Outside Blackcloud City.
Sadius and Dylin stood just beyond the city limits.
In the Infernal Realm, fighting inside a city was forbidden.
This was a rule set by the Sovereigns themselves—even a Great Perfection Highgod wouldn't dare violate it.
Sadius released his divine sense outward, and in no time, he had locked onto the aura of the Blackcloud Fiend.
"Blackcloud Fiend! Sadius has come to challenge you!"
His voice carried from outside the city straight into its heart.
Instantly, countless divine senses swept out, probing.
A mere Midgod?
Whispers of disbelief rippled through the city.
"Challenging a Seven-Star Fiend?"
The thought alone made many unable to believe what they sensed.
Soon after, a squad of Blackcloud City soldiers flew out through the city gates.
"Where did this fool come from, not knowing the height of heaven or the depth of earth? Looking for death, are you?!"
Without hesitation, the soldiers launched their attack.
But Sadius calmly activated the Amethyst Space, enveloping the entire squad.
108 razor-sharp amethyst spikes shot out from his body, whirling violently within the enclosed space.
Moments later, he recalled the Amethyst Space, the spikes retracting seamlessly back into his body. One by one, lifeless corpses plummeted from midair.
They were dead beyond a doubt.
Inside the city, a stationed Highgod who witnessed this immediately realized the situation wasn't simple. He hurriedly notified his superior before taking off and flying out of Blackcloud City himself.
"You there! Who are you to dare shed blood outside Blackcloud City? This city is under the rule of the Seven-Star Fiend Blackcloud!"
In the Infernal Realm, only a Seven-Star Fiend was worthy of bearing such a title.
Every single one of them was an immensely powerful Highgod, their strength just a step beneath the Shuras—half a step away from the absolute peak of divinity.
Ordinary Highgods couldn't even hope to stand against a Seven-Star Fiend, let alone a mere Midgod.
"I am Sadius," he replied calmly. "I came by the dying request of the Extreme Fiend, to challenge the Blackcloud Fiend."
Extreme Fiend!
Within Blackcloud City, who didn't know this name?
Originally, this city was called City of Extremes, its lord once the Seven-Star Fiend known as the Extreme Fiend.
But fate had turned cruel. The Extreme Fiend had been challenged by a Six-Star Fiend.
And the result?
The Extreme Fiend was slain, while the challenger ascended to Seven-Star status, taking the new title Blackcloud.
From that day forward, the City of Extremes was renamed Blackcloud City, and the Blackcloud Fiend became its lord.
Logically, anyone capable of killing a Seven-Star Fiend was undoubtedly one of the strongest among their rank.
Few would dare to challenge such a being.
And yet now, someone had come to challenge the Blackcloud Fiend—not merely anyone, but someone claiming to have come on behalf of the fallen Extreme Fiend.
Even more absurd… this challenger was just a Midgod.
Revenge?
A Midgod seeking revenge against a Seven-Star Fiend?
Yet Sadius had just demonstrated strength far beyond that of an ordinary Midgod. In a single move, he annihilated an entire squad of Midgod soldiers.
The stationed Highgod who arrived had no choice but to step forward and prepare to apprehend him.
This Highgod was a Five-Star Fiend, considered a fairly strong expert within the city.
Outside of the city lord and a handful of Six-Star Fiends, he was one of the top fighters.
But in truth, even a Five-Star Fiend was merely someone who had fused two profound mysteries—not truly that formidable.
Judging from the attack Sadius had just displayed…
This Midgod's strength was actually above his own. He suspected Sadius was at least at the level of a Six-Star Fiend.
A Midgod who already possessed Six-Star Fiend strength was a rare genius even in the Infernal Realm.
Naturally, this Highgod knew he was no match.
"Do you even realize," the Highgod said, "that the lord of Blackcloud City is an exceedingly powerful Seven-Star Fiend? He personally killed the Extreme Fiend and took the title of city lord!"
"If I didn't know, I wouldn't have come to challenge him," Sadius answered flatly.
