"Augustus help me?" Even Lin Lei, as calm as he was, couldn't help but be startled.
But in the next moment, Lin Lei understood the reason, and a cold smile secretly formed in his heart: "Help me? He's probably afraid I'll be found guilty and killed by the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns. When that happens, my Supremegod Artifact would be disposed of by the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns. Then he wouldn't get a chance at it!"
Just as Augustus finished speaking—
"Chief Sovereign." Another fire-system Highgod with hair like tangled straw spoke up. "Back in the Netherworld, that Terei did indeed cause trouble for Lin Lei, threatening him to hand over the nine Spirit Pearls and the Supremegod Token. In the end it was 'Blood Peak Highgod' Pash who stepped forward to protect Lin Lei. I can testify to this."
Lin Lei glanced at the fire Highgod in confusion. "He's just a low-grade fire Highgod. I have no relationship with him whatsoever, and he has no qualifications to compete for a Supremegod Artifact. Why would he help me too?"
Two Highgods had spoken in succession. The Four Rule Chief Sovereigns exchanged glances, their divine consciousness secretly conferring.
"Of course I can verify it," Blood Peak Highgod Pash himself said with a smile.
"In that case, then..." The Life Chief Sovereign was about to render her verdict.
But at that moment—
"Lord, even if Terei did those things back then, he was a Highgod at the time, while Lin Lei was merely an Uppergod." The Wind Chief Sovereign, Diya, spoke in a dissatisfied, frigid tone. "Even if a Highgod uses certain methods against an Uppergod, what's the big deal? Besides, Lin Lei didn't actually die, did he? What—are we Highgods supposed to be courteous to gods? If there's some slight, are gods entitled to seek revenge?"
"A Highgod toward a god—even if somewhat excessive—it's only natural." Diya's words rang with conviction.
The assembled Highgods fell silent.
They had to admit there was truth to his reasoning. In the eyes of Highgods, gods were indeed nothing more than ants. Even condescending to kill a god—that might make the Highgod look bad, but it didn't make the Highgod wrong.
"After Lin Lei became a Highgod, Terei didn't offend him again, did he?" Wind Chief Sovereign Diya snorted coldly. "Since that's the case, Lin Lei has no reason to kill Terei."
Diya understood perfectly well that his odds of obtaining a Supremegod Artifact were extremely slim. So he wanted Lin Lei dead sooner—the dead at the hands of the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns would be even better!
"Haha..." Lin Lei rose to his feet and fixed his gaze on Diya, a sneer on his lips. "Diya, what kind of logic is that? A Highgod killing a god—is that perfectly fine? You're only thinking from the Highgod perspective. But what about the god's perspective? When a Highgod standing high above wants to kill you, should you not feel resentment? Should you not feel hatred? It's not that gods don't seek revenge—it's that they lack the ability!"
"Hmph. Even beasts of the lowest intelligence will bite back when they're about to be killed. What more a god?"
Lin Lei said solemnly, "When a god lacks the power to retaliate, naturally he'll die unwillingly. But the moment he has the power to retaliate, he will absolutely strike back!"
"Furthermore, the agreement between the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns states that the matter hinges on whether the two parties have a grudge. Let me ask you—did Terei and I have a grudge?" Lin Lei shot back.
Diya was rendered silent.
"Enough." An aged, gentle voice sounded—the Fate Chief Sovereign. "Diya's reasoning is flawed. A grudge is a grudge—does it get categorized by time period? If one was humiliated when young and weak, does that mean once they've grown powerful they still can't retaliate? Let this matter end here. The facts have been made perfectly clear. In my judgment, Lin Lei has not violated the agreement. Not guilty!"
Once the Fate Chief Sovereign spoke, the Highgods present offered no further objections.
"I also believe he is not guilty. What say the rest of you?" The Life Chief Sovereign smiled as she looked around.
"Not guilty!" Light Chief Sovereign Augustus said with a grin.
"Not guilty!" A man with black hair in black robes also spoke.
"Not guilty!"...
Of the eleven Chief Sovereigns, aside from Diya, the remaining ten were unanimous in their ruling that Lin Lei was not guilty! In truth, it was generally sufficient for just the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns to find Lin Lei not guilty. However, out of courtesy, the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns still granted the other Chief Sovereigns the right to speak.
A clear, melodious laugh rang out—it was the Death Chief Sovereign, clad in purple robes. Her gaze swept over the assembly as she said with a smile, "Since everyone has said their piece, then Lin Lei's killing of Terei is settled: Lin Lei has not violated the Highgod agreement. Not guilty! The matter is concluded. Everyone may leave."
At this, Lin Lei finally let out a breath of relief.
"Lin Lei. This went faster than I expected. Today the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns didn't make things difficult for you, and aside from Diya, the other six Chief Sovereigns didn't either. There was hardly any opposition." Beirut's voice transmitted directly into his mind. "This trial was passed so easily—you should thank the four Rule Chief Sovereigns."
"I understand." Lin Lei nodded.
When it came to judging guilt or innocence in matters like this, it all depended on the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns. Today it was obvious that although the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns occasionally sounded stern, they were in fact biased in Lin Lei's favor.
With the matter concluded, the sixty-odd Highgods bid one another farewell, then departed either alone or in small groups. However, one thing was peculiar—of the eleven Chief Sovereigns, none were in any hurry to leave.
Diya was the Wind Chief Sovereign, so remaining in the Wind Divine Plane was understandable.
But why were the other Chief Sovereigns staying as well?
"I wonder where this Lin Lei will go? I need to follow him, see where he goes through the teleportation array, then follow along." Augustus had such a plan in mind, yet he still felt uneasy. "But the other Chief Sovereigns, including the four Rule Chief Sovereigns, are all still here. Not one is in a hurry to leave. Could it that the Rule Chief Sovereigns also want that Supremegod Artifact?"
Among the Four Rule Chief Sovereigns, the Life Chief Sovereign, Death Chief Sovereign, and Destruction Chief Sovereign all possessed material-attack Supremegod Artifacts. Only the Fate Chief Sovereign possessed a soul-defense Supremegod Artifact.
On the deck of the airship, the Purplejade Highgod flew over and quietly transmitted her voice: "Lin Lei, Pash and I will be leaving now. Our staying here won't make much difference. But by the look of things... of the Chief Sovereigns who remain, the vast majority probably covet your Supremegod Artifact. So be careful."
"I know. Thank you," Lin Lei transmitted back.
"Don't thank me—I can't help you anyway. Among these Chief Sovereigns, with your strength, you can handle the ordinary ones. The ones you need to be most careful of are the Light Chief Sovereign, the Lightning Chief Sovereign, and the Fate Chief Sovereign—those three! The other three Rule Chief Sovereigns already have attack-type Supremegod Artifacts, so they don't need to seize another. As for the Fate Chief Sovereign, he rarely acts and rarely causes trouble. Perhaps he won't make a move. Rather, you should focus your attention on the other two."
"Understood." Lin Lei understood this as well.