Sovereign of the Ashes

The Astral Stone’s interplanar communication feature could conceal the life levels of communicators from both sides.

When the communication channel formed, neither Sein from the Magus World nor Belbacor, the self-proclaimed Sovereign of Mount Lava, could accurately gauge the other’s strength.

Nevertheless, subtle clues allowed each to infer something about the other.

Sein, noting Belbacor’s aura and resolute tone, deduced that Belbacor’s life level significantly surpassed his own.

Yet, he doubted Belbacor matched the formidable presence of the Rank Four tower masters, as his intimidating presence fell short of their overwhelming intensity.

Belbacor, too, was unable to discern Sein’s specific life level.

However, upon establishing the communication, Belbacor sensed the abundant elemental power and energy of the distant Magus World.

Such abundance typically signified a higher-level plane, often inhabited by superior life forms.

Belbacor, recognized as a demigod by the standards of the Astral Realm, had already begun to wield the power of laws.

Sensing the dense, intricate planar laws of the Magus World, the self-proclaimed “Sovereign of Mount Lava” lapsed into a contemplative silence after fully grasping the situation.

This prolonged silence marked Sein’s initial interaction with an entity from another plane.

It was his first time engaging in such communication, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.

The communication channel, created by the Astral Stone, had emerged too unexpectedly.

Meanwhile, Belbacor was intimidated by the terrifying power of laws in Sein’s world.

It internally marveled at the formidable strength of this otherworld, surpassing even the Eternal Sand World.

Belbacor, a demigod-level sovereign who ruled Moon Lake, had engaged with countless beings from distant star domains for the past thousand years, through the lake’s unique spatial communication ability.

This journey commenced amidst uncertainties, eventually maturing into confidence and mastery.

In one notable instance, Belbacor had successfully initiated contact and negotiated with a formidable creature of Rank Four from a medium-sized plane.

The communication channel that Sein had established radiated a planar strength surpassing that of Belbacor’s previous encounter with the medium-sized plane known as the Submerged Wave World.

After a considerable pause, Belbacor broke the silence, “Uh, may I inquire about the name of the plane you inhabit?”

Despite his inability to fully perceive Sein’s capabilities, Belbacor discerned from various indicators that Sein’s strength was likely inferior to his own.

This realization gradually allayed his initial apprehensions about the formidable world Sein originated from.

The communication channel they had formed was limited to verbal exchanges and some item trading, without the possibility of physical crossover between their worlds.

Belbacor knew it could terminate the interplanar communication at any moment. It was confident that Sein could not pinpoint its coordinates or pose a threat.

Belbacor’s question jolted Sein back to the present.

Belbacor’s telepathic communication was similar to the voice transmission via mental focus used by Rank One mages and above.

Sein, nearing the status of a Rank One mage, still grappled with mastering this skill. However, he was confident that he would be able to master it completely upon officially attaining Rank One status.

“My name is Sein. Before we talk about that, shouldn’t you introduce your world first?” Sein responded in a calm, friendly tone, unfazed by Belbacor’s superior life level.

Sein spoke in the language of the Magus World.

Though Belbacor could not understand the language, it managed to grasp the essence of Sein’s words through the tone and the subtle shifts in his mental focus.

Interplanar communication and warfare were typically purview of entities beyond Rank One.

It was indeed a little too early for Sein to be engaging with extraplanar creatures, given that he was still an initiate.

“Huh? You haven’t reached Rank One yet, have you, little one? Or are you hesitant to engage with me using your mental focus?” Belbacor’s voice echoed once more.

Sein remained silent this time, offering no response.

Belbacor, perhaps reassured by Sein’s apparent weakness, spoke more relaxedly. “Fine, it’s just a plane’s name. It won’t give away our coordinates. I reside in the Eternal Sand World.”

“What about you? What’s the name of your world? I sense that it’s very powerful,” Belbacor asked.

In such virtual communication, there was little point in lying.

Honesty, on the other hand, often led to more fruitful communication and fairer trade.

After pausing to consider, Sein responded, “I am a Quasi Mage from the Magus World.”

“A mage from the Magus World?!” Belbacor’s emotions fluctuated noticeably upon hearing this revelation.

The azure-colored oval screen, provided by the Astral Stone in front of Sein, flickered. It seemed as if Belbacor, at the other end, was contemplating whether to terminate the interplanar communication.

However, the channel eventually stabilized.

Belbacor surmised that Sein, merely on the cusp of becoming a Rank One mage, was not a threat. Engaging in successful communication with Sein could even become a story worth boasting about to his fellow sovereigns in the Eternal Sand World.

Furthermore, the Magus Civilization, renowned for its formidable influence across neighboring worlds and star domains, was known for its vast wealth and advanced level of development, especially compared to those in lesser planes.

Even as a mere Rank One entity, Sein might possess items of interest to Belbacor.

This was the beauty of interplanar communication—one person’s trash could be another person’s treasure.

In a previous deal, Belbacor had exchanged two tons of lava crystals for an equal amount of undersea ice crystals from a Rank Four entity, the Megalodon King, from a medium-sized plane.

Belbacor remained convinced that it had made a profitable exchange.