Heading to Purgatory
"What is it?" Rog asked curiously.
"Heh, it's only a small matter. A few of the younger members of my clan want to visit the expedition plane and broaden their horizons, but I've already stepped down as Prefect, so..." Aiken said with a smile. With his connections, this was hardly a problem, but since he had happened to run into Rog, he asked him to take the few of them along for some experience.
"I see. Of course, that's no problem." Since Aiken himself valued these youngsters, they surely wouldn't lack Sovereign's Might. They were probably joining the expedition to broaden their horizons. After all, that was one of the greatest stages for battles between god-level experts.
Before long, Rog met the younger members of the Aiken Clan. Their auras were all formidable, and each had at least the strength of a Six-Star Fiend.
"Are you certain you want to come with me to the Aoqi Plane? Even Seven-Star Fiends can easily die on this expedition." Rog looked at them with a faint smile. He naturally understood what Lord Aiken intended: he wanted to temper them, in the hope that one or two would eventually break through.
And the way to break through was to fight experts from the other Divine Planes. One mistake could mean their complete destruction, and even Rog might not be able to save them in time.
"Rest assured, Lord Prefect. Since we decided to join this expedition, we've all prepared ourselves for the loss of our strongest Divine Clones." The speaker was a tall woman in a water-blue robe. Her features were exquisite, no less so than those of an elf, and her figure was full. She bore some resemblance to Lady Helena.
"All right. Since you've made up your minds, come with me." Rog nodded slightly. He rather admired those who dared risk their lives to challenge other experts.
He had originally planned to enter the Aoqi Plane alone, but now it seemed he would have to bring a couple of extra people. However, joining the Planar Expedition generally required at least the strength of a Six-Star Fiend, and only a few of the Prefecture Army's senior officers under him met that requirement.
"Haidisi, I hope you break through and return alive." Before they left, Lady Helena came out especially to bid the woman in the water-blue robe an affectionate farewell. Rog shook his head at once. With Aiken's wife showing how much she valued the woman, he could only find a way to keep Haidisi as safe as possible.
Two months later, Rog returned to Tianhua Prefecture with Haidisi and the others. He then told several senior officers of the Prefecture Army about the Planar Expedition. Those who wished to enter with him could come along, but he wouldn't force them.
"Lord Prefect, Commander Colin and Mr. Gu Rory are here." Elmira, the vampire maid, bowed to Rog.
"Elmira, let them in." Rog hadn't expected Colin to bring his friend along.
"Lord Rog, this is my friend, Gu Rory. He's also a Seven-Star Fiend, and he hopes to accompany you into the expedition plane." Of the two men who entered, one was Colin, a commander of the Prefecture Army, with short black hair and purple battle armor. The other was his friend Gu Rory, a handsome man with long blue hair.
"Colin, Gu Rory, you two understand how dangerous this expedition is, don't you?" Seated above them, Rog looked at the pair with appreciation. He wouldn't comment on their strength, but their courage alone was worthy of his respect.
Although the fighting during an expedition was far less intense than on the Planar Battlefield, that was from the perspective of Asura-level experts. For Seven-Star Fiends like them, there wasn't much difference.
"Lord Prefect, ever since I learned about the Planar Expedition, I've longed to enter and fight other experts. Even if I die, I'll have no regrets." Gu Rory was an elegant, handsome man of average build. Though he looked more like an artist, he possessed such a strong will to fight.
He was rather unusual. "Lord Rog, I also long to enter and see the top experts of this world. I thought I'd have to wait until the fighting on the Planar Battlefield began, but I didn't expect to get an early chance by following you." Colin, clad in purple battle armor, was likewise someone who enjoyed challenging experts.
Though he and Mandel were both commanders in the Tianhua Prefecture Army, the shrewd, experienced Mandel clearly didn't have ambitions as strong as his.
Ambition and goals provided motivation! Who among those who reached the peak lacked a firm goal or ambition?
Without risking their lives in battle in such an environment, they might never break through or obtain Sovereign's Might. Perhaps their strength wouldn't improve in the slightest over the endless years to come. They couldn't bear such torment!
"All right. Since you've both made up your minds, set out with me." Rog certainly wasn't willing to miss this expedition. He couldn't trouble Aiken to help him refine Sovereign's Might every time.
But he was neither a Sovereign's Emissary nor able to refine Sovereign's Might himself, so he had to treasure every chance to obtain it!
After all, a Planar War began only once every trillion years. If he missed this chance, he didn't know how long he would have to wait for another!
Although several more expeditions might occur before the Planar Battlefield opened, their timing was entirely uncertain. It all depended on the Sovereigns' moods.
"Elmira, if anything comes up, discuss it with Mandel and handle it together. If any other Prefects come to visit, tell them I've gone to the Aoqi Plane." Before leaving, Rog gave her only a few casual instructions. He wasn't particularly concerned with how to govern a prefecture well.
"Rest assured, my lord." Elmira bowed and respectfully saw Rog off.
A short while later, Rog set out with Haidisi's group, Colin, and Gu Rory.
"Alas, Master isn't taking me with him this time." He had always followed his master across the Infernal Realm, but he hadn't expected to be left behind on this trip to the expedition plane. Dimont understood, however, that it was for his own good.
Inside the expedition plane, the enemies Rog faced would basically all be Asura-level experts. Dimont's material attacks could rival an Asura's in close combat, but he fell far short in other respects. If he actually faced an Asura, he would be a sitting target, and he would also be tying up the Soul Defense Divine Artifact.
"I feel my understanding of the Edicts of Destruction is improving very little now. But my innate ability, perhaps I could..." Dimont began pondering how to further strengthen his body.
The five continents of the Hell Plane formed a ring around the vast Star Mist Sea. Of the five, the northern Zijing Continent and the western Kalosha Continent both ended at the edge of the plane, while to the east and south of the five continents lay the vast, nearly boundless Chaotic Sea.
The Zijing Continent itself lay in the northeastern part of the five continents, making it arguably the farthest from Purgatory.
They first flew southeast from the Zijing Continent, crossing the entire Star Mist Sea. Then they passed through the area between the Blood Peak Continent and the Mua Continent before finally entering the Chaotic Sea. Purgatory lay in the depths of the Chaotic Sea!
The Infernal Realm was simply too vast. The journey alone would take them at least several hundred years. Fortunately, expeditions generally lasted a long time, usually at least several thousand years, so they would certainly make it in time.
"This Chaotic Sea is enormous, and Purgatory is deep within it. At this speed, I'm afraid it'll take another hundred years," Colin said as he piloted the Metallic Lifeform.
"There's no need to hurry. We'll certainly make it in time." Aboard the Metallic Lifeform, Rog had already begun cultivating. During the journey, he had also taken the time to review the intelligence on all the Asura-level experts of the four Higher Planes and Seven Divine Planes.
Because the rewards for an expedition didn't include Sovereign Artifacts, experts like Leisjing and Sovereign's Emissaries, who didn't lack Sovereign's Might, might not enter. The fighting was generally much less brutal than on the Planar Battlefield.