A kaleidoscope of multicolored light streaked through the void, converging into a vast, surging spatial tempest.
The spatial tempest—undoubtedly the most dangerous place there was!
Even ordinary divine artifacts that entered would be shredded to pieces by the terrifying spatial tempest. Only powerhouses possessing a defensive Sovereign artifact, or Paragons, could barely withstand the waves of impact within the spatial tempest and preserve their lives. Yet even so, Paragons were utterly helpless within the spatial tempest, swept along against their will.
The violent spatial tempest raged on, and those caught within could only drift wherever the currents carried them.
And at this moment—
A hazy white luminescence enveloped a tall figure. He wore a white robe embroidered with golden patterns, golden hair cascading outward, dazzling to behold. He stood at the very heart of the vast spatial tempest, yet the multicolored torrents of spatial energy crashing against him could not so much as budge him. This person was none other than the strongest among the seven Sovereigns of the Light—the Light Sovereign.
The Light Sovereign gazed into the distance with cold, indifferent eyes.
"The Red Lutia Diamond was already in my grasp, and yet..."
A trace of fury flickered in the Light Sovereign's eyes. "Still, even if the Sovereign backing him is that woman Asura, teleporting from the Okaulon Plane to the Infernal Realm means landing at some random teleportation array. Perhaps that Red Lutia Diamond will end up in another Sovereign's hands."
He immediately issued a command through his avatar, who was still in the Divine Light World: "Deller, keep your eyes on Lin Lei. Find out which teleportation array he uses and which plane he's heading to."
"Yes, my Sovereign."
Although Clementine led a large group of Highgods, in reality those Highgods followed Deller's commands. Deller was one of the two individuals who served as liaisons to the Sovereign. Immediately, those Highgods extended their divine sense, locking onto Lin Lei and Bei Bei above the ocean.
Tracking Lin Lei's movements.
Lin Lei naturally shielded himself with his divine sense, preventing those people from discovering him.
"Risk it all? No way! Too many Sovereigns are watching the Chief God's Token. Most teleportation arrays probably have Sovereigns nearby. No matter how strong I am, I have zero ability to resist a Sovereign." Lin Lei shook his head. "I cannot afford to lose the Red Lutia Diamond."
"Then... what should we do?" Bei Bei muttered, racking his brain in frustration.
Lin Lei turned the matter over in his mind, but couldn't come up with a foolproof solution. It was true that the Sovereigns in the Infernal Realm seemed to have a favorable impression of him, but that was merely their casual attention toward a junior. If the Red Lutia Diamond were at stake, the Destruction Sovereign's projection had spoken quite diplomatically here—but once they were in the Infernal Realm, things could be very different.
After all, in the Okaulon Plane, the projection avatar couldn't do anything to Lin Lei; force was useless there.
But once they reached the Infernal Realm, which Sovereign wouldn't want the Chief God's Token?
"Boss, why don't you go ask my grandpa Beirut? Maybe he'll have a solution." Bei Bei suddenly suggested.
"That's the only way." Lin Lei gave a slight nod.
Yulan Continent, Baruch Empire, within Dragonblood Castle.
Beirut had been staying at Lin Lei's Dragonblood Castle for some time, and Lin Lei's divine avatar often discussed the developments in the Okaulon Plane with him. Their frequent time together had warmed the relationship between Lin Lei and Beirut, making them far less distant and considerably closer.
"Whoosh!"
A figure flashed and arrived in the spacious garden. It was Lin Lei. In the garden, Beirut was playfully teasing two young children of the Baruch Family, looking quite amused.
"You two go play somewhere else for now." Lin Lei said with a mild smile.
"Yes." The two children dared not even breathe loudly upon seeing Lin Lei and obediently scurried away.
Dragonblood Castle had long elevated Lin Lei to the status of legend. In the hearts of the Baruch Family's younger generation, Lin Lei was the most exalted being imaginable.
"What's got you in such a hurry?" Beirut asked calmly.
Lin Lei said helplessly, "Lord Beirut, the situation really is quite dire right now."
"Oh?" Beirut furrowed his brow and looked at Lin Lei with a serious expression.
"Here's the thing—I've already obtained the Red Lutia Diamond. But I'm troubled by how I'm supposed to get back to the Yulan Continent! There are only eleven teleportation arrays in the Okaulon Plane, and they lead to the seven Divine Planes and four High Planes. There are so many Sovereigns. I suspect most of the teleportation arrays are being watched by Sovereigns. The moment I show up, they'd probably snatch it from me."
Beirut nodded slightly.
"Lin Lei, you want to keep the Red Lutia Diamond for yourself?" Beirut suddenly asked.
"Yes." Lin Lei nodded.
If Lin Lei wanted to offer the Red Lutia Diamond to a certain Sovereign, say the Destruction Sovereign, he could simply teleport directly to the Infernal Realm. Presumably, the other Sovereigns in the Infernal Realm wouldn't dare steal a Sovereign's belongings. And if Lin Lei lied to outsiders, claiming the diamond was for the Destruction Sovereign, then took a teleportation array back...
This approach wasn't realistic.
First, lying and using the Destruction Sovereign's name to deceive people would offend the Destruction Sovereign.
Second, if other Sovereigns were nearby, they wouldn't just stand by and watch Lin Lei arrive and then take the teleportation array back to the Yulan Continent! The moment Lin Lei spoke to the teleportation array operators, his lie would be exposed.
"Tell me every detail of how you contested for the Red Lutia Diamond." Beirut said solemnly.
"Very well. At the time, the other eight Paragons and I all arrived at Lionheart City. We were all trying to figure out what the three words 'Lionheart City' were supposed to mean..." Lin Lei began to describe everything in detail, including the matter of the Sovereign projection avatar.
As Beirut listened, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
"That Light Sovereign actually traveled through the spatial tempest to reach the Okaulon Plane?" Beirut exclaimed in astonishment.
"Yes, that's what Clementine told me. That's probably why the Light Sovereign was so furious." Lin Lei said.
Beirut fell silent.
"You want to keep it all to yourself... hmm..." Beirut pondered carefully.
"Lin Lei!" Beirut suddenly said. "Here's what you do—your original body and Bei Bei stay behind in the Okaulon Plane. Make it look like you've had some sort of insight and enter closed-door cultivation. Cultivate for ten days to two weeks first."
"Lord Beirut, you mean—" Lin Lei was momentarily stunned, then began to understand. "You want me to stall for time? That eventually the Sovereigns will stop camping by the teleportation arrays? But that's not guaranteed. The Sovereigns could simply meditate near the arrays—waiting a thousand or ten thousand years would be nothing to them."
For Sovereigns with infinite lifespans, what were a few thousand or ten thousand years?