Reaper of the Martial World

Book 5: Chapter 116: Second Trial (58)

One might find this analysis odd, but Dyon was sure in his ways.

A skeptic might say that since the Angel Clan was powerful, maybe King Viserion was only biding his time, accumulating and annexing smaller clans to bolster his power before making an actual move. After all, it had only been slightly less than 30 years since they had their falling out. Such a short time was a mere blink to a talented martial warrior.

However, how could Dyon not have considered something like this already? Although he was a person who truly valued relationships, he was also an intelligent and cautious person who was well aware that this was still very much a trial – and a trial that heavily placed importance on understanding the feelings of those around you.

Of those who took this trial, maybe only a handful truly grasped the essence of this. To reach the top of the martial world, becoming a conqueror was inevitable. Raising a clan from a common one, to an Emperor God Clan that could lord over an entire quadrant wasn’t just for sating simple ambition, and this true reason wasn’t just about being allowed into the top level of the Epistemic Tower.

Dyon’s grand teacher had two reasons for restricting tower level access by clan prowess. The most obvious was one Dyon had already taken advantage of, and that was to ensure that no one could monopolize the towers for themselves.

Protecting the universe that housed the Epistemic Tower was too easy given the powers of the key. Because of this, why would a clan ever expand out of that universe? They could keep a small group of elites, groom their young, and eventually grow an unparalleled foundation.

By restricting access, anyone who tried to monopolize the tower would only be able to do so for the lower saint floors. As they expanded, the harder it would be to defend their territory, and thus they would accrue the anger of those clans surrounding them, thus resulting in a compromise having to made among those of the same quadrant.

Dyon used this to his advantage before, pinning down the Uidah for 20 years because he knew they had to defend against both the Pakals and Ragnor.

The second reason was one that Dyon had already touched on as well. Or, more accurately, it was the reason his [Inner World: Sanctuary] existed for.

Long ago, when Dyon first asked about the reason people campaign, Ri had given him this reason as well.

In the martial world, the Emperor of an Emperor God Clan is far more powerful than the King of a King God Clan, even if they have the same talent, cultivation, and techniques. This is because an Emperor God Clan has more accumulated will or faith.

This will is what permeates the martial world and is also the reason why the human world Dyon was born in was so easily influenced by things that exist in the martial world despite having little to no contact with it. This was also why faith seeds were called as such. They represented the god-like figures who had reached the pinnacle of this concept, allowing their names to easily influence weaker societies. Which was why so many religions and myths in Dyon’s human world were carried by their names.

This faith is even more tangible than Heaven’s Blessing. While Heaven’s Blessings deal with the intangible, reminiscent of a human world game’s “luck stat”, while also helping with cultivation and Presence, faith directly affects battle power, allowing stronger clans to lord over weaker ones.

Having this knowledge was exactly why Dyon didn’t underestimate the geniuses of the Epistemic Tower. Almost without fail, they would all be the legacy holders of these powerful clans. This meant that their battle prowess wouldn’t be limited to just their own merit, leaving Dyon at a terrible disadvantage.

For context, if Dyon’s grand teacher hadn’t taken measures to prevent faith from influencing the Epistemic Tower trials, Dyon wouldn’t hold a record so easily. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if his record was shattered.

This, was of course, not a for sure thing. Even with faith, it would be ridiculously difficult for them to do so. This was why Dyon still had a fighting chance. It was just important to note and understand why walking all over the geniuses of Dyon’s universe meant nothing in the grand scheme. Because they couldn’t compare to the geniuses of King and Emperor God Clans at all!

A genius that earned the legacy of their Emperor God clan could completely annihilate even a peak saint at the lower essence gathering level, as long as that peak saint wasn’t also a legatee!

Not only was the strength of this legacy reliant on the power of the clan, but it was also reliant on the strength of the universe. An Emperor God Clan of a top ten quadrant was worlds apart of an Emperor God Clan of a bottom ten quadrant.

The martial world was, without a doubt, a land of survival of the fittest. Even if the fittest were your powerful ancestors.

There was no doubt that this was unfair. But, such was the way of the martial world. There was no such thing as perfect fairness, and Dyon didn’t expect it.

This was why, when a friend of King Viserion’s caliber stood before Dyon, even if he floated loftily in the air, Dyon wouldn’t feel even small bit of disdain or dissatisfaction.

With how weak the Angel Clan had been under his rule, and how much internal conflict there was, anyone would have attacked long ago, let alone waiting 30 years!

There was only one reason King Viserion didn’t attack. And that was because he still hoped for the day Dyon would become his friend of old!