"It's no big deal," said the Death Overlord dismissively, giving Serlina a brief glance before locking eyes with Linley, her chuckle light and probing. "You've really kept yourself under wraps, haven't you? I was quite taken aback. Before your confrontation with Whitebone, you were nearly at Pinnacle, right?"
This was her way of testing the waters with Linley.
The Death Overlord had a mix of admiration and annoyance for Linley. His unpredictable nature intrigued her, yet it was also a source of irritation. After this battle, she knew other gods would be more cautious around him.
Linley had cleverly concealed his true strength in the Underworld, posing as a Three-Fusion Law practitioner. But after defeating Whitebone and assimilating his essence, his speed increased drastically on his return, surpassing even a Five-Fusion Law practitioner.
Therisia, in her mental calculations, couldn't make sense of it no matter how she tried.
Moreover, Linley's understanding over the years led him to believe something was missing in the Earth God's divine essence.
Other gods looked at Linley differently now, many envying his fortune.
Of course, Linley couldn't voice these thoughts openly, as it would offend Aglovale, the research fanatic. Pretending to hesitate, he turned to the Death Overlord, "I owe you a favor. I'll share with you alone the special aspects of assimilating a second divine essence."
These were questions Linley had pondered since the first gods' assembly.
The Death Overlord's expression subtly changed, as if shocked by something.
This didn't escape the notice of the other gods, all intelligent and contemplative, realizing the significance of Linley's statement.
Linley, however, wondered if the Death Overlord's reaction was deliberate or accidental, and whether it was meant as a subtle hint.
"I'll send a projection first."
Soon, Linley received private messages from other gods, each offering deals. He declined, directing them to the Death Overlord instead.
"That's enough for now," Linley announced. "We've discussed what's necessary. No need to crowd here anymore."
"That's great news!"
The Water Overlord, Leo, differed from the original narrative, which described a female, not a male.
The gods exchanged glances, unanimously absolving Linley of any wrongdoing.
Linley's lips curled into a slight smile as he drew Serlina closer, whispering, "I'm now just ten times weaker than an upper god."
As a sovereign, he couldn't violate the agreement to harm a lower god.
The sovereign projections, including the Four Divine Beasts, silently watched the Death Overlord, united in an unspoken understanding.
Feeling Serlina's relief, Linley reassured her, "There's no need to worry. External gods can't enter the material plane."
Realizing the mystery behind Whitebone's death...
Just when everyone thought the assembly was about to end...
Whitebone, before becoming a god, was merely a Six-Star Demon, insignificant in Therisia's view. She was confident in her own power to defeat him.
"How can this not count? It's vital intelligence at the god level," Linley argued.
The events were clear and straightforward. Every god in the Underworld could attest that Whitebone had launched an unscrupulous ambush and met a just end under Linley's blade, resulting in a spectacular divine essence giveaway.
"Does this count?"
This question immediately sparked curiosity among all the gods present.
The Azure Dragon's comment also served as a thoughtful reminder.
Serlina, surprised, looked at him and then realized, "Is it because you have two divine essences?"
"Alright then," Linley agreed.
The Azure Dragon Deity inquired, "Lin En, as the first to possess dual divine avatars, what uniqueness does it bring?"
The willpower encapsulated within lower, middle, and upper divine avatars varies greatly, almost by a hundredfold. It's akin to possessing an additional two willpowers.
"Refining an extra divine avatar bestows another willpower," Lin En explained with a smile, adjusting the control of his middle-tier Death avatar...
Utreid, the God of Destruction, eyed Lin En with respect, remarking, "Impressive! Initially, I mistook you for just a lucky soul, but you've proven me wrong."
The Goddess of Death's gaze sharpened, hinting at something deeper as she stated, "Merely nearing grand completion wouldn't suffice to defeat Bone."
She then sternly dismissed everyone, owning her right as the ruler of the Underworld and the Dark Mountain.
Selena, somewhat flustered and blushing, nudged Lin En, reminding him, "We're talking about a deity here, it's not that simple!"
Counting the Earth series, there are four godly avatars up for grabs – Light, Thunder, and Life, all lower-tier avatars!
The Fate avatar Lin En stumbled upon was the sole middle-tier avatar previously lost in the world.
Lin En thought to himself, "I'm not the first with this feat; Ouff was. They should ask him."
