"Is that something you can decide?" Gravis asked.
"No, but I can," an unknown voice said.
SHING!
Someone new arrived beside the Immortal Emperor of the Nine Elements Sect. The Immortal Emperor immediately bowed to the second person.
The new person was an old man with white hair. He had a long beard, and his eyes were kind. If one didn't know any better, one would assume that this was a very kind grandpa.
Gravis immediately noticed why this old man seemed so approachable. 'The Law of Empathy, eh?' Gravis thought. 'So, it's not a coincidence that Stella knows the Law of Empathy. A second person from the Nine Elements Sect also knows it, which probably means that the Law Comprehension Area for the Law of Empathy is under the control of the Nine Elements Sect.'
"With whom do I have the pleasure?" Gravis asked with a polite smile.
"I'm Vice-Sect Master Li," the old man said with a smile. "I have seen your battles, and I am willing to invite you as a Holy Son Candidate."
The surrounding Immortal Kings became shocked. A Vice-Sect Master of the Nine Elements Sect! This meant that this person was a Major Circulation Immortal Emperor! Except for the Ancestors and Sect Masters of the other Peak Sects, this was one of the most powerful people in the world! What an honor to see one with their own eyes!
"I thank you deeply for your invitation," Gravis said politely, "but I first want to finish the tournament before I decide if I want to join or not."
The old man sighed. "Young man, I don't think that's a very good idea."
"Why not?" Gravis asked.
"Because the actual tournament will have geniuses from other Peak Sects," the old man explained. "Even among the candidates here, there are two with a Will-Aura at the level of a Mid Minor Circulation Immortal Emperor. If you fight them, even with your Law of Major Suppression, you won't be able to suppress your opponent. At that point, you will inevitably lose."
"I don't doubt that you can fight two levels above yourself, but you can't forget that there is no one left in this tournament that can't also fight one level above themselves. In essence, you would need to jump three levels."
Gravis nodded. "However, I still want to try. If I lose, I lose. I see no problem with that. Losing is part of becoming more powerful."
The Immortal Kings and the Immortal Emperor were surprised. It was not easy to admit something like that. All of them were geniuses, and which genius didn't have some arrogance and pride in their bones?
Usually, these geniuses built their powers on victory upon victory. Many of them couldn't even imagine losing, and losing would also be a major humiliation for them.
However, this peak genius didn't mind losing. This was a rare disposition.
The old man nodded inwardly with praise but didn't show it. Instead, he showed a bitter smile. "You might not mind losing, but that doesn't mean that others won't mind," he explained.
Gravis nodded again with a smile. "I know, but what others mind doesn't have any bearing on me. I am I. They are they."
Now, many others understood the truth. It wasn't that Gravis wasn't prideful, but that Gravis was so incredibly prideful that he saw everyone else's opinions as irrelevant.
The Immortal Kings didn't feel good about what Gravis had just said. They were also geniuses, but Gravis didn't even treat them as humans. To him, their opinions were irrelevant. Many of them took that as a provocation.
'Sure enough, geniuses have their own pride,' the old man thought with a sigh.
"That mindset is excellent for a solo Cultivator, but you need to change it if you want to join us," the old man said. "You are no longer alone now. From now on, the opinions of your fellow Sect Members are also important."
Gravis only smiled. "I'm not part of the Nine Elements Sect yet," he said. The old man furrowed his brows, but Gravis continued speaking. "Also, who says that I'm going to lose?"
The old man slightly shook his head while the Immortal Emperor looked with a dissatisfied expression at Gravis. "I have seen your power, and I'm telling you that you're not powerful enough. I have seen what you can do, and while you are indeed incredibly powerful, you lack in your Realm."
"So, you believe you have seen my full power?" Gravis asked with a smirk.
The Immortal Kings took a deep breath. Yes, Gravis was powerful, but this was a Vice-Sect Master of one of the most powerful Sects in the world. How big must his guts be to smirk at the Vice-Sect Master!?
The Vice-Sect Master also narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you saying that you haven't shown your full power yet?" the Vice-Sect Master asked.
The Immortal Kings could only shake their heads. Gravis had fought against plenty of geniuses already, and some of the fights had also taken some time. His display was already good enough to become a Holy Son Candidate. How more could he have stowed away?
