The cultivators of the Heavenly Protection Sect were taken aback.

"Are you making fun of us?"

​​

Krune shook his head.

"No, I just decided to take that Wind Essence payment. Don't worry, I will not do anything to you as long as you leave. That's the best scenario for everyone."

The leader of the group narrowed his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to make our Heavenly Protection Sect your enemy?"

Krune shook his head once more.

"I don't want to make any enemies, but I need that Wind Essence. As long as your sect ignore us, we will also not make things difficult for you. Anyway, are you leaving or not? Otherwise, I will need to beat you first."

The guy then looked at Iem and Sisan in the distance. From the looks of it, those two were not going to intervene.

"Let's do like this. You and I will have a quick match while my companions hold the Net so that the Eagle doesn't escape. If you can defeat me, we will leave."

The other two were taken aback. However, they smiled right after. Considering Krune's 1st Stage of the Semi-Divinity Realm, their group leader definitely had the advantage. After all, he was in the 7th Stage of the Semi-Divinity Realm. The only doubt was if Krune would really accept such a bad deal.

However, contrary to their expectations, Krune immediately nodded.

"Great! I thought I would have to beat the three of you together. If it is just one, then it'll be much easier. Don't worry, I won't kill or cripple you. As long as you admit defeat, I'll stop my attacks."

The guys were taken aback. He talked as if he could defeat all three of them alone!

"Hmph! I'll admit that you have guts, at least. By the way, my name is Caio Lavilan, one of the elders of the Heavenly Protection Sect."

Krune smiled and nodded.

"Krune."

The Eagle was taken aback by that as well. It could see the difference in cultivation, so it also thought that Krune would lose this exchange. Just as it began to consider if it should take this chance to break away from the Net, it received a Divine Sense Message from Krune.

'Don't worry, I'll release you in the next few seconds. If you try to break the Net with your injuries, your body will get much worse. It's better to avoid it.'

The Eagle got surprised by Krune's confidence. It thought that perhaps Krune had an idea. However, it didn't have time to ask what Krune was planning to do. That's because Krune's battle started right after that message.

Caio then brought out a spear and immediately charged at Krune. His Domain descended, his spear shined, and Godly Energy ran through his body incessantly. He was totally planning to finish Krune in one move!

The phantom of an even bigger spear appeared around Caio's weapon. His Fire Laws burned everything around as the power of his Domain locked Krune in place.

"Heaven's Might Spear!"

Krune looked at that for a moment and then released his own Fire Domain. Immediately, Caio's Domain got suppressed. Right after, Lightning flashed around Krune's body as he disappeared from his spot.

Caio was taken aback by that development. His Domain was definitely much weaker, not to mention that he couldn't even follow Krune with his eyes. Only his Divine Sense could more or less tell where Krune had gone.

Well, in fact, Krune didn't use his Purple Tribulation Lightning, only normal lightning elements and laws. Still, at his level of power, that was more than enough to deal with Caio.

Right after, Krune appeared behind Caio, who immediately turned back, trying to redirect his Heaven's Might Spear at him.

Too bad, though. Caio wasn't nearly as fast as he needed.

"Chain Lightning!"

*Zap!*

"Arrrgh!"

Lightning hit Caio's body just as he was about to finish turning back. He knew he wouldn't be able to do that in time, so he had released all his Godly Energy to form a barrier to block Krune's attack.

Unfortunately for him, Krune had fused that Lightning attack with his Mental Energy! Yes, this was something that Krune had thought about after he removed the Top Quality Godly Stones of the clusters attached to the Giant Silver Demon Core. He noticed that he could use his Elemental Control to infuse Mental Energy into his Elemental attacks. Of course, that was just a theory. This was the first time he had really tried it out.

'Very good! It is definitely much better than relying on Elements and Laws alone. Thanks to that, the attacks have a much easier time piercing through Godly Energy, just like regular Mental Energy attacks. Of course, because Mental Energy is now fused with the Elemental Attack, the Godly Energy has an easier time blocking it. Still, the increase in damage is totally worth this exchange. I'll try it with my Purple Tribulation Lightning later. The best will be if I can do that to my Shields as well.'

Poor Caio ended being used as a testing subject without even knowing. Fortunately for him, Krune held back just now.

Caio then plummeted from the skies, almost losing his consciousness. Only a few seconds later did he regain his bearings and stopped his fall.

However, he quickly understood one thing. If Krune wanted, he could have used that chance to finish him off. It was evident just how big the difference in combat power between the two of them was.

It was then that Caio looked at Sisan, the 9th Stage Semi-Divinity Realm cultivator in Krune's group. If Krune is already this strong in the 1st stage, then just how strong would Sisan be? Maybe Sisan can fight Divinity Realm opponents several stages above his cultivation!

Little did Caio know that Sisan was just as shocked as himself. The power and speed that Krune showed just a moment ago are definitely above his own. Sisan was one of the geniuses of the Sky Shifting Sect, and he could fight against ordinary 1st and even 2nd Stage Divinity Realm opponents. However, he wasn't even close to being as strong as Caio thought he was.

Sisan then looked at Iem, who didn't seem to be the least bit impressed by that.

'Just where did our sect find these two? They are way too heaven-defying!'

Of course, he was happy that Krune and Iem were on his side.

Caio then quickly flew back to where he was before and sighed.

"As promised, we will leave this place. Thanks for holding back just now."

Krune smiled and nodded.

"It's okay. I wish everyone was as understanding as you."

Caio then called his two companions over. They quickly released the Net that was holding the Eagle and left straight away.

"Caio, are we really leaving just like that?"

Caio nodded.

"We are. Didn't you see how powerful that guy was? What if that 9th Stage Semi-Divinity Realm decides to attack as well? Be grateful that they aren't the type who kills anything that bothers them. Let's go back to the sect and report it to the Sect Master. There is a chance that they will appear in our city, after all."

The other two nodded, and they quickly sped away.

Back on Krune's side, Iem and Sisan joined with him and went to check the Eagle.

"How are your injuries? Are you okay to fly?"

The Eagle immediately nodded.

"I'm fine. You arrived before things got really nasty. By the way, you can call me Jilan."

Krune and the others nodded.

"I'm Krune, and these two here are Iem and Sisan."

The Eagle quickly greeted them. After that, Godly Energy began to gather on the Eagle's body, and it quickly returned to its human form. Surprisingly, it turned out that it was a female demon beast. Of course, she quickly put on some clothes after finishing her transformation.

"I'm not going back on my promise. Come with me. I will get you some of my race's accumulated Wind Essence."

Krune's group nodded, and they began to follow Jilan.

On the way, Krune kept his mental Energy Spread. It was then that he noticed something strange coming out of Jilan.

'A... thread?'

Even with his Mental Energy, it was very hard to notice it. If not because he kept using his Mental Energy all the time, he wouldn't have eventually noticed it.

'Weird, the thread is coming out of her head, but it is not connected anywhere. The other end of it simply disappears in mid-air. No, to be more specific, it is connected to her Soul. Just what is it?'

Krune tried to touch it, but his hand passed through that thread as if it wasn't even there.

Jilan noticed Krune's actions and couldn't help but ask.

"Is there anything wrong?"

It was evident that even Jilan herself couldn't see that thread.

"No, it's nothing."

Krune then stopped using his Mental Energy and concentrate on the Divine Sense alone. Sure enough, as soon as his Mental Energy disappeared, that thread disappeared right after. Only when he activated his Mental Energy again was he able to see the thread.

'Oh, well. It is probably a special trait to the beings in this place. Forget it, those threads have nothing to do with me.'

Just like that, they continued their journey.

Krune then thought about something else and decided to ask.

"I heard that Wind Essence is very rare. It has the power to naturally gather Wind Laws and is used for several things. How come your race got to accumulate it?"

Jilan looked at Krune with a surprised expression. But then she remembered something thing.

"Oh, right! You said that you were lost. Usually, everyone would know that answer. It seems like you really came from far away."

Krune smiled after hearing that but gave no answer. He was also using his Divine Sense to translate everything he talked with Jilan to Iem and Sisan.

"Anyway, our Green Talon Eagle Race owns a natural Wind Essence Vein. That's why we can get Wind Essence."

Krune understood.

"I see. Does that mean that this forest has other Essence Veins?"

Jilan nodded.

"There are a few others. For example, the Searing Alligators' Volcano has a Fire Essence Vein. The Water Lightning Eels have a Water Essence Vein in their lake. Of course, there are more races and veins as well."

Iem then asked something for Krune to translate.

"What about the cultivators? Don't they have any interest in those Veins?"

Jilan shrugged her shoulder.

"Of course they have. However, Humans have to take care of their own as well. It's not like they are stronger than us, Demon Beