That's pretty much what happened to Lani during that day. He lost the battle and the trade route, but he gained... a new friend? Even Jojle Carsul, the representative of Thakulo Universe from where Tixan was from, didn't know what to say.

They received the recordings of the battle and were taken aback by Lani's power. He lost to Phantom Blade in the end, but none of them had any confidence to force Tixan to use even half of the power they saw. The weird thing was that Tixan seemed to have a liking for Lani, so the two left together after the battle was over.

​​

"Krune, Lani, Liriu... All of them were far above in power than any common cultivator or demon beast. The worst thing is that neither Krune nor Liriu is at the Peak of the Divinity Realm yet, so their power will increase even more."

Olave nodded.

"That's why I think we shouldn't get involved. Besides, there's one main point you're all forgetting about."

Olave's words caught everyone's interest.

"What would that be?"

Olave shrugged his shoulders before saying.

"Didn't you notice the speed they're cultivating at? It's obvious that they aren't holding back at all. What does that mean? It means that be it Krune or Liriu, it won't be long before they ascend. Not only them but their friends as well. Once they go to the Godly Path Realm, will there be a need to worry so much about it?"

Everyone was taken aback. He was right. If they ascended, what would be there to worry about?

"But what if they decide to take matters into their own hands before they ascend?"

"Well, we can only retaliate if that happens. However, with the speed of their cultivation, they won't stay for that long. Do you think they can do so much with just this amount of time remaining? I don't think so. First of all, I think they're more interested in ascending than our Mortal Realm."

"Last but not least, the Wisp God has their backs. Now that the plan with Phantom Blade failed, we better not force the issue."

Someone else shook his head as he asked.

"What about the Soren Ruins?"

"What about that? Do you think it would be weird for the Wisp God to know that illusion-like existence everyone calls Soren? Chances are that the Wisp God himself sent Krune's group to meet up with him there. Once again, it turns into a topic that we better not get involved in."

Olave then looked in a particular direction. His gaze seemed to pierce through the walls of the hall as he watched something far in the distance.

"Instead, we should be a lot more worried about what we will do with Dalin. Getting the Wisp God's help has become impossible. Krune and the others won't help much either. Right now, the Retaking Alliance is being pressed back after that new protection formation appeared. They simply can't do anything to it at all. I think we should focus on it."

Slowly, each one of the leaders present began to nod their heads. They had invested too much time in Krune's group already. Not to mention that Olave was right about that point. With the cultivation speed of Krune's group, they would be heading to the next realm soon, so they better leave it aside for the moment.

"Very well. Send some people to keep an eye on Krune and the others for the time being, just in case. Let's get back to the topic of Dalin."

While the Universe Powerhouses discussed the other issues they had, Krune arrived in the Suffrot Religion's Main Planet with Fura and Feifei. Fura quickly came down, and it didn't take long for the Holy Seer to appear.

"Oh! Fura! I'm glad to see that you are well."

Fura smiled and gave a hug to the Holy Seer. It was obvious that these two had known each other for quite a while.

The Holy Seer then looked at Krune and Feifei before smiling.

"It seems like I need to apologize to you two. The truth is, I wanted you to go to the Soren Ruins to look for Fura. That's why I told you about her location. Although you two are back safely with her, it was still a selfish thought of mine. I'm sorry."

Krune and Feifei looked at each other. Sure enough, they were right in the past. The Holy Seer was really trying to bring them into that place.

"Sigh... In any case, you didn't force us or anything. The final decision of whether we should go or not was still up to the two of us. Besides, it wasn't only because you said those things that we went there. A friend of ours also entered the ruins later, so we had to go there to help him. In fact, it wasn't even us who first rescued Fura, but our friend instead."

The Holy Seer was surprised to hear that.

"Destiny is really a weird thing. To think that instead of you, your friend was the one to find her."

Fura smiled in response.