"Then, let me ask you a question," Gravis said with a smirk. "If I truly fought with my full power, answering this question will be very easy for you. In fact, everyone here could answer this question."
The Vice-Sect Master became interested, but he wasn't born yesterday. This question could be a trick. "And how am I supposed to know if you are not lying?"
Gravis' smirk widened.
Whoop!
Gravis suddenly summoned an Immortal Stone under the puzzled gazes of everyone else.
Then, he consumed the Immortal Stone.
After that, Gravis smirked as he looked at the Vice-Sect Master.
"I just consumed an Immortal Stone," he said.
The Immortal Kings became confused at that. Yes, he did. So what? What's this got to do with anything?
However, the Immortal Emperor looked with furrowed eyes at Gravis.
Lastly, the old man looked with shining eyes at Gravis.
"Who would have thought that you have comprehended the Law of Honesty," the Vice-Sect Master said.
The Immortal Emperor nodded. Since his and Gravis' Will-Auras had the same power, he couldn't be sure which Law Gravis had used just now. So, it had been the Law of Honesty, huh?
The eyes of the Immortal Kings widened in understanding. So, that was why he had just consumed an Immortal Stone.
"If you have seen my full power, answering the following question will be very easy," Gravis said again with his Law of Honesty.
"Fine," the Vice-Sect Master said. "If I can't answer your question, you are allowed to participate in the actual tournament. However, don't underestimate me. I have lived for a long time, and I have learned more things than nearly anyone."
"Alright," Gravis said with a smirk. "Here goes."
"Name one of my level five Laws," Gravis said.
Silence.
Slowly, the eyes of the Immortal Kings widened in surprise.
They couldn't answer the question!
But how was that possible!?
Everyone had fought with their full power, and that also included their level five Laws.
Yet, they couldn't remember Gravis' level five Law.
Why?
Because he had never used it!
The Immortal Kings took a deep breath in shock. Gravis had won against so many of them, and he hadn't even used his most powerful Law.
He was far more powerful than they had thought!
The Immortal Emperor felt like things were going out of control. He also couldn't answer the question.
The expression of the old man didn't change.
Silence.
"Hahahaha!" the old man suddenly started laughing loudly. "Well done, young man. You managed to pull one over this old man."
Gravis bowed slightly with a smirk. "I apologize," he said.
"Fine!" the old man said with a smile and conviction. "You can fight in the main tournament!"
After that, the Vice-Sect Master teleported away.
"Come back here in ten years," the Immortal Emperor said. "I will take you to the Nine Elements Sect for the main tournament when the time arrives. Meanwhile, everyone else that has joined the Nine Elements Sect, follow me to the Nine Elements Sect!"
Gravis and the few Immortal Kings that didn't accept the Nine Elements Sect's invitation nodded and teleported away. The others followed the Immortal Emperor into the Nine Elements Sect.
After a couple of hours of introducing the new Elite Disciples to the Nine Elements Sect, the Immortal Emperor left.
After some seconds, he appeared near the previous Vice-Sect Master again.
"Senior, are you sure you want to allow the talented youngster to take part in the tournament?" he asked. "If he loses, and we accept him as a Holy Son Candidate anyway, the other Peak Sects will believe that our standards have fallen."
"I'm certain," said the old man calmly.
The Immortal Emperor felt a bit uncomfortable, but he wanted to know more answers. "Why are you certain, Senior?" he asked.
The Vice-Sect Master turned around to the Immortal Emperor and looked at him. The Immortal Emperor felt a shiver run down his spine. The old man didn't seem kind anymore. In fact, he felt cold and apathetic now.
This Vice-Sect Master was mainly responsible for diplomacy and negotiations with other Peak Sects. Why? Because his Law of Empathy allowed him to perfectly mask his cold and ruthless personality.
In truth, he was one of the most ruthless Vice-Sect Masters in any Peak Sect.
Angering him was tantamount to suicide.
"You've not realized?" he asked coldly.
The Immortal Emperor quickly shook his head.
The old man turned back to the window. "He said one of his level five Laws. This means he has more than one."
The Immortal Emperor's eyes widened.
