Age of Adepts

Elementium was not scary! What was scary were the principles!

For high-grade creatures, their powerful elementium resistance provided them with basic elementium immunity. Ordinary fire, frost, and wind could no longer faze them. At the very best, these elements could only cause them a little trouble.

The only things that high-grade creatures feared were laws and principles– the deeper applications of power that reached towards the origin of all power.

They could never avoid the laws and principles, let alone reach the level of immunity!

Thus, when two Fourth Grade powerhouses made up their minds to battle, the first things to clash were the elementium laws in their possession.

Fire and void energy!

Neither was superior or inferior. They were both a part of the massive system of power in the multiverse. When the two forces clashed, the primary contest was between the casters’ understanding and mastery of their respective laws, as well as their ability to move the principles using the laws as a lever.

Greem possessed an overwhelming advantage in these aspects!

The void energy that Starspirit Tulas possessed was undoubtedly an exceptionally powerful and unique form of power. It was mysterious and strange, its secrets mostly unknown to outsiders. Consequently, Tulas’ offensive power was slightly stronger than Greem’s.

However, in a contest of forces, power wasn’t the only consideration. The auxiliary forces were also a deciding factor.

Tulas might have decent high-grade equipment on him, but that equipment still fell incredibly short compared to Greem and his two artifacts. Of the two artifacts that Greem held, the Orb of the Fire God was used for offense and the Tome of Corruption for defense. The help that these two pieces of equipment provided him in a battle of laws was tremendous.

The moment their law powers clashed, Tulas’ expression changed. An ominous feeling rose in his heart.

Fire versus void energy!

It was the violent fire energy that possessed the absolute advantage in the clash. The flames crushed the void energy runes that Tulas had unleashed, and the fire laws instantly affected Tulas’ cloud body.

The void energy shields shattered, and the void energy runes dissipated. The law fires ignited Tulas’ body and instantly started burning. Tulas’ void energy was not only unable to protect his consciousness core, but was even forcibly used as fuel by the surging fire laws. The flames started to spread and became impossible to extinguish easily.

Meanwhile, most of Tulas’ desperate retaliatory attacks were dispelled by the law fires. What remained of the damage that got through was also endured by the Orb of the Fire God. Greem was barely touched under those layers upon layers of defenses.

The void energy runes that managed to reach Greem and enter his body were able to convert part of his fire energy into terrifying chaos energy. However, Greem had the starbeast bloodline and was able to absorb such chaos energy.

As such, the starspirit’s retaliation wasn’t even able to inflict as much damage as Greem’s body was capable of healing. Some of these wounds healed in an instant the moment they appeared. They did not affect Greem’s combat prowess in the slightest.

One was powerful, and the other was weak. Both of them had used their most potent attacks, but the impact was remarkably different.

The figures of the blazing humanoid and the blue mist slowly moved into the distance as they fought. The battlefield slowly moved towards the edge of the ice palace as the mists clamored with loud explosions and tremors. Even though their figures were obscured now, it was easy to imagine their battle’s intensity and ferocity through the commotion rippling through the mist and the loud noises involved.

Kanganas, who remained in the center of the palace, didn’t dare slack off either.

He could tell that Tulas was not Greem’s opponent at all. As such, he had to finish off this already grievously injured dragon before Greem returned.

It was obviously a tremendous challenge for him!

The skeletal dragon was still a powerful creature, after all. No one would be able to gain an edge over it quickly.

Time was life itself!

Kanganas started to fight with all he had for the sake of the Ancient Reliquary.

As his deep, low voice chanted out the magical words, an undead dimension slowly opened once more. A new army of elite undead swarmed out from the portal and charged at Nax recklessly.

An even more ferocious and savage battle broke out instantly.

…………

The rest of the party members had met up outside the towering and majestic palace.

They each took up a space for themselves, far away from each other. They stared into the continually moving ice mists, the light in their eyes flickering. No one knew what they were thinking.

The starspirit seemed to have lost all interest in what was happening in the palace. Stars glowed in his cloud-like body as he stared coldly at Greem.

“Fireman, that’s a Fifth Grade dual-attribute artifact. Are you not interested in it in the slightest?” It was Sand King who spoke first.

His body was still in poor condition, his carapace covered in cracks and blue frost. However, his Spirit was mostly in good condition, and he still had over sixty percent of his combat strength left.

