"Dragon King Arista, are you sure? As an epic being, you should understand how astonishing the secret art you possess is. Are you certain you want to sell it for just twenty drops of Source Power?"
"Aren't we family now? I can't take advantage of you. This secret art is like a hot potato. From the secret itself, you can tell how powerful the race that controls it is.
I'll be honest with you. Ever since I obtained this secret art, that race has been hunting me down. If nothing changes, they'll soon follow me to Erathia, and a war might break out. By selling this secret art to you, I'm essentially passing the trouble onto you. Once you've studied the secret, you'll be in an unrelenting conflict with that race. In light of this, charging you twenty drops of Source Power is already a bit too much."
Dragon King Arista spoke earnestly. As a highly intelligent being, she knew that when trading with the Titans, it was best to be straightforward. Anyone who thought they could outsmart the Titans had long since met their end. Did people really think the world's strongest race achieved their status by brute force alone? Well, mostly by force.
"Offend an epic race? Bring it on!"
The Ten Ruling Sovereign chuckled after hearing Arista's words. Now, faced with an opportunity that could significantly strengthen their entire race, was he supposed to worry about offending a powerful epic race and pass it up? Nonsense!
"I've wandered the void for nearly half a million years, and I've yet to encounter a race the Titans couldn't handle. This time, I'd like to see what kind of race has been chasing you so relentlessly. Let's see if we, the Titans, can stand up to them!"
"I'm curious too. You've been chased so fiercely by this race that you had to flee back to your homeworld. Just how powerful are they? How many Eternals do they have?"
"That, I don't know!" Arista replied with an awkward smile. If an Eternal-level outsider had personally attacked her, she probably wouldn't have made it back alive. "But I'm certain their race has Eternals."
"Let's make the deal! We'll bear whatever consequences come with this. From today, you're under my protection!" the Ten Ruling Sovereign declared. He extended his hand, and drop after drop of dazzling, crystalline liquid appeared in his palm, drawing the attention of Muria and the Golden Dragon mother. This was the power capable of shaping all things.
It was the very thing Muria and the soon-to-be-legendary pinnacle Golden Dragon mother desired most.
"Twenty drops of standard Source Power!" The Ten Ruling Sovereign separated twenty drops from his own essence, accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years.
"Here, take it!"
These brilliant, crystalline drops of Source Power flew toward Arista. The Ten Ruling Sovereign paid first without hesitation. The idea that they wouldn't receive the secret art never even crossed their minds—after all, this was their territory.
"How straightforward!" Arista beamed as she saw such a large amount of Source Power suspended before her. But she didn't let the excitement cloud her judgment. She carefully transmitted the Source Power secret art to the Ten Ruling Sovereign, word by word. Such vital knowledge, critical to the foundation of an entire race, was never recorded on any physical medium.
"Arista, you've sold a Source Power secret art to the Titans for twenty drops of Source Power. I'll remember this favor. I, the Ten Ruling Sovereign, swear that as long as I live, no external gods will ever harm you."
After receiving the secret art, the Ten Ruling Sovereign closed his eyes for a brief moment of contemplation. When he opened them again, two dazzling beams of golden light shot out, flooding the grand hall in gold, reflecting his emotional turmoil. He, the Ten Ruling Sovereign, had lost control of his powers, something that rarely happened.
"I swear by the name of Abyssal Sovereign, no foreign god shall approach you while I stand!" The Abyssal Sovereign followed suit, trusting the Ten Ruling Sovereign's judgment.
...One by one, the epic Titans recited their true names, vowing to protect Arista. She, along with Muria and the Golden Dragon mother, stood stunned.
"This…" Arista was utterly shaken by the Titans' vows. They were pledging to protect her using their true names, something she'd never imagined. She was genuinely experiencing the true essence of the Titans—they were... so lovable.
"You don't need to make such vows. I didn't become a Dragon King by hiding behind others. If those who are chasing me really do come here, I'll fight alongside you!"