Selena's joy was palpable. This was indeed fantastic news. Lin En's risky venture this time had truly paid off.
Ouff, the Fate Deity, humorously said, "He who kills shall be killed. Bone's preemptive strike leading to his downfall was just desserts."
His journey through time was at its infancy, not even a single epoch had elapsed.
But...
"Lin En..."
Only a deity of grand completion could bridge such a gap with laws, rules, and an additional willpower.
Lin En remained silent, holding his cards close to his chest.
Though secrecy was an option, the future risk of exposure lingered.
His achievement evoked a mix of shock, envy, jealousy, and respect.
According to the original Death Goddess, three deities had fallen. If things followed their course, the Wind and Water series might soon face their demise.
In the millennium spent with the Death Goddess, Lin En enjoyed a good rapport, yet secrets remained.
Lin En didn't bother to argue. Accepting her point, he wasn't one to dwell on issues.
Originally, the Wind Deity was a mythical creature, Diya, the Azure Winged Golden Eagle, not the present Hans.
This battle had been Lin En's moment to shine, proving he was more than just a fortunate man; he was no easy target.
Under the vast dome, projections of various deities convened, quickly forming a full assembly.
The Death Goddess conveyed to Lin En, "You think clearing a favor is that simple? Don't forget all the information I've shared over these thousand years. That's a favor in its own right."
Was it an illusion?
Lin En acknowledged with a smile, openly admitting, "Indeed, I wouldn't have dared otherwise."
"Alright."
Lin En's success was evident, turning Kursk, the foolhardy, into an unintentional sacrifice.
The Death Goddess showed a hint of satisfaction with Lin En's attitude, appreciating his tactfulness and lack of arrogance.
Her intelligence was apparent too.
In the Underworld's Dark Mountain...
Lin En sensed a slight shift in the Death Goddess's demeanor towards him, perhaps a touch of irritation.
The Life Deity echoed, "Agreed. They are all middle-tier deities, and no rules were broken."
Lin En was cautious, not giving others a pretext to act against him.
The once scornful Wind Deity, Teresia, now showed a newfound respect and admiration, a stark contrast to her earlier haughtiness.
The Death Goddess chose not to probe further into the issue, understanding that everyone, including herself, had secrets...
Lin En pondered over these developments.
The Death Sovereign argued her point convincingly, and surprisingly, Lin En found some merit in her words. Still, understanding aside, he couldn't help feeling a bit displeased.
Respect is due to the strong!
Disregarding factors like bloodline powers, techniques, and weapons, the tenfold disparity between deities is not insurmountable.
The Death Sovereign's elegant brows furrowed, her presence emanating a chilling, bloodthirsty coldness, her voice devoid of emotion echoing atop the Dark Mountain.
"Good, you remember!" she stated.
She continued, "Let me explain..."
Regarding the Thunder Sovereign, who still lacked an Earth Deity avatar – where did his God avatar come from?
In her final verdict, the Death Sovereign declared, "Lin En is innocent. Any objections?"
It seemed the Death Sovereign's projection had come solely to convey this message. Upon finishing, the projection dissipated like a burst bubble.
Lin En readily agreed, unsurprised by the gravity given to the fall of a deity.
All eyes were fixed on Lin En.
He nodded and readily admitted, "Yes, refining an extra deity avatar grants additional willpower, boosting my strength in all aspects by tenfold, and this applies to both of my divine avatars!"
Many middle and lower deities, though reluctant, had to leave in the face of the sovereigns' authority.
The Death Sovereign's face showed a hint of chill, saying indifferently, "Enough of this. Little kid, send a divine avatar or projection to the Dark Mountain. The other deities have been notified about a tribunal for you, just a formality."
Utreid, born from a supreme mythical beast and a deity of grand completion, was incredibly powerful, as were Ouff and Vivia...
But entangling with such might requires extensive time. Lin En, on the other hand, had suddenly erupted with a sword strike to slay...
"Just a few projections, and they think they can intimidate me?"
In this delicate moment, the Life Sovereign appropriately intervened to ease the mood, "I'll state my position first, I support my big sister!"
The other sovereigns remained neutral. They all knew the close bond between the Death and Life Sovereigns, akin to sisters, but on their side stood nine sovereigns and the four mythical beasts, each equivalent to a sovereign.
The odds, ten against two, were in their favor.