Chapter 44: Which Way to Go?
The other eight Paragons exchanged glances and, by unspoken agreement, retreated a distance, watching the scene unfold with amusement from afar.
"What's the Light Sovereign doing, sending a planar projection clone here?" Dennington transmitted to the other Paragons.
"Probably can't accept it," Ninisa also transmitted to the others.
"I got the Red Diamond Crystal. The Sovereign had already entered the spatial turbulence and was rushing this way through it. He might be a bit furious," Clementine transmitted with a hint of mockery.
These Paragons, though outwardly respectful, secretly looked down on some Sovereigns.
A Paragon relied on true strength.
A Sovereign? Obtaining a Sovereign's divine spark was more about luck. Wasn't it just being born early and having good fortune?
"Everyone, do you think Linley will humiliate the Sovereign's planar projection clone?" the plump-faced Water-type Paragon transmitted.
"Probably not. Even though it's just a planar projection, it's still the Sovereign's projection. If Linley attacks, he'd be showing no respect for the Sovereign. Falling out with a Sovereign wouldn't be good," the Fire-type Paragon Bamer transmitted.
The Light Sovereign's main divine body couldn't enter the O'Kalien Plane. What appeared now was merely a planar projection clone. This planar projection clone actually contained only a sliver of the Sovereign's original consciousness, using Sovereign power to form the projection's body.
A planar projection clone also understood the profound mysteries of the laws. However, it lacked the power of will!
"Even though it's the Sovereign's planar projection clone, the projection has no will power. In terms of strength, it's at most comparable to an ordinary Prefect," Linley didn't care at all about the Light Sovereign before him. It was just a planar projection clone, not even a match for a Paragon, let alone Linley.
The massive planar projection clone stared coldly at Linley.
"Clementine, how did the Red Diamond Crystal end up in Linley's hands?" the planar projection clone looked at Clementine.
Clementine immediately replied with a bitter smile, "Sovereign, you have no idea how far Linley's strength has reached. He's not just a Paragon Highgod. His body is definitely on the level of Heimus or Beirut. Comparable to a Sovereign artifact. His material attack power is dozens, even a hundred times stronger than ours. There's no way around it!"
"How is that possible?" the Light Sovereign looked at Linley in shock.
Throughout history, no one whose body had reached the peak, comparable to a Sovereign artifact, had ever become a Paragon.
"It's true," the Fire-type Paragon Bamer also laughed. "We saw it with our own eyes. Not only that, but in speed, he far surpasses us. Clementine couldn't escape no matter what, so he had no choice but to hand over the Red Diamond Crystal."
The Light Sovereign stared at Linley.
"May I ask the Sovereign, can I leave now?" Linley spoke up.
"Leave?" the Light Sovereign couldn't help but snort coldly, but considering the limits of this planar projection clone, he could only say it verbally.
Bebe beside Linley curled his lips impatiently and said, "Sovereign, fighting over the Red Diamond Crystal in a material plane is a matter for us gods. We gods fight over it in the material plane, and whoever is stronger gets it. Now my boss has it, so it belongs to my boss. Sovereign, what are you doing here with a planar projection clone? Trying to pressure my boss?"
The Light Sovereign's face turned ugly.
This matter was his fault!
Behind each of the other eight Paragons present stood a Sovereign. The competition in the O'Kalien Plane was a matter for Paragons. Sovereigns shouldn't interfere.
If he interfered and pressured, what if other Sovereigns also interfered and pressured? What would the Paragons do then?
"Linley," the Light Sovereign suppressed the anger in his heart and stared at Linley. "I know Dennington was sent by the Destruction Sovereign. So you shouldn't be. Behind you is probably the Violet Thorn Sovereign. How about this: give me the Red Diamond Crystal! I'll handle the Violet Thorn Sovereign for you. Give me this Red Diamond Crystal, and I'll owe you a favor. How about it?"
If force didn't work, try softness.