“So what if it’s a Fifth Grade artifact? It isn’t compatible with me. Even if I take it by force, I will end up in just as miserable a condition as the dragon. I will be turned into something that is neither human nor monster. I quite like my human body. I have no intention of turning into a monster with no physical senses!” Greem replied casually, completely ignoring Tulas’ furious gaze.

“Of course, you don’t care! You already have two Fifth Grade artifacts in your possession, both of which are compatible with your innate attributes. Hmph! If you’re so powerful, why don’t you stop using your artifacts and have a proper fight with me again!” Tulas was still upset at the situation.

After the battle earlier, he thoroughly and finally understood all the aces up this adept’s sleeve.

Sand King and Sshina opened their mouths wide when they heard Tulas reveal Greem’s secrets. They stared at this young adept in horror.

They had already heard stories about the World of Adepts’ powerful civilization, but they didn’t expect that an adept from that world could be so unbelievably powerful. Compared to the skeletal dragon in the ice palace, this fire adept was probably the true monster here!

Sshina, who was the weakest of them here, couldn’t help but show a trace of worry on her face. Her tattered snake tail slithered slightly as she subtly put some distance between her and the fire adept.

Even Sand King started turning his green compound eyes as he silently assessed this inconspicuous human.

As powerful creatures from other worlds, their assessment of a creature’s power was mostly based on whether that being possessed a powerful body and soul. They didn’t really care too much for magical equipment or weapons.

After all, most of their own worlds did not have power systems as complete or powerful as the World of Adepts.

They had only evolved into what they were after tens of thousands of bloody battles, emerging from amongst countless other creatures as the apex predators. They lived in odd, twisted but plentiful worlds, often possessing powerful talents in certain areas. However, the worlds they lived in often had very primal, backward civilizations, if they had any at all.

In truth, this was the condition of most planar worlds!

The powerful civilizations that currently existed in the universe had not come into being naturally. They had all been elevated to their greatness with thousands of years of development.

Countless adepts had stepped out of the World of Adepts, explored the boundless space, searched for rare treasures and resources, conquered innumerable planes, gathered all their essences, and brought them back to the World of Adepts.

This selfish act of raiding that they constantly committed empowered and strengthened the world consciousness of the World of Adepts. The inclusion of foreign resources and knowledge systems allowed the World of Adepts’ planar consciousness to grow continually. In doing so, it gave back to the power system of the world.

Of the major planar worlds, the worlds that had a healthy and comprehensive cultivation system like the World of Adepts–along with proper alchemy techniques and rich resources–were incredibly rare.

Fourth Grade beings like Sand King and Sshina from alien worlds were very likely the most powerful beings in their worlds. However, in the World of Adepts, they were only at the level of elite Fourth Grade adepts.

In fact, neither Sand King nor Sshina could be considered any of the best amongst the elite adepts. They only had exceptional talents in certain areas and aspects of fighting!

That was why the two of them became cautious and fearful in front of this powerful fire adept from the World of Adepts. They were no longer as bold or arrogant as they had been when they first met him.

Meanwhile, even though Tulas believed himself to be just as powerful as Greem himself, he recognized and feared the two origin artifacts he possessed. In all honesty, it was because he didn’t realize Greem’s actual situation that he had suffered such a terrible loss in their exchange earlier.

Greem nearly laughed out loud when he heard Tulas’ venting words. He couldn’t help but reply, “In the World of Adepts, equipment is part of an individual’s power. In fact, it’s a vital component of their power.

“We human adepts do not have the natural Physique of magical creatures or your different species’ unique, innate abilities. What are we supposed to fight all of you with, if not with our equipment? You wouldn’t ask the dragon to cut off its claws, its wings, and then pluck off its scales before you fight it, would you?”

Tulas fell silent.

They had always been the strongest individuals in their homeworlds. Now that they had stepped out of their worlds and witnessed the might of individuals from other planes, it was only natural that they would lose their confidence and become desperate.

“I promised you quite a lot earlier. Why did you not help me, but the lich instead?” A short moment later, Tulas finally asked the question that he wanted answered most.

“Because he possesses a force behind him, while you are only one individual!” Greem smiled. “Putting aside the slight difference in your combat prowess, the benefits I get from helping him is much larger than what I would get from helping you.”

Tulas was once again silent!

“It seems like it’s settled,” Sand King, who had been paying attention to the battle in the palace, suddenly cried out.

Everybody lifted their heads and cast their gaze into the depth of the mists.