Chapter 2: Mysterious Short Spear

"Congratulations, Lord Shawn." Burei felt great joy in his heart.

Shawn glanced at Burei, then waved his right hand, producing a ring, and transmitted it to Burei with divine power, saying: "This is the reward we previously agreed upon; later I will teach you how to refine this Soul Defense Artifact."

The Soul Defense Artifact can only be crafted by a pinnacle master of the soul, and for most people its value is extremely high, even not less than Divine Lord's Power;

But for someone capable of forging it, it merely consumes the lifespan of a single Sky‑Covering Emperor to forge.

"Thank you." Burei's heart leapt with joy after receiving the ring.

He belongs to a special race; when he transforms, his body can hard‑resist material attacks from Seven‑Star Demons, but his soul is too weak, so even a powerful upper‑ranked deity can threaten him, especially in this underworld where god‑level souls are everywhere.

"The method for the Soul Defense Artifact to recognize its master is," Shawn continued.

Under Shawn's guidance, Burei also successfully made the Soul Defense Artifact recognize him; Shawn reminded, "Burei, this Soul Defense Artifact works like the Material Defense Artifact—when struck by a strong opponent it weakens. The one I gave you can probably withstand three soul attacks from an average Seven‑Star Demon."

"Three times, that's quite good," Burei said, still very happy; under normal circumstances, Seven‑Star Demons are not that easy to encounter.

Shawn added, "Where do you plan to go next?"

Burei thought and replied, "I have no plans; I just want to find a safe place to study a magic array."

"Then stay on my side; on Black Wind Mountain there are a dozen or so Seven‑Star Demon‑rank masters," Shawn said again. "As long as they're not Prefect‑level masters, it's basically safe. Whatever materials you need, just have them purchase them in nearby Ink Abyss City."

"Fine." Burei also knew he could not refuse a super‑strongman's request.

He was also terrified; Shawn had actually soul‑seeded dozens of Seven‑Star Demons—how dreadful.

After securing the magic‑array master, Shawn left Black Wind Mountain again; he needed to seek more wealth so he could continue extracting Divine Lord's Power. Though the current sixteen droplets seem many, time is limitless, and aside from Leisi Crystal, a Lord God's descendant, no Lord God's envoy has ever complained about having too much.

After flying tens of millions of li, he suddenly sensed a massive energy fluctuation in the distance.

"Divine Lord's Power?" Shawn looked toward a direction, and at the same time his Soul Pearl deep within his soul also emitted an energy ripple.

"The Soul Pearl is reacting too?"

Shawn was astonished; in billions of years this was the first time. He had always wondered what the Soul Pearl truly was, but after long study he had no clue—only that the thing is indestructible, yet its surface bears a crack of unknown origin.

Of course, that indestructibility might have some leeway, since he hadn't attacked the Prime Artifact to test whether it could harm the Soul Pearl itself.

But judging from its soul characteristics, it is unquestionably far stronger than a Prime Artifact‑level treasure.

"Sir, what's wrong?" someone behind asked.

Shawn turned his head, then said, "Someone ahead is battling, using Divine Lord's Power; let's go see."

Around him were always about a dozen soul‑seeded Seven‑Star Demons, making it convenient to assign them tasks.

When outside, Shawn forbade them from calling him "master"; they must use "sir" or sometimes "mister," because in the underworld each Seven‑Star Demon is renowned, and if they all called him "master" the attention would be too great.

"Divine Lord's Power?" The eyes of the dozen Seven‑Star Demons showed envy.

Although soul‑seeded, they remain normal aside from absolute loyalty to their master; as Seven‑Star Demons they have longed all their lives for a drop of Divine Lord's Power, even if unused, it can deter enemies or save lives in crucial moments.

"Let's go, let's see together," Shawn continued.

If it were only Divine Lord's Power, he might not have joined the commotion, but with the Soul Pearl responding, he had to investigate.

Throughout the journey, Shawn did not emit the strong spiritual awareness of a three‑path soul mutation, because such a presence would be detected before Divine Lord's Power, and since he wasn't using Divine Lord's Power, displaying such strong awareness could lead the opponent to suspect his soul‑mutated nature; after all, those who wield Divine Lord's Power are essentially underworld pinnacle masters.

The group soon arrived at a valley; tens of thousands of meters ahead in the high sky, many god‑level masters gathered, yet only two were engaged in combat.

