Even if they were diviners, they were still subject to the Laws. They couldn’t be truly free.
Of course, to break through the laws completely, you had to break past the ruler level and become a transcendent.
But that realm was too far away. Even the ruler level was unfathomably distant.
Transcendence was too difficult.
Throughout the history of the Upper Three Realms, only one person had ever successfully transcended the laws.
That was none other than the North Star Emperor, the first Emperor Star.
As for the others, even if they were as strong as the God, Demon, and Yao Emperors, they were still ultimately restricted by the Laws. No matter how close they got to transcendence, they’d yet to take that final step.
Although any given cultivator’s odds of reaching transcendence were miniscule, so long as they became rulers, they could escape the Laws within their own domains. They couldn’t transcend the Laws completely, but it was the next best thing.
Cultivators.
They cultivated for the sake of eternal life, to transcend the restrictions of the world!
As the young elites were immersed in their longing for a ruler’s domain, Sha Ke’s purple smog enveloped the black dog.
The instant the domain surrounded it, the dog, which had been happily pracing about and wagging its tail this whole time, suddenly quieted down.
Its long tail drooped, and its crafty eyes looked straight ahead, where an indistinct figure stood.
The figure looked like a yao or demon, and through the purple smog, onlookers could see that its head was over a thousand feet tall. It had a pointy chin with prominent cheekbones, and its enormous eyes flickered with sinister purple light. It opened its mouth wide, as if intent on swallowing heaven and earth. In the process, it bore its sharp fangs, and its long hair dragged along the ground.
This is what the dog was looking at!
As it stared at the figure, the dog grew increasingly agitated. It arched its back and circled, and its provocative sneer faded, replaced by a surprisingly human serious look. From time to time, it growled.
“Grrrrr…” The black dog came to a stop. Vicious growls escaped its throat.
Its sharp claws scratched agitatedly against the earth as it stared at that indistinct figure. The figure presented a clear threat. The dog didn’t know what it was doing, but it was uneasy nonetheless.
As the black dog and Demon God prepared themselves for battle, Li Hu nudged Luo Zi, then asked him and the others, “Do you think that dog can beat the Demon God?”
As usual, Jiang Wei’s gaze was indifferent. It seemed it was in his nature to disdain just about everything.
The others said nothing. They simply gazed straight ahead.
In the end, Jiang Yong was the first to break the silence. “Probably not.”
“You’re sure it can’t win? It just killed a Divine Demon General!” said Li Hu.
“Yes, but that was an ambush. Also, the gap between a Divine Demon General and a Demon God is enormous. You can see it too, right? That Demon God’s domain is strong. Within its bounds, he rules over all things. We don’t know that dog’s exact cultivation, but I sincerely doubt it's at a Demon God’s level. If even their pet could contend with a Demon God, just how strong would its master have to be?” said Jiang Yong.
“Then what do we do? The dog’s on our side, isn’t it? Shouldn’t we help it?” Li Hu nudged Ye Zichen. “Platoon Leader Ye, do you recognize that dog? It seems it’s here to save you. If you recognize it, you should ask Lady Providence to save it!”
To tell the truth, Ye Zichen really did get the sense that he’d seen this dog somewhere before.
When he saw it, he felt a sense of deja vu.
But whether he knew the dog or not, it had come here to save him. He couldn’t just ignore it when it needed help.
At his current level, there was no way he could overpower a Demon God. He glanced instinctively at Xuan Ji, only to see her expressionless face.
She obviously had no intention of intervening.
Ye Zichen shrugged at Li Hu. Jiang Yong turned to Li Hu and said, “If anything happens to that dog, its owner should show up. There’s no need for you to worry about it, is there? Also, that dog’s cultivation is undoubtedly high. Even if it can’t win, it should be able to go a few rounds with that Demon God!”
The Holy Maiden was focused on the dog’s battle too. She was curious to see just how strong it was and figure out why looking at it filled her with dread.
The others were much the same way. They were all waiting for the black dog to take action….
“Grr…..” The dog growled, and the onlookers couldn’t help but arch their brows. Is it going to attack?
The demon elites’ expressions were grave, but the other two races looked eager. The dog was up against a Demon Dog, not just a Divine Demon General.
If the dog bit the Demon God to death, that would be a wonderful thing for the other two races.
They focused on the battle below, eager to see that black blur reappear.
However…..
In the face of that enormous illusory figure, the black dog whimpered, turned around, and ran off while yelping.
“What? Is it trying to plead for mercy?” The gods and yao couldn’t help but kavetch. It seemed the dog wasn’t even going to resist. It just wanted to run away! Was this really that disdainful dog who’d provoked the entire demon race? Was this really the same dog that had peed on a Divine Demon General’s face?
The difference was just too big!
Even though it’s current opponent was far stronger than the general, it ought to at least act tough! It ought to at least take a bite or two out of its opponent before it went down!
This dog really was outrageous.
The people who’d been hoping for the dog to create another miracle were speechless. They silently gazed down at the fleeing dog and sighed.
It wanted to run, but could it?
It had entered a ruler’s domain, but now it wanted to run? Was this a joke?
If it didn’t resist, that was no different from just waiting to die.
They could already guess what would happen to this dog. A few were still hoping that the dog might fight back in the end. Even if it couldn’t kill the Demon God, it would be good if it could at least injure him.
But this dog seemed determined to flee. It yelped and barked with every step.
Beneath the purple smog, Sha Ke smiled hideously. He’d felt oppressed, stifled, and disgraced ever since running into Xuan Ji. His temper had been building up inside him, blazing hot enough to set the whole Divine Mountain on fire.
He needed to vent, and the dog was the perfect target….
“You want to run? It’s too late!” As he spoke, the illusory figure in the smog opened its mouth wide. When the dog saw this, it ran even faster and yelped even louder.
“Die!” Those vicious jaws went straight towards the dog, which now seemed on the verge of tears. It yelped into the heavens at the top of its lungs.
“Didn’t you say you could handle this? Now you’re begging me for help?” A disdainful sneer suddenly emanated from above. The dog yelped and howled in response.
“So, you understand fear after all. Jeez. I let you increase your cultivation, but it seems it got to your head. Do you still know which of us is boss?”
The dog howled frantically in response.
“Lie down, little puppy!” This low shout was accompanied by a gust of wind so fierce, the crowd struggled to open their eyes. By the time the wind had swept by, it dispersed all of the Demon God’s purple smoke.
“You dare hit my dog? It seems you’re sick of living!”