"A favor?" Linley was about to speak, but suddenly—
"Haha, Augusta, that's not a good move," a deep, low voice sounded. A massive surge of energy formed again in the high sky. Opposite to the light energy, this energy was pitch black and filled with killing intent, the power of the Destruction Sovereign. Then, a blurry figure formed again.
The Light Sovereign frowned upon seeing this.
"It's the Destruction Sovereign," Linley thought to himself.
"Linley, I notified the Destruction Sovereign," Dennington transmitted.
Linley knew that these Paragons all had ways to contact their respective Sovereigns.
"I was having a mutual agreement with Linley. What right do you have to interfere?" the Light Sovereign said.
"Haha..." the Destruction Sovereign let out a hearty laugh. "That's not a request; it's coercion. You, the Light Sovereign, ask Linley to do this. If I also ask Linley to do this, if the Life Sovereign, the Death Sovereign, the Darkness Sovereign, and other Sovereigns all do the same, tell me, how is Linley supposed to choose?"
The Light Sovereign fell silent.
His sudden appearance with a planar projection clone had already given them leverage; he was in the wrong.
In truth, he did this because the Light Sovereign had thought he already had the item and had traveled so far through the spatial turbulence, only to suddenly learn it was gone. Of course, he was furious. In his anger, he descended with a planar projection clone.
"Sovereigns aren't much better than ordinary people," Bebe transmitted to Linley.
"Of course. Sovereigns are just various beings who cultivated to become Highgods and then, by chance, obtained and refined a Sovereign's divine spark, becoming Sovereigns. Refining a Sovereign's divine spark doesn't change their personality! Usually, toward us gods, Sovereigns are aloof and naturally don't bother, appearing transcendent! But once it involves their own interests, like this Supreme God's token, their greedy or domineering nature comes out," Linley transmitted back.
"This Light Sovereign is indeed domineering," Bebe judged based on his recent understanding of the Light Sovereign.
"The Light Sovereign has always been domineering. Clan leader Gaisleysen talked to me about this," Linley remembered his conversation with Gaisleysen back then.
Gaisleysen even suspected that the four ancestors of the Four Divine Beasts Clan were killed by the Light Sovereign. He also described the Light Sovereign's domineering personality.
Linley and Bebe communicated through their souls.
Meanwhile, the Light Sovereign and the Destruction Sovereign were also talking.
"Fine, let's not force Linley. Let him choose who he wants to offer this Sovereign's divine spark to," the Light Sovereign looked at Linley.
"Linley, you choose which Sovereign to give it to. You don't need to look at any Sovereign's face. After all, there's only one Red Diamond Crystal, but there are dozens of Sovereigns!" the Destruction Sovereign also looked at Linley.
The Light Sovereign stared at Linley, the meaning in his eyes clear.
"Sorry, Light Sovereign," Linley said with a smile.
The Light Sovereign's face immediately changed.
"Hmph, ungrateful," the Light Sovereign cast a cold glance at Linley, and then his planar projection clone dissipated with a bang. Linley's expression remained unchanged as he stood quietly in midair, even with a hint of a smile on his face.
"Haha, Linley, well done," the Destruction Sovereign laughed heartily. "You can give this Red Diamond Crystal to anyone you want. Of course, giving it to me would be best. But I won't force you." With that, the Destruction Sovereign's planar projection clone also dissipated with a bang.
The world returned to calm.
The sea water rippled as before. The other eight Paragons all flew over with smiles.
"Haha, boss, the Light Sovereign's face just now was so funny!" Bebe cheered.
"I've already offended the Light Sovereign before, and now I've done it again," Linley sighed helplessly.
"The Light Sovereign has always been like this," Clementine said with a smile. As he spoke, Clementine spread his divine sense to encompass the surroundings, clearly not wanting the Paragons' conversation to be heard by those Highgods.