One combatant radiated teal water‑type Divine Lord's Power, attacking the opponent at full force, while the other, oddly, wielded a strange short spear whose power was immense—its swing could tear the underworld's space, exposing multicolored spatial turbulence—yet this person did not use Divine Lord's Power.

Being able to match a Divine Lord's Power user without such power can only indicate a huge innate gap between the two, or that the weapon is to credit.

"Is that the Prime Artifact?" Shawn guessed, though he was uncertain.

Because he sensed that the Soul Pearl's energy tremor was caused by the short spear in that person's hand; such power likely indicates a Prime Artifact, yet if a Prime Artifact exists, why is there no Divine Lord's Power?

All this was puzzling, but he did not emit spiritual awareness, making detection difficult, so he could only watch from afar.

"Sir, that strong one wielding the Destruction Rule is called Nasair, a Seven‑Star Demon who practices the Destruction Rule," a soul‑seeded Seven‑Star Demon behind transmitted, "but he should reside in a tribe he founded millions of li away; we don't know why he's here."

"Nasair?" Shawn nodded; he had heard the name. "It seems he's being besieged by many, and they even spent Divine Lord's Power to deal with him. Who did he offend? The one using Divine Lord's Power and his companions—do you know them?"

"Don't know," the others replied via transmission.

"Looking at that water‑type master, he probably has merged three types," Shawn frowned, "yet even with Divine Lord's Power he can't affect a Seven‑Star Demon who hasn't used Divine Lord's Power—somewhat odd."

Even if Nasair holds the Prime Artifact, it can only attack or defend against material assaults and is ineffective against soul attacks; it couldn't have lasted until now unless the opponent deliberately refrained from killing, perhaps aiming to capture him alive?

"Nasair, surrender the Prime Artifact, relinquish recognition, and I will spare your life," the water‑type master wielding water‑type Divine Lord's Power roared.

Nasair laughed heartily: "Stop dreaming, Buweit, even if I die I'll throw it into the turbulence before death; if you have the guts, you ask."

"Looking for death." Water‑type master Buweit's face turned iron‑blue, then his mouth opened, green light flashed from his eyes, and a teal dragon silhouette appeared behind him.

"Again that move." Nasair's face changed dramatically, then he immediately retreated; the surrounding god‑level masters quickly encircled, but he merely flicked his wrist, and the short spear emitted a surge of ink‑black energy, freezing anyone who approached.

Even at his speed, he was affected; the innate divine skill Dragon Roar surged, and Nasair instantly blocked it with the short spear, the skill striking the spear and causing time around him to slow sharply,

Buweit also charged forward, a battle blade slashing straight at Nasair's chest, clearly not intending to kill him.

Although Nasair was restrained by Dragon Roar, the short spear instantly emitted even stronger ink‑black energy; when Buweit approached, his soul felt excruciating pain—non‑lethal, yet he dared not gamble and quickly retreated again.

"This Prime Artifact's previous owner must have been a top‑tier master of the Destruction Rule; the divine spear contains such strong killing aura," Buweit's face turned iron‑blue, jealousy rising. "Nasair's terrible luck—he actually snagged such a powerful Prime Artifact."

But once I seize it, the Prime Artifact will be mine.

In that brief moment, Nasair recovered from Dragon Roar, his dread intensifying; if this continues, his death is certain.

Afterward, he glanced and saw that far away perhaps a dozen people were watching the spectacle, so he immediately rushed forward.

"Trying to run, huh!" Buweit was not worried at all; with Divine Lord's Power, in terms of speed, Nasair with the Prime Artifact couldn't match him.

"Dragon Roar, of the Four Beast Clan?" Shawn, upon seeing the innate divine skill, frowned and transmitted, "Let's go."

The Four Beast Clan is the most domineering and shameless family across the divine planes; in many cases, they are the ones who first provoke other clans, and any slight resistance from those clans can lead to extermination or extreme humiliation.

Although Shawn is a lone wanderer, he does not wish to provoke this clan and usually tries to avoid them.

Only in that brief moment, the besieged Nasair, relying on the ink‑black killing aura emitted by his short spear, broke through the encirclement and charged straight toward Shawn's side.

"Disaster Water Eastward?" Shawn, watching Nasair rush over, felt a hint of killing intent.

Simultaneously, the closer he got, the more the Soul Pearl inside him surged impulsively, a powerful desire making Shawn extremely…

(End of Chapter)