Badge in Azure

There was no need for Nailisi to fret. She could not afford to leave the space. If she did not put the purgatory of the fallen to good use, any of the Vermillion Knights would be powerful enough to kill her.

Even if she had Grey Memory and the Sword of Rules, there was no way she could fight over 30 level 11 beings at once, so Nailisi resorted to holding the line in the purgatory of the fallen.

If the Vermillion Knights decided not to come in, there was no other way to get out of her current predicament.

The believers within the purgatory of the fallen suffered heavy casualties. The Vermillion Knights were so powerful that Nailisi’s double had to put all she had into fighting the Vermillion Knights. Nailisi forbade her to heal any of the fallen believers, just to be ready to fight the terrifying creature that was to come.

However, none of the believers were in despair. It was not a difficult thing to be resurrected so long as one’s soul stayed intact. Even if their souls were destroyed, it would be in service to the god in the sky. It was an honor and a duty to them.

The Vermillion Knights charged inside in droves and their wild temperament burst as soon as they saw so many fallen believers inside. There was no one to provide any instruction, so they resorted to attacking the poor believers.

The purgatory of the fallen was 36 cubic miles. It was more than enough to serve as a huge battlefield, accommodating millions of beings while they tore at each other.

Saleen was increasingly near to Nailisi’s location. The magic patterns on the tower that the mages of Sreeger Island had painstakingly crafted broke one after another, making repairs impossible.

The greater the number of broken magic patterns, the slower the tower became. When the tower’s speed dropped to about 300 miles per hour, Saleen and Jason simply flew outside the tower and put it away.

Saleen did not let Sul leave, as the tower was so resilient that it was capable of supporting life no matter where it ended up, even when put away in space equipment. Prior to the tower’s existence, Saleen’s only way of carrying living beings on his person was to rely on Nailisi’s collection of purgatories.

“Saleen, keep up,” Jason said as he cast Water Flame Territory.

The Water Flame Territory wrapped Saleen up as well. If it had not been for the fact that he had been trained in Water Flame Alchemy, he would have died. The master-apprentice pair sped through the water with Jason taking the lead.

Jason’s speed exceeded 500 miles per hour. It was unbelievably fast for a level ten sorcerer. Even if he it was only because of being bolstered by traveling inside Water Flame, it was still a powerful movement skill.

Jason was capable of achieving even higher speeds, but they would not last. Saleen was capable of reaching 3000 miles per hour but only able to do so momentarily.

Jason was still able to talk while speeding in the dark underwater environment with Saleen in tow.

“Saleen, you had a body of water element. Why not put it to good use? If you’ve created your own unique skill with it, no mage could match your speed while moving underwater.”

Saleen let out a bitter laugh. “Teacher, I’m very busy.”

“Is there any mage who isn’t? The two territorial powers in your possession are powerful, but they serve as an obstacle to furthering your advancement. I’m wondering if you should strip yourself off of the two territories?”

“Wait, territories can be stripped off?”

“Of course they can. Gods and humans have similar skills at levels above 13. But it can only be done when the other party is willing. If you’re willing, I’d help you strip the two territories off your body, crafting them into equipment instead.”

Jason continued when he saw Saleen feeling reluctant, “what are you being reluctant for? Neither of the skills are easy to advance. You already have a water element territory. If you added Lightning Territory to it and combine them, it would allow you to be invincible on this plane.”

“Teacher, I really don’t have time,” Saleen answered exasperatedly.

“You will have time. I’m researching lightning magic patterns now and I would be able to mostly finish the magic amplifier in about a month. I’ll help you get your thought patterns arranged. Ancient humans succeeded in acquiring Lightning Territory. The only problem is that it is a very dangerous skill to train with. It would be easier in your case given you’ve a body of water element.”

“Why is that so, Teacher?”

“Just look at lightning in nature. It manifests exclusively during rainy days. You’re versed with water magic and that would enable you to observe and record things high up in the sky, which can be analyzed using magic formulas. The mages working under me can help you in calculating all the things.”

“Alright, Teacher. I’ll relinquish the two territories and focus on researching Lightning Territory.” Saleen made a decision. There were definitely solid reasons why Jason repeated advised him to do so. Saleen himself did not have high hopes for the two territories that he possessed, after all.

Even if he created a puppet world, it would still prove inferior to the lightning rules that he was familiar with.

Such was the benefit of having a teacher. Jason’s sight had always been on greater things than Saleen, and he had been able to advance at a frightening speed.

Saleen felt that Jason was so focused on crafting the magic amplifier not because he wanted to amplify his combat prowess, but that he wanted to advance to level 11 through the crafting process.

He had spent over 100 years in the temple and finally caught up to his teacher’s level, and his teacher’s level would soon be further away from his. Jason did not even bother considering the Six Elements’ space an option.

Jason was relieved to learn that Saleen did not get anxious after advancing to level ten, and was still able to listen to him. More importantly, Saleen was able to tell what was right without him having to say much.