"Hmph, those Sovereigns, usually they seem so transcendent. But when it comes to even a small matter concerning themselves, or even a trivial matter of face, they fly into a rage," the Fire-type Paragon Bamer sneered. "It's easy to understand. Sovereigns are high and mighty; who dares to provoke them? If someone does, they'll probably rain down their wrath."
"But Sovereigns with bad tempers are a minority," Dennington said with a slight smile. "Most Sovereigns are still decent."
"They just happened to be born early when the planes were created, becoming the earliest batch of Highgods, and then by luck obtained Sovereign's divine sparks and became Sovereigns," the Life-type Paragon said indifferently. "When it comes to the profound mysteries of the laws, the vast majority of Sovereigns, even though they enjoy a massive amount of faith power, still can't compare to us!"
"I've seen many Sovereigns, but this Light Sovereign is the most domineering," Linley said.
"Haha, the Light Sovereign's domineering nature is famous. Even in material planes, light-based religions are the most dominant. But the Light Sovereign is also powerful and has the ability to be domineering!" the Earth-type Paragon, a four-meter-tall green-haired man, laughed.
"That Death-type Skullstone Sovereign, before the last plane war, which was trillions of years ago, personally attacked two Commander-level gods."
This group of Paragon Highgods freely discussed the Sovereigns.
After all, in a material plane, they weren't afraid of the Sovereigns' divine sense detecting them.
After talking for a long time, Linley learned a lot about the Sovereigns. The more he heard, the more clearly Linley felt that Sovereigns also had joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures. There was nothing special about them. It was like... in the eyes of mortals, gods were high and mighty. But in reality, in the Infernal Realm, things like bandits and robbers were even more exaggerated and naked than in the mortal world.
Perhaps...
Only the four Supreme Gods, who were the embodiment of rules, had no joys, no angers, no sorrows, no pleasures.
"Alright, everyone, the matter in the O'Kalien Plane is over. I'll take my leave first," the Wind-type Paragon Bai'er said with a smile.
After a warm conversation, the people present had grown closer.
"Let's go together. We'll head back too."
Dennington and the other Paragons also chimed in.
"Boss, let's go," Bebe urged.
"Everyone go ahead. I have a small matter to attend to," Linley suddenly said.
The eight Paragons were puzzled but didn't ask further. They bid Linley farewell and flew toward the Mist Continent.
"Boss, what's the matter?" Bebe asked.
Linley frowned and transmitted with concern, "Bebe, when I first got the Red Diamond Crystal, I was too excited and didn't think it through. But now... after calming down, I realize we can't take the teleportation array!"
"Can't take the teleportation array?" Bebe's eyes widened.
"Yes. Taking the teleportation array means going to a divine plane or a higher plane. You should know that the Sovereigns really want the Red Diamond Crystal. While I'm in the O'Kalien Plane, they can't take it. But once I teleport to a divine plane or a higher plane... perhaps a Sovereign will be waiting for me right next to the teleportation array!" Linley said with a bitter smile.
If he teleported over and opened his eyes to find a Sovereign right in front of him, he'd be done for. There wouldn't even be time to escape.
"The teleportation arrays vary by plane. The Infernal Realm has many, while the Netherworld has only two teleportation points. But a higher plane or divine plane has many Sovereigns. The chance of them waiting there is high! Even if a lower Sovereign doesn't want it for themselves, they could give it to a Sovereign Lord to curry favor," Linley was troubled.
"Boss, so where should we go now?" Bebe realized how bad the situation was.
"Yeah, which way should we go?" Linley's mind was also a mess.
Perhaps among the many teleportation points in the seven divine planes and four higher planes, some points didn't have Sovereigns nearby. But Linley couldn't take the risk! If he failed, it would be too late to regret.
"I got the Red Diamond Crystal, but I don't know how to get back to the Yulan Continent," Linley said with a bitter smile.
"Are we going to have to take a gamble?" Bebe muttered.