transformation from Necromancy in the Material Plane. Because Necromancy are gradually corrupted by the Power of Death when practicing Necromancy, which is similar to the process of transforming into an undead, if they are completely corrupted by the Power of Death before death, they will be transformed into an undead, directly becoming Lich, and remain in the Material Plane.
These Lich forget their past lives and become undead that simply remain in the Material Plane. They also retain the ability to summon undead and cast various Necromancy, making them far more dangerous than monsters of the same level.
The Lich the Green Crystal Mercenary Group wiped out this time was an Necromancy from the Rhine Clan who had been accidentally transformed. Jason and his group took on this mission specifically for this reason, traveling all the way to the northeastern part of the O'Brien Empire to eliminate him.
The Lich has been slain.
Looking at the Lich's corpse, which was dressed in its clothes but looked like a dried-up corpse, and then at his own emaciated arms, the ninth-level Necromancy Cesar couldn't help but sigh—his body was severely corroded by the Power of Death, and if he didn't break through to the Saint-level soon, he would most likely become Lich as well.
Yes, Cesar is also in the Green Crystal Mercenary Group. Over the years, Jason, in the name of the mercenary group, has rescued some characters from the original story and brought them into the group.
Cesar, Jenny, Lina, Rebecca, and Haeru, along with Jason's previous rescue of the five Barker brothers from the Undying Warrior Family, were all sent to the Four Directions Knight Order of the Rhine Empire and did not remain in the mercenary group.
Apart from Jenny, the others are not much different in strength from their counterparts in the original work.
As for Jenny, Jason had rescued her earlier simply to avoid any regrets, following the original timeline—of course, it was Linley who carried out the rescue.
However, Jason was surprised to discover that Jenny had a very strong talent for the Edicts of Fate. Among humans, apart from some families with special bloodlines, the talent for the Edicts of Fate is very rare, even rarer than the other three types of talent.
Because humans rarely have the opportunity to come into contact with things related to the Edicts of Fate before their souls are fully formed.
Jason speculates that his Four Edicts talents stem from his journey through time, experiencing death and rebirth, and traversing different universes, which endowed his soul with a considerable talent for understanding fate, life, and death.
As for the talent for destruction, it should be something that is inherent in one's original bloodline.
The reason why Jenny possessed such a destiny and talent is now impossible to trace.
"Clear Spring said he's made a breakthrough and might need to stay here for a while," Linda said, walking over and pointing to a corner.
Everyone looked over and saw that the Clear Spring was shrouded in a Elemental Darkness.
"She should have broken through a breakthrough a long time ago," Jason muttered.
In his view, Clear Spring's talent in the Darkness Element was no less than his own; it was just that his vision was weaker, which is why he had been stuck for nearly a thousand years before making a breakthrough.
Veronica suggested, "I think our mercenary group has been around for over nine years; it's time for us to take a break."
She then pointed at Linley: "The rest of us don't lack this little bit of time, but Linley has just broken through to the Saint-level, which is a crucial period for his strength improvement. He needs a long time to consolidate his understanding."
Linley broke through to the Saint-level half a year ago. His Earth Element is the same as in the original work, which cultivates the Earth Pulsation. His Wind Element has some traces of the "Profound Mysteries of Fast" but has not yet been fully formed.
With Jason overseeing him, Bebe has grasped some of the Profound Mysteries, but in Jason's eyes, it doesn't seem to be the Profound Mysteries of Shadow.
Jason didn't show the cultivation books to Linley and Bebe, wanting to wait until their Profound Mysteries was fully formed before doing so.
"How about we stay and wait for Clear Spring, while the children go back first?" Jason looked around.
Jason never revealed his Deity-level status, and Cesar always assumed that he was an elder of the Dragonblood Warrior Clan leading a younger generation on a journey across the continent.
Veronica agreed, "Monica, we've traveled long enough. Why don't you take them back to the Rhine Empire for some quiet time? Linley hasn't seen his father and brother in a long time either."
"Okay, then remember to come back." Monica held her mother's hand, her face full of reluctance.
"Alright, after all these years, you're still so reluctant to part." Jason suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if his daughter was finally going to college.
Monica left with a group of "young people".
Only Jason, Veronica, Linda, the Silver Dragon Ivan, and the Clear Spring that was in a state of enlightenment remained in the entire underground cave.
"It feels like just the few of us left again. It reminds me a bit of back in the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts," Linda said with a laugh.
Veronica watched her daughter leave and said, "The younger generation is really strong. We weren't this strong at that age."
Veronica refers to Linley and Bebe; they can now hold their own against Veronica, who hasn't transformed, for a while.
Veronica has considerable talent, but Jason believes she lacks comprehension. Even without her Dragon Transformation and the Silver Dragon Ivan, she's still in the second tier of the Peak Saint —at less than a thousand years old, she's still quite young in the Saint-level.
Monica and her mother are two extremes: Veronica is highly approachable but lacks comprehension, while Monica is extremely comprehension but lacks approachability.
Now, having initially fused the Profound Mysteries of Vocal Music and Sound Waves, Monica possesses abilities comparable to Veronica's. Jason believes she has the potential to become a god.