"They are being too modest. It's true that Heavin and Liriu saved me at first, but Krune's group also saved me in the end. I ended up owing too much of a debt. Senior Holy Seer, please bring my Heavenly Fragment out."

The Holy Seer nodded, already expecting that to be the case. A few minutes later, one of his subordinates came out with a box in his hands. Fura then took a look inside to confirm it was the right thing.

"Here you go. I don't know which kind of Heavenly Fragment it is, but it's yours now."

Feifei then looked at Krune.

"You try it first."

Krune didn't refuse and quickly sat down to begin absorbing the fragment. The Holy Seer and Fura didn't mind and simply kept close watch with Feifei. The fragment quickly approached Krune's cracked core as the fusion started. The previous fragments ended up being repelled due to the existence of a similar one within Krune. However, this time that didn't happen.

The fusion continued until finally, Krune identified the type of Heavenly Fragment.

"It's an Ownerless Death Heavenly Fragment."

Feifei's eyes shone as she smiled at Krune. That was one of the two remaining Heavenly Fragments that Krune need to complete all nine.

"Great!"

Krune continued the process. The fragment liquified together with his own cracked Heavenly Core. As always, it tried to resist the fusion, but without the Home Universe's support, it couldn't fight against it for long. Finally, the two liquids fused together before the whole thing assumed the form of a core once again. Now, Krune's core only had a small chip on the surface, which was obviously the space for the last Heavenly Fragment, Destiny.

Immediately, Krune felt the Death Laws and Dark Element much easier than before, a side-effect of his new Death Heavenly Fragment.

"Phew... It's over."

Krune quickly got up once again as he smiled at Feifei and the others.

"Thank you very much."

Fura shook her head as she replied.

"I should be the one to thank you instead. What I got from this trip is worth more than a Heavenly Core, let alone a Fragment."

The Holy Seer couldn't help but feel curious.

"What are you talking about?"

Fura laughed in response.

"Hahaha! Holy Seer, I'll explain it to you later. Oh, right! Please help me prepare for the Ascension Tribulation. It's time for me to leave."

The Holy Seer nodded.

"It seems like you found something capable of helping you with the tribulation. That's good, then. I'll have my fellow priests prepare an empty planet where no one will bother you. However, I still want to hear the whole story."

"Sure."

Krune and Feifei smiled as they said.

"Well, our deal is over. Fura, I hope to see you in the Higher Realms someday."

Fura nodded.

"With your power, you should have no problem passing through the Ascension Tribulation. I'm sure I will hear from you two again in the future."

Krune and Feifei then talked a little bit more with Fura and the Holy Seer before they departed. However, Fura asked Krune to pass Heavin and Liriu her contact, which she had forgotten. Krune didn't mind and also gave her Heavin and Liriu's contact that he had in his communicator.

After they entered outer space, Feifei looked at Krune before saying.

"I'm worried about Senior Lani. Let's go back and check on him."

Krune nodded with a serious expression.

"Me too. Let's go."

They quickly opened a Spatial Gate and disappeared from there.

Back in the Luvile Universe, Liriu and Lucio finally made their way back. Liriu then went to the Wisp World in the Divine Path Sect's territory, while Lucio went to see Lani instead. He already got information that his Master lost the battle, which left him concerned.

Lucio quickly arrived at his Master's hut, the same one where he and Krune talked to Lani.

"Master, are you there?"

"Enter."

Lucio sighed in relief after hearing Lani's voice and made his way inside. However, he quickly noticed that he wasn't the only visitor there.

"Hmm...? Who is this brat?"

At the moment, Lani and Tixan were playing some kind of board game while they drank tea.

"Errr... is everything okay, Master?"

Lani nodded.

"Tixan, this is my disciple, Lucio. Lucio, this is Tixan Loume, the person I fought against in the trade route event."

Lucio was taken aback. Doesn't that mean that they were enemies? Why the hell were they drinking tea and playing like best buddies? Lucio didn't know what to say.