"Since you know, why not cultivate until you reach the Highgod level before seeking revenge for the Extreme Fiend?"
Clearly, this Highgod knew the full history of what had happened in this city.
Normally, when a challenge took place, life and death were at stake…
But even if you killed someone's strongest divine clone, it usually ended there.
Not the Blackcloud Fiend.
After slaying the Extreme Fiend's most powerful divine clone, he ordered a complete massacre.
Every single follower or confidant of the Extreme Fiend was hunted down and killed—only a small handful had managed to escape the city.
It was said that not long ago, the Blackcloud Fiend sent forces to completely eradicate the last remnants of the Extreme Fiend's loyalists.
Clearly, this man ruled with ruthless cruelty.
"I don't have that kind of time," Sadius said simply. "After the challenge, I'll be leaving."
Sadius did not trouble this Highgod further—after all, the man hadn't attacked him.
Soon, another Highgod flew out from the city.
Sadius recognized him.
Back during his Fiend Trials, this man had been one of the proctors for the assessment.
But clearly, the man didn't recognize Sadius.
"Lord Tynodsen!" the Five-Star Fiend quickly reported. "This man is called Sadius. Though only a Midgod, he already has the strength of a Six-Star Fiend!"
Tynodsen fixed a cold gaze on Sadius.
"Boy," he sneered, "my lord has close ties with the Lord of Ziyang Prefecture. You'd better not stir up trouble here!"
By invoking the name of a prefectural lord, Tynodsen assumed Sadius would show some fear.
A Midgod with Six-Star strength was indeed an extraordinary talent.
If he were to reach the Highgod level, he might very well become a Seven-Star Fiend in the future.
Such geniuses were usually connected to major clans.
So Tynodsen decided to probe a bit first.
Lord of Ziyang Prefecture?
Typically, a prefectural lord had about Five-Fusion-level strength.
Some were Four-Fusion Highgods who possessed unique ultimate techniques or innate divine abilities, making them capable of matching Five-Fusion experts.
And among prefectural lords, a select few were actually Emissarys of the Sovereigns, possessing Sovereign Artifacts personally granted by a Sovereign—those prefectural lords were truly formidable.
Of course, not all prefectural lords were Sovereign Emissarys.
The Sovereigns were limited in number, and so were the slots for their Emissarys.
Clearly, the Lord of Ziyang Prefecture was not a Sovereign Emissary.
Since the opponent wasn't a Sovereign Emissary, Sadius naturally felt no fear.
"Today, I challenge the Blackcloud Fiend. If he's too frightened, he can just cower inside Blackcloud City like a turtle hiding in its shell."
Those words instantly enraged Tynodsen.
Ten thousand years ago, he had betrayed the Extreme Fiend and become the Blackcloud Fiend's most loyal dog.
Now he was the chief steward of Blackcloud City.
How could he allow Sadius to insult his master so publicly?
Especially since the Blackcloud Fiend was watching all of this from within the city.
"You think you're worthy to challenge the city lord? Today, I'll cut you down myself!"
With a roar, Tynodsen lunged forward.
Sadius remained calm, leisurely activating the Amethyst Space.
Tynodsen's speed dropped sharply.
However, Sadius deliberately held back—he didn't adjust the gravity inside the Amethyst Space.
After all, the Blackcloud Fiend was his real opponent.
If he revealed too much strength now and scared Blackcloud into refusing to leave the city, then all of Sadius' preparations would go to waste.
Tynodsen felt the strange gravity of this space, but assumed it was nothing more than an ordinary trick. He immediately engaged Sadius in battle.
Outside Blackcloud City, their fight erupted into a fierce clash, drawing the attention of countless people within the city.
Some even took out Floating Shadow Crystals, beginning to record the duel.
Sadius deliberately acted as though he was struggling, gradually suppressing Tynodsen with effort.
"Tynodsen," came the cold voice of the Blackcloud Fiend through divine sense, "if you can't handle a single Midgod, then you can forget being the steward of Blackcloud City from now on."
Hearing his master's voice, Tynodsen had no choice but to unleash his full strength against Sadius.