Teachers were there to guide their students, but a teacher’s guidance was not always correct. Some students were so eerily talented that they became something that not even their teachers could aspire to be.

Jason was able to see that Saleen was destined for great things. So long as the power across the plane continue to rise, it was only a matter of time before Saleen made it to level 13. It had nothing to do with talent, as it was due to Saleen’s luck.

Mages believed in luck, and Saleen’s luck seemed to be closely linked to the Myers Mainland. The boon that Saleen acquired from the rise of power of Myers Mainland exceeded any person on the plane.

Jason had brought Saleen over a thousand miles away before he realized it. Saleen was even able to sense Nailisi’s presence.

“Teacher, over there!” Saleen said as he pointed at a direction. It was where Nailisi had hidden herself, about a hundred miles away.

Saleen breathed deeply as he saw fiery lights about a hundred miles away. They were undersea, and any being capable of lighting fires in such an environment would be incredibly powerful. Saleen’s ears caught the roar of the golden dragon, one of Nailisi’s forms.

Things got this bad?

“Don’t fret, Saleen. The most powerful being is not here yet. The fire type element spirit seemed to have run,” Jason said calmly.

Saleen was exasperated. His speed was inferior to his teacher’s. If he covered over a hundred miles, he had no choice but to move within his teacher’s territory.

A huge number of elemental creatures appeared outside of the 12 Notes of First Purgatory. It was not due to more underlings of the fire type element spirit appearing, but due to the skill of the remaining Vermillion Knights—Elemental Rampage.

All elemental creatures within 1000 miles radius were summoned. They intended to do it in the dumbest way possible—massive numbers rushing into the purgatory of the fallen and overstuff the equipment until it breaks.

While the method was dumb, it was very effective. There were simply too many elemental creatures roaming the Imperial City of the Abyss, and even elemental statues in front of some buildings were summoned.

If the collection of purgatories had been thoroughly completed and all spaces were interconnected, the inner space could be expanded even greater and be practically immune against such attacks.

At present, however, the size of every single space within the collection of purgatories was fixed and it cost Nailisi energy to open portals leading to the next space.

Nailisi found her double showing signs of exhaustion after capturing over 20 level 11 Vermillion Knights. With believers dying in droves, restoration rate slowed as well.

Nailisi regretted not filling the space with more fallen believers. If there have been ample fallen believers, her double would be able to be restored quicker. Nailisi had no choice but to take her golden dragon form after seeing more and more believers dying and her double’s power growing weaker and weaker.

She charged outside the purgatory of the fallen and began fighting the Vermillion Knights up close at the portal.

While the golden dragon was incapable of using Grey Memory or the Sword of Rules, it was capable of shrugging off small level differences, enabling her to fight the Vermillion Knights up close.

Nailisi only hoped her attacks would be capable of stalling the enemy’s advance into the space. She was not capable of shutting the portal altogether, as there was simply no time nor chance to do so.

If she had opened the purgatory of elements, she might have been able to call upon the Eye of the Storm and the great fire snake to fight. However, she had only herself to rely on.

The Vermillion Knights were wary of the golden dragon’s breath. The power of the dragon’s breath did not lie with the temperature, but its ability to disintegrate anything without regard of level difference. Any living being that was hit by a dragon’s breath was disintegrated by the breath’s power.

Nailisi was at level ten, increasing the number of times she was able to use dragon’s breath. Her body had been battered from the fiery lance attacks from the Vermillion Knights, but she was able to still rely on the dragon’s power restorative powers to continue fighting.

Every time when she was at the brink of collapse, she shot another dragon’s breath at the enemy, making even the level 11 Vermillion Knights shirk momentarily.

Nailisi was still calculating in her mind. At the speed her master was moving, if he threw elemental creatures into the magic power furnace, he would be able to reach her in about an hour or so.

I’ll just last for another hour then!

Nailisi roared and brought the might of the dragon. The level 11 Vermillion Knights were the only ones still standing, as many other elemental creatures of lower level were paralyzed, subdued by the dragon’s might.

The move was low level. A dragon’s might was incapable of subduing level 11 Vermillion Knights. The remaining 12 high level Vermilion Knights charged again, inflicting another dozen of wounds on her while she took a break.

The wounds quickly closed, but she was unable to keep the golden blood from spraying out with each thrust.

The 12 Vermillion Knights sucked up any of the golden dragon’s blood in the water in a frenzy, as it was something capable of lengthening their lifespan. Elemental creatures paid close to the length of their lifespan as well.

Boom!

Nailisi fell to the ground. Her giant dragon head created a massive crater on the ground.

So this is it, huh?

Nailisi opened her eyes and swiped at a Vermillion Knight, sending it flying several hundred meters away. The Vermillion Knight suffered a huge gash, but it quickly closed.

How long would it take for master to get here? Nailisi felt herself getting drowsy. She had overspent her mental powers.