What did this even count as?
One had to understand that before today, Dunnington himself had never possessed sufficient confidence that he could reach the legendary Paragon realm.
However, things truly had unfolded exactly as Teacher Locke had predicted. After being trapped at the bottleneck of ninety-nine percent comprehension of the Death Edicts for over eighty thousand years, it was indeed because he accidentally recalled that experience of facing death during his lifeti that he finally broke through that final shackle, completely comprehended the Death Edicts, and beca a Death Paragon.
Dunnington suddenly felt sowhat weary.
It was as though everything about him had already been arranged by this teacher of his.
"Take it."
Handing the gray short robe in his hand toward Locke, Dunnington shook his head. "Teacher Locke, after I was killed by Figaroa, this robe already belonged to you."
"I'm very grateful that you lent this item to for so many years, allowing to ultimately beco a Paragon."
"As for the Sovereign artifact you ntioned exchanging for it, there's no need."
"After all, this rely counts as returning an item to its rightful owner."
Locke waved a hand, directly drawing the Blackstone Robe into his grasp, then nodded.
"Mm, what you say makes sense."
"After all, according to the Sovereign Pact, Sovereigns may only bestow a single Sovereign artifact upon either their children or their Sovereign Emissaries."
"If you accepted my Sovereign artifact, then in the eyes of the other Sovereigns, you would already have been branded with my mark and beco my Sovereign Emissary."
"That would not necessarily be a good thing for you."
"However, I can replace this Sovereign artifact with a favor."
"Afterward, I will speak with the other Sovereigns and inform them that you presented with the final Death Overgod token and exchanged it for one opportunity to request my assistance."
"With my standing among the Sovereigns, I imagine there won't be any blind fools willing to risk offending by trying to pressure you."
"However, Dunnington, you must rember this—within this world, strength is the most important thing."
"Although the Sovereigns will treat you as an equal because you have walked the path of the Edicts to its limit, the gap between a Paragon and a Sovereign is even greater than you imagine."
"In front of Sovereigns, you may maintain the pride of a Paragon, but don't let the arrogance of being a Paragon blind your eyes and prevent you from seeing reality clearly."
"If another Sovereign kills you, even if I later kill that Sovereign to avenge you, you still won't have another chance to revive."
"If you truly encounter a Sovereign intent on making things difficult for you, rember it first, then find soone to pass the information to the Netherworld. I will uphold justice for you."
After speaking, Locke turned and prepared to leave.
"Wait, Teacher Locke…"
Dunnington's figure flashed, appearing directly in front of Locke and blocking his path.
Locke halted the spatial transfer he had been about to use and looked toward Dunnington.
Dunnington took a deep breath before seriously asking Locke, "Teacher Locke, I want to know… if I insist on seeking revenge against Figaroa, which side would you stand on?"
Locke glanced at Dunnington before letting out a sigh.
"Dunnington, I am a Sovereign. Both you and Figaroa are Highgods."
"According to the Sovereign Pact, under normal circumstances, Sovereigns cannot interfere in disputes between Deities."
"Ever since the establishnt of the Sovereign Armies, there has only been one person who managed to kill a captain of a Sovereign Army and still remain alive afterward."
"Do you know how that person survived?"
"How did he survive?"
"The Sovereign behind him went and beat up the Sovereign whose captain had been killed, forcing that Sovereign to personally declare that he would no longer pursue the matter."
"So, Dunnington, if you wish to kill a captain in my Sovereign Army, then you'd best find yourself a Sovereign capable of contending against to act as your backer."
"Among the Seven Divine Planes and Four Higher Planes, the only ones whose status equals mine are the Chief Sovereign of Destruction, the Chief Sovereign of Fate, the Chief Sovereign of Life, and the Chief Sovereign of Death."
"As for the Chief Sovereign of Death, don't even think about it. I gathered the Death Overgod's tokens on her behalf. There's no way she would support you."
"The Chief Sovereign of Destruction resides in Black Crow City within the Chaotic Sea of the Infernal Realm."
"The Chief Sovereign of Life resides atop the Tree of Life of the Elf Race in the Life Realm."
"The Chief Sovereign of Fate resides at the summit of Mount Gungnir in the Celestial Realm."
"Dunnington, before you possess a sufficiently powerful backer, I do not recomnd that you directly seek revenge within my Sovereign Army."
"Of course, as I said before, I replaced the Sovereign artifact I intended to exchange for the Blackstone Robe with a favor. If you are willing to use that favor, then I will uphold my promise and not act against you."
"But Dunnington, I still hope you won't use that request here."
"After all, Sovereigns are rely living beings stronger than Deities. They still possess their own likes and dislikes."
"Sovereigns with better temperants may interact with you as equals due to your attainnts in the Edicts."
"But Sovereigns with average temperants, especially more jealous ones, likely harbor considerable malice toward you in their hearts."
"With my favor hanging over them, those more ordinary Sovereigns won't dare gamble their lives on the possibility that you won't ask for help."