Touched by the Titans' oaths, Arista found her own emotions stirred.
"Lady Arista, I don't think you'd mind having a few more allies, would you?"
A gentle voice suddenly echoed from outside the hall. Muria, still in shock from everything that had just happened, saw what appeared to be orbs of pure light forming before his eyes.
"Lord Ten Ruling Sovereign, may we come in? I heard from Mikaela that Dragon King Arista also wishes to trade with the Seraphim clan."
"A trade is fine, but aren't you being a bit too hasty?" the Ten Ruling Sovereign chuckled, sensing the arrival of the Seraphim from the void. He opened the grand hall's doors with a smile.
One by one, the Seraphim, each as radiant as miniature white suns, entered the hall where the epic Titans conducted their discussions.
"Dragon King Arista, it seems you've already completed your deal with the Titans. Now, may we conduct our own transaction?" After exchanging pleasantries with the epic Titans, the Seraphim turned their attention to Arista. Ever since they learned about the Source Power secret art, they had been unable to sit still.
Even though Mikaela had obtained the secret art as a personal gift from Arista, it wouldn't be appropriate to rely on that. Official transactions were the proper way to proceed.
"Of course," Arista said awkwardly, glancing at the epic Titans. Selling the same thing to two parties might seem a bit unscrupulous, but since she was selling knowledge, not weapons or physical goods, it wasn't too bad. After all, she had risked her life to bring it back from the void.
"May I ask what price you agreed upon with the Titans? The Seraphim clan is willing to match it," the lead Seraphim, who seemed to be on par with the Ten Ruling Sovereign, asked kindly.
"Twenty drops of standard Source Power," the Ten Ruling Sovereign replied. Seeing the Seraphim's surprised expressions, he added, "Plus the protection of all epic Titans!"
"A very reasonable price!" The Seraphim, initially shocked by the low price of twenty drops, quickly smiled. With the Titans' protection included, the price made sense. Otherwise, it would've been nearly free.
The rest unfolded smoothly. Arista completed her transaction with the Seraphim, while the epic Titans silently observed.
"Now that both the Seraphim and the Titans are offering you protection, Lady Arista, could you briefly describe the epic race that might pursue you to our world cluster? How strong are they?" one Seraphim asked.
"As for their overall strength, I can't say for sure. After all, the ones chasing me weren't the strongest. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it here.
But from what I've gathered, they're said to control three world clusters. You can estimate how many epics such a resource base could nurture."
"Three world clusters, you say?" The Seraphim pondered the implications.
"Three world clusters, huh? Looks like we've got a fight coming," the Ten Ruling Sovereign remarked, unfazed by the daunting information. It simply indicated that this race had a strong desire for conquest. If the Titans wanted to control multiple world clusters, he wasn't sure how many they could dominate.
...
"This is the Erathia World Cluster. External epics, stop! Without invitation or permission, entry is forbidden. If you trespass, you will face the combined wrath of the Titan and Seraphim clans!"
At the border of the Erathia World Cluster, a vast cloud of black fog spread, obscuring the stars. Just as it was about to encroach upon the cluster, a vast, sacred wall of light appeared, halting its advance.
Then, one by one, glowing halos appeared, slowly rotating as the solemn sound of a sacred chant echoed throughout the starry skies. A colossal god of light manifested behind the barrier.
"We've come to retrieve what's ours. Foreign god, I'll give you three seconds to move aside!" a cold voice emanated from the black fog.
"There is nothing here for you. Leave."
"Do you know the fate of those who stand against the Demon clan?"
"And do you know what happens when you trespass in the Erathia World Cluster?"
The Star Sentinel's voice remained calm, unmoved by the foreign god's threats. No matter who it was or why they came, no external epics were allowed entry.
"Very well. It's been a long time since anyone has dared speak to me this way. Are you prepared to die?"
"You should ask yourself that question!"
Boom—
From the void, a massive claw extended from the black fog, slashing fiercely at the Star Sentinel...
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