Stella sighed in relief.
Liam wasn't sure what he should think about this. On one hand, he really hated Gravis, but on the other hand, this was what his sister wanted, and Gravis might really be able to help her out of this predicament.
Their teacher, who had remained silent for a while now, only smiled in relief. Like this, Stella actually had a chance to survive and grow more powerful. This had been the last thing that had been on the teacher's mind.
Could she now die without regrets?
No.
Cultivators always had regrets, but this solution made it easier at least.
"However," Gravis said, eliciting looks from everyone. "I am not traveling with someone that wants my head," he said as he gazed at Liam.
Liam became angry again, but his teacher answered first.
"This will not be a problem," she said, making Liam look at her with furrowed brows.
"Liam has a different path from Stella," she said. "Liam needs to prepare himself for becoming an Immortal King. For that, he needs to return to my Sect."
Liam looked with shock at his teacher. "Are you saying that I'm supposed to leave sis alone with him!?" he shouted as he pointed at Gravis.
"Liam!" Stella shouted. "Don't forget who you are talking about! I'm more powerful than you, and if I couldn't defend myself, you wouldn't be able to help either. If you want to become useful, become more powerful than me first."
Liam clenched his fists in frustration. He knew that he was weaker than Stella, but that didn't mean that he didn't want to help her! He wanted to help her!
However, reality could be cruel. Stella was right. If something was able to kill her, Liam wouldn't be any help.
He hated this!
He hated feeling useless!
"Fine!" he shouted with a glare. "Then I will become an Immortal King and search for you. When that happens, you can't say that I'm useless anymore!"
Stella smiled and nodded. "Thanks."
Gravis watched this and took note of their gestures and positioning. Obviously, the two of them didn't want to leave their teacher when she was about to die. Theoretically, Gravis could wait for them, but he was concerned about something else.
"What of the Formation Array and the Immortal Kings that watched the fight?" Gravis asked the teacher.
She smiled at Gravis. "You don't need to worry about that. The Formation Array only transmits pictures, making it impossible for the watchers to feel the fight. The subtle Laws like the Laws of Gravity, Suppression, Time, Apathy, Empathy, and so on have not been witnessed by them."
"Additionally, as soon as Stella unleashed the Burning Sky Slash, I isolated this area. Ever since then, I have built a forcefield of my own, isolating this place. Nobody knows what has happened in here after that. They only know that someone more powerful than them has gotten involved."
"Nobody knows your or Stella's power," she said.
Gravis nodded. "That's good," he said. "I feared that this fight might dissuade others from accepting my challenge. I still need one more good enemy to temper myself against to push my Will-Aura to the peak again. After that, I will quickly grab the remaining resource points for the Unrestrained Sect."
Stella looked at Gravis with a bit of wonder and respect. "You are willing to immediately jump into another fight after the one we just had?" she asked.
Gravis turned to her with an even look. "What's the difference between going now or later? I will fight again anyway, so the only difference between now and later would be a wastage of time."
Stella grimaced a bit. Gravis' logic was sound, but it felt a bit sterile and inhuman.
When it came to tempering, Gravis was in full focus. He wouldn't be distracted by anything during this time since just a single mistake could spell his doom. Fun and games could return after this was done.
"While you're here," Gravis said as he looked at their teacher. "Could you point me to the most powerful Late Major Circulation Immortal in this area? My Will-Aura has been strengthened, and I comprehended an additional Law in this fight. I think such a fight would be a good challenge."
Liam looked at Gravis with narrowed eyes while Stella grimaced. Gravis was talking to their teacher like she was just some random person. Didn't he realize that their teacher was one of the most powerful beings in this world?
Gravis wasn't really impolite. He simply spoke to her like he would speak to anybody else. She was not above him but also not beneath him. Stella and Liam found this to be a bit disrespectful, but Gravis, and even the teacher, saw no issues.
"Sure," she said with a smile. "In the entirety of the over 100 Sects in this area, there are two that know a level four Law. Would that be fine with you?"
'Level four Law, huh?' Gravis thought. 'The most powerful geniuses from these Sects already know level four Laws. This reminds me of something else.'
"That reminds me," Gravis said. "I have a different question."
"Ask away," she said.
"You are obviously the Sect Leader or Ancestor of a very powerful Sect," Gravis said. "I haven't been to these core regions yet, so I don't know the average power, but I've heard that the average Cultivator outside is more powerful than in this area."
"So, my question is, how would these two Cultivators fare in the core regions of the world compared to others?" Gravis asked.
The teacher wanted to scratch her chin, but she stopped herself. She didn't want her two disciples to see her disintegrating hands.
"They are a bit above average," she said.
Gravis' eyes narrowed. 'A bit above average, huh? Comprehending a level four Law while not even being a Peak Immortal is only a bit above average. So, the true geniuses would be…' Gravis thought as he looked at Stella.
Stella hadn't been able to unleash her full power until Gravis had already put her into checkmate, basically. She knew a ton of level three Laws from different categories and even knew the Major Law of the Elements, one of the most powerful level four Laws in existence.
To be quite frank, if Stella had been able to unleash this Law from the very beginning, Gravis would have had no chance. She countered basically everything he had and could unleash an incredible offense.
On top of that, Gravis noticed another thing. Stella had unleashed the Burning Sky Slash. However, this attack was the technique of the Seething Inferno Sect. Stella and her brother were obviously part of another Sect, which was far more powerful. This meant that she probably also knew techniques from that Sect.
Stella hadn't fought with her full power from the very start.
'Quite interesting,' Gravis thought with a smirk as he rubbed his chin. 'The criteria for breakthroughs in this world are stringent since this world creates some of the most powerful Ascenders that exist. Needing a level four Law to become an Immortal King is a rule that probably not every higher world has.'
'Yet, even with this stringent requirement, there are a lot of Cultivators that meet it before even attempting to become Immortal Kings.'
"I'm fine with someone that knows level four Laws, but I don't want to fight someone with the earth element or someone that knows the Hard Pure Material Law," Gravis said.
Liam snorted. "What? Because they counter you?" he asked.
Gravis smirked. "Actually, quite the contrary," he said. "They are too weak since I know an attack that decimates Cultivators that focus on defense."
Liam just looked to the side.
"That leaves one person since the other one knows the Hard Pure Law," the teacher said.
Gravis nodded. "Which Sect?" he asked.
"Crackling Frost Sect," the teacher said.
"Oh?" Gravis uttered with a raised brow. "Someone with the water element?"
She nodded.
Gravis checked the map to see what relationship the Unrestrained Sect had with this Sect.
Neutral.
Not enemies, not allies.
Gravis scratched the side of his head. 'Should I or should I not?' he asked himself.
Gravis looked in the direction of the Unrestrained Sect with furrowed brows.
'Killing the greatest genius of a neutral Sect will create severe animosity,' he thought. 'However, it also serves as deterrence.'
'Though, more importantly,' Gravis thought with a smirk. 'I want to fight them. The Unrestrained Sect wants freedom, and everyone can do what they desire.'
'Let's put that mentality to the test. If Liran spoke the truth, nobody would have a problem with that.'
'The question is, how will the Sect react when someone that isn't the Sect Leader acts according to their desires?'
Gravis looked at the teacher.
"Alright, thanks. Where do I need to go?"