"After all, in the eyes of Sovereigns, even Paragons are rely sowhat larger ants. They would never want to perish together with an ant."
After saying this, Locke prepared to leave.
Everything that should be said and should not be said had already been told to Dunnington.
From this point onward, whether Dunnington chose to expend that favor or, like in Locke's mories, go and join the Chief Sovereign of Destruction, Wodred, would depend on Dunnington's own choice.
After all, from everything Dunnington had done over these years, Locke knew clearly that seeking revenge against Figaroa had already beco an obsession for Dunnington.
When one lacked strength, enduring temporarily was acceptable.
But after obtaining sufficient power, Dunnington would absolutely never give up on revenge.
However, just as Locke had said, Figaroa was a captain within Locke's Sovereign Army. If Dunnington sought revenge against Figaroa, then he would effectively be provoking Locke himself as a Sovereign.
Both emotionally and logically, Locke would have to act against Dunnington and give everyone in his Sovereign Army an explanation.
If Dunnington wished to survive Locke's retaliation after obtaining his revenge, then he only had two choices—either use that favor or seek refuge under another Chief Sovereign capable of standing equal to Locke.
However, in truth, from Locke's perspective, if Dunnington chose to expend that favor, it would also reduce Locke's prestige within the Sovereign Army.
After all, the Blackstone Robe had been obtained by Figaroa after killing Dunnington and taken from Dunnington's body before being presented to Locke.
Yet according to Locke's explanation, the Blackstone Robe had instead beco sothing personally offered by Dunnington.
Furthermore, after recovering the Blackstone Robe, Figaroa and the others had rely received so mission rewards bestowed by the Chief Sovereign of Death.
But on Dunnington's side, it had beco a favor from Locke himself.
The disparity in treatnt was obvious enough that any discerning person could clearly see Locke's favoritism toward Dunnington.
"Wait, Teacher Locke."
"I have one final request."
"What request?"
"You said earlier that, in the eyes of Sovereigns, even Paragons are rely sowhat larger ants."
"I want to personally experience just how great the gap between myself and a Sovereign truly is. I ask Teacher Locke to grant this wish."
As he spoke, Dunnington bent at the waist toward Locke.
"Very well. It seems that unless you personally understand the power of Sovereigns, you may end up making certain inappropriate actions when facing one."
"Then I shall let you witness it."
Locke turned to face Dunnington and extended his index finger toward him.
"Dunnington, just like Deities, Sovereigns are also divided into different levels of strength."
"The force I'm about to use against you is roughly equivalent to the power of a Lesser Sovereign."
Then, Locke lightly flicked his finger.
"Boom!"
Under that single finger flick from Teacher Locke, Dunnington felt as though the space around him had shattered like glass.
The willpower he had obtained after becoming a Paragon possessed absolutely no defensive capability before Teacher Locke's attack and was directly shattered apart.
And his body, together with the shattered fragnts of space, was annihilated by the terrifying spatial force.
Dunnington's consciousness remained imrsed within Locke's finger flick.
Only after he regained his senses did he realize that everything below his head had already been completely destroyed.
Drawing upon the divine power within his divine spark, Dunnington's body fully recovered within a few breaths.
After experiencing Locke's finger flick, much of the arrogance on Dunnington's face after becoming a Paragon disappeared.
Indeed, just as Teacher Locke had said, before Sovereigns, he truly was rely a sowhat larger ant.
A re Lesser Sovereign—the weakest level among Sovereigns—could actually kill him with a single finger flick.
If Teacher Locke had not shown rcy and only shattered his body while sparing his head, then he likely would already be dead.
Seeing the expression on Dunnington's face, Locke slightly nodded.
Cultivation had no end.
If Dunnington beca satisfied with the power of being a Paragon, then perhaps for the rest of his life he would remain no more than a Paragon.
Just as Locke used the Laws of Water to pry open the Spatial Laws and comprehend space itself, Dunnington, after becoming a Paragon, naturally could also use the perfected Death Edicts to touch upon even deeper Laws.
Of course, although that was easy to say, in truth Locke himself did not possess much confidence.
Among the seven Laws of earth, wind, water, fire, light, darkness, and lightning, Locke clearly knew that they were lower-order Laws beneath the Laws of Space-Ti.
Thus, Locke possessed a clear objective. Through earth, wind, water, and fire, he would comprehend the Spatial Laws, and later he would inevitably use light, darkness, and lightning to touch upon the Temporal Laws.
But as for what lay above life, fate, destruction, and death, Locke still had not figured it out.
Furthermore, his Fate Sovereign true body had always been focused on the fusion of the Laws of Water and the Edicts of Fate, leaving him without sufficient ti to allow the Edicts of Fate to touch upon higher-level Laws.
Thus, compared to others, Locke actually hoped even more that the Four Edicts would produce additional Paragons to explore the road ahead for him.
Perhaps in the future, he might even need to learn from those Paragons himself.
(End of Chapter)
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