Chapter 728: The Grand Hunt Comes to an End
Within the Earth Sovereign's secret realm, Xiao Ze waved his hand, commanding the surging spiritual energy to mend the vast cracks in the space stretching across tens of thousands of miles.
"I never imagined the tribulation would end in such a way," Mandala remarked, her tone filled with both awe and relief. She couldn't help but marvel at the sheer range of Xiao Ze's words shaping reality a hallmark of an Earth Sovereign's power.
While Earth Sovereigns could manipulate a domain with their spoken will, the scope was typically limited. The fact that Xiao Ze's influence extended so far was undoubtedly a testament to the extraordinary benefits he had reaped from his unique tribulation.
Xiao Ze nodded, his gaze steady as he savored the newfound strength coursing through him. For the first time, he felt he truly had the power to establish himself in the Great Thousand World.
To step into the ranks of Earth Sovereigns was to ascend to the pinnacle of strength within the Great Thousand World. Above this realm loomed only the legendary Heavenly Sovereigns, whose actions could rewrite the very fabric of reality itself.
Even in a place as vast as the Tianluo Continent, an Earth Sovereign could establish a top tier power capable of rivaling the best.
"I was fortunate to overcome the ninth tribulation. Without that stroke of luck, facing such overwhelming might head on might not have been enough to see me through," Xiao Ze admitted with a calm but reflective tone.
As he spoke, the thousand foot tall Sovereign Avatar descended from the sky, its golden glow radiating a divine and awe inspiring presence.
Mandala studied the Avatar carefully. At first glance, it appeared unchanged, retaining its radiant and towering form. But a closer inspection revealed a deeper, almost seamless integration with the natural world. Even its simple movements now stirred wind and thunder.
Retracting her gaze from the Avatar, Mandala smiled at Xiao Ze. "Regardless of how you did it, congratulations on reaching the Earth Sovereign level. It's hard to believe that just a few months ago, you were only at the eighth grade Sovereign stage. And now, you've already broken through to the Earth Sovereign realm."
"It was a combination of luck and opportunity," Xiao Ze replied modestly. "But we've been delayed long enough. It's time to regroup with the Three Kings and the other Sovereigns."
Mandala exhaled deeply, her body relaxing. "This Grand Hunt has ended without major mishaps, though the gains were limited."
Catching her subtle tone, Xiao Ze chuckled. "Don't worry, Mandala. I haven't forgotten my promise to refine a divine pill for you two, even!"
"You'd better keep your word," Mandala huffed, her voice tinged with mock annoyance. She had sacrificed her prized perfect grade Spiritual Divine Liquid to assist Xiao Ze during his tribulation, and the thought of losing such a treasure still stung. However, Xiao Ze's successful breakthrough into the Earth Sovereign realm made it a worthwhile investment.
Not long after, Xiao Ze and Mandala broke through the maze to reunite with the Three Kings and other Sovereigns. Along the way, they captured the remaining members of the Blood Spirit Sect. With the Blood Spirit Sect Master confirmed dead, their forces now lay at Xiao Ze's mercy.
Meanwhile, the Heaven Abyss Pavilion Master had taken his forces and retreated swiftly from the secret realm. He had briefly considered dealing with the Blood Spirit Sect himself but ultimately decided against it. The sect was now the rightful spoils of war for the Great Luo Domain, which had two Earth Sovereign level fighters. Challenging them would only invite disaster.
The Blood Spirit Sect's members, seeing their leader dead and two Earth Sovereigns looming over them, abandoned all hope of resistance. In the face of such overwhelming power, surrender was the only option.
With the Grand Hunt concluded, the Great Luo Domain quickly began assimilating the Blood Spirit Sect's assets, significantly bolstering its overall strength.
While other top tier forces had also suffered casualties, Xiao Ze and Mandala refrained from further conflicts. The wealth and influence gained from absorbing the Blood Spirit Sect were more than sufficient to elevate the Great Luo Domain to new heights.
However, the redistribution of power didn't sit well with the Northern Territory's other major forces. Some, like the Divine Pavilion, openly sought to challenge the Great Luo Domain. But when the Divine Pavilion's leader suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Xiao Ze and Mandala, the tide quickly turned.
The confrontation culminated in the Divine Pavilion leader being forced to offer a hefty tribute of Sovereign Spirit Liquid as reparations, a humiliation that sent shockwaves throughout the Northern Territory.
Even the Heaven Abyss Pavilion Master couldn't help but smirk at the Divine Pavilion's misfortune. After returning from the secret realm, he had issued a strict order to his subordinates: no one was to disclose any information about the Great Luo Domain's new Earth Sovereign. He had anticipated that other factions would foolishly test their newfound strength and reap the consequences.
As expected, the crushing defeat of the Divine Pavilion served as a stark warning to the other top tier powers.
The Great Luo Domain's dominance had reached a new pinnacle.
For the Northern Territory's top tier forces, the realization was clear: with two Earth Sovereigns and the resources of the Blood Spirit Sect, the Great Luo Domain had become an undeniable superpower.
Despite this, the Great Luo Domain had no immediate ambitions to conquer the Northern Territory outright. Such a move would likely provoke the other powers into forming a coalition against them. For now, the Great Luo Domain chose to bide its time, consolidating its strength and avoiding unnecessary provocations.
After all, no faction wanted to risk becoming the "first target" of a power with two Earth Sovereigns.
Amid the tense and shifting political landscape, Xiao Ze remained largely unbothered. Aside from his brief battle with the Divine Pavilion leader, he spent most of his time in Mandala's palace.
There, he focused on stabilizing his cultivation base and fulfilling his promise to refine two divine pills for Mandala.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ze instructed Mandala to gather intelligence on emerging opportunities and ancient inheritances within the Great Thousand World. Now that his foundation was solid, he intended to pursue greater fortunes and push his cultivation even further.
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