Inside the courtyard, over fifty commander-level experts had gathered together. Lin Lei and the other three sat in a corner, while attendants carried trays of fine wine, food, and fruit.
"This gathering is completely pointless!" Bei Bei bit loudly into a round purple-skinned fruit, juice dripping down his chin. "Why did they even bring us here? This whole thing is really just the commanders who manage the military camps discussing the details of the great battle, and we're just sitting here like idiots."
Lin Lei smiled and glanced at the cluster of commanders gathered near the center of the courtyard.
Those were the commanders who managed the various military camps. They were clearly discussing the detailed arrangements for the great battle. As for Lin Lei and the other independent commanders, there was no need for them to participate.
"We don't even have troops to command, so what's there to discuss?" Leisin glanced at that group of commanders, then looked around at the other commander-level experts who, like them, were idly chatting in various corners out of sheer boredom. "Everyone else is sitting around just as bored as we are. The real reason we're here is just to get acquainted with the other commanders—a social gathering, nothing more."
The discussion of the great battle's detailed arrangements was apparently a simple matter. In a short while, the group of commanders had finished their deliberations.
"Everyone." One of the three-eyed commanders stood up, looked around at the crowd, and said with a smile, "The great battle isn't far off now! Whether you wish to participate or simply observe, that's entirely your own choice! If you wish to take part, the method is the same as always—mingle in with the ranks of soldiers! I trust I don't need to say more!"
The plane wars had been fought many times, and much of it had become conventional practice.
By blending in among the endless ranks of soldiers, it was difficult to distinguish a commander from an ordinary soldier based on appearance alone. This also prevented the enemy from concentrating their attacks on any particular commander. Survival chances were higher this way—though of course, drawing too much attention would still be dangerous.
"Does the Light Divine Realm's side have any particularly powerful experts? If so, please share, so that everyone can prepare accordingly," the three-eyed commander said in a clear voice.
"I know! The Light Divine Realm's side has Magnus!" a commander-level expert declared loudly.
"Magnus. He certainly requires caution." The three-eyed commander nodded solemnly.
Sitting in the corner, Leisin laughed aloud. "I know of one more—Baier, the Wind-type Perfected. He's come as well, and he's also on the Light Divine Realm's side."
"Baier?" The name drew everyone's attention.
Although several other names were subsequently raised, the ones that truly put everyone on alert were Magnus and Baier. After all, Perfected experts stood at the absolute pinnacle. If a Perfected expert wanted to kill a commander, it would simply be a massacre. And surrounding them with numbers? Against the astonishing speed of a Perfected expert, such tactics were laughable.
"Lin Lei, why hasn't Greenfire shown up?" Leisin quietly said to Lin Lei. "He's on our side. He should have appeared."
Lin Lei shook his head in puzzlement. "I'm not sure either. He's always been one to go his own way."
This gathering was essentially a social event for the commander-level experts to chat and get to know one another. After all, if it weren't for the plane battlefield, assembling this many commander-level experts in one place at once would be nearly impossible. This gathering was really a circle—the highest echelon of the divine world.
Though Lin Lei had no desire to mingle with these people, he still exchanged a word or two in passing with quite a few of them, establishing at least a basic acquaintance. Those people now knew of someone called Lin Lei.
"I've arranged accommodations for everyone here," the three-eyed commander said with a smile at the conclusion of the gathering. "Feel free to choose any unoccupied residence nearby. This location is also close to the Star River passage. When the great battle begins, you commanders will be able to join the fight all the sooner."
Nobody stood on ceremony. They each selected their own residences and settled in, quietly awaiting the arrival of the great battle.
The Dark Divine Realm's side held such a gathering, and so did the Light Divine Realm's side. However, among the Light Divine Realm's gathering, only one Perfected expert appeared—Magnus. As for Baier, he did not attend.
"Mr. Magnus." At the gathering, one commander after another warmly expressed their friendliness toward Magnus, unconsciously bordering on servility.
Though they were commander-level experts and quite proud in their own right, facing a Perfected expert... it was only natural. It was like an ordinary commoner meeting an emperor. No matter how proud a commoner might be, upon meeting an emperor, they would naturally become humble. And this humility—they didn't consider it embarrassing. They considered it only proper.
It was like kneeling before a Sovereign. Something they instinctively felt was simply the natural thing to do.
The treatment Magnus received within his own camp was the exact opposite of what Lin Lei experienced.
But Magnus couldn't be bothered with any of them. He, too, sat in a corner. Beside him sat Wuman, Chegewin, and Ramsen.
"Everyone, are there any powerful experts on the Dark Divine Realm's side that we should watch out for? If anyone knows, please share so we can all be mentally prepared," a white-browed, white-haired young man spoke up.
Immediately, one commander after another proposed names of experts. Leisin was mentioned, as was Bei Bei.
"We encountered one expert who is very likely a Perfected master," Wuman declared. "He's a Fire-type Perfected! He belongs to the enemy camp, but his name—we don't know it. All we know is that he has crimson eyebrows!"
This silenced the commander-level experts. Whether it was Leisin or Bei Bei, compared to a Perfected expert, their deterrent power was far lesser.
"Let me raise one!" Hemis spoke up. "I suspect he's also a Perfected expert!"
The moment those words left his lips, all the commanders turned to look at Hemis. Everyone knew Hemis, and with his strength making such a claim, it probably wasn't false.
"This person is from the Azure Dragon clan of the Four Divine Beast Families. His strength is very strange—at first he was extremely weak, but later, he surpassed even me. And it had only been a few hundred years. His progress was that great. And he said he'd been cultivating for less than three thousand years. I don't dare believe it. But one thing is certain—his strength exceeded mine!" Hemis said indignantly. "I suspect he has already reached the Perfection realm!"
Laughter erupted everywhere.
Everyone knew Hemis was straightforward and not the sharpest mind. But hearing his words, they all laughed uproariously.
"Hemis, less than three thousand years, and you say he's Perfected? If someone could reach Perfection in under three thousand years, none of us would have the face to stay here. Haha." Not a single commander believed it.
"Hemis, don't believe people's nonsense," the commanders said. They simply didn't buy it.
"The strongest expert in the Azure Dragon clan is Gaislesen. He's about on our level—where would a Perfected expert come from? If there were one, they wouldn't have been bullied so badly by the Eight Great Families."
Chatter filled the air. Clearly, no one believed Hemis.