Those below weren’t stupid. Even if they couldn’t see the intricate secrets of Donari’s manifestation like Dyon could, even a toddler could connect his soul healing to his increase in cultivation. The results were even better than what Dyon had anticipated.
One had to remember that the stigma on the soul path didn’t begin with Soul Market, it was just that The Cathedral took advantage of the stigma to make money.
Originally, the Soul Rend Quadrant fell from glory because of a war between the Energy Path and the Soul Path. If Dyon’s guess was correct, the remnants of the that Energy Path were likely the rulers of the remaining 99 universes. They likely hadn’t dared to make a final move on Universe Cathedral because of all the final life saving measures Soul Rending Peak had.
What did this all mean? It meant that the stigma against the soul path had been festering for thousands of years, not just a few hundred. Even the current head of the Caedes family was born into this time. It was all he had known since his youth.
Except for the Jafari family who managed to ignore these conventions, it was something everyone else followed very closely. In the end, it was the only way to protect themselves.
In order to dig this tumor out, they needed tangible examples. Dyon was already one because everyone was clear on how powerful his soul was. After all, the goal of him spending almost an hour spreading a concealment array wasn’t just to conceal, it was also as a showing of power.
Now, Donari could act as a second example.
“Alright, alright.” Dyon waved his hand. “Go back down now.”
Donari laughed uproariously, giving Dyon a massive bear hug before going down to comfort his mother.
A weird light flashed in Dyon’s eyes when he saw Donari’s mother. Even he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what had triggered his weird reaction, but in the end, he let it be.
“Elder Nova, Elder Ricci, do you two mind coming up here?”
Elder Nova wasn’t too surprised by Dyon calling on him, after all, he was an elder who had a good relationship with Dyon. But Elder Ricci? Who was that?
Many were confused until the saw a pale faced middle aged man stand. It was actually Violet’s father!
No one knew this former Master’s name because he hid it well. Not wanting his enemies of the 74th quadrant to know where he was, he abandoned his real name, Marco Ricci, to simply go by “Master”.
Seeing the two men, one quite old and the other middle aged, hover in front of him, Dyon’s expression once more became serious.
“Currently,” Dyon began, “Aside from myself, the two of you are the strongest experts of this universe. However, it’s because of this that I’m skeptical.”
Dyon’s gaze swept over the two men.
Others below were shocked. Wasn’t Dyon good friends with the old man from Unseen Peak? Why did it seem like he was interrogating him now?
However, Dyon’s expression remained staunch. “The two of you are too powerful to have grown up here. So you tell me, how did you become so powerful?”
Elder Ricci and Nova looked at each other before looking back toward Dyon. It was indeed odd that they were so powerful.
Elder Ricci, although his injury forced him to fall from the 2nd grade ranks into the 4th, he was once a genuine 2nd grade expert. As for Elder Nova, he was a legitimate 2nd grade expert right now, making him the most powerful local of this 98th quadrant.
That said, the reasons Elder Ricci looked toward Elder Nova were different from the reasons Elder Nova looked toward Elder Ricci.
While Elder Ricci had a shocked expression on his face that stemmed from him thinking he had no equal in this universe, Elder Nova’s expression was more playful, as though he was teasing the former.
One had to understand that becoming a 2nd grade celestial wasn’t easy. The both of them would count as talents worthy of being groomed even for quadrants ranked in the 30s and 40s. They would also be invaluable assets to quadrants ranked in the 20s as well. It wasn’t until you reached the 10s that 2nd grade experts became ubiquitous.
These two had no business appearing in a 98th ranked quadrant.
In the end, Elder Ricci spoke first. “I was born in this universe, however, unlike others, I risked my life in the tower for hundreds of years instead of coming back. It was there I met my blood brothers and my wife who helped me along my journey.
“The reason I was able to become a 2nd grade celestial is because one of my rewards when I took my Marquis trials was a pill that healed my crippled soul. It was only because of that healing that I then felt confident enough to take my Duke, and then my King trials. Although it took me centuries to complete those King trials, the rewards I received were more than enough to propel me forward.
“I never had any intention of coming back because I planned to settle in with my wife’s clan. However, my wife was taken from me and I became heavily injured. So, I had no choice but to come back home.”
Although Elder Ricci was describing his life story, he seemed abnormally cold and distant, as though it wasn’t his story at all. It was obvious to anyone listening that he was completely detached and unwilling to remember the past.
However, that was only until he heard the words Dyon responded with.
“Swear allegiance to me and I can promise that not only will you have your wife in your arms within two months – should she be alive, of course – but you’ll also be healed completely in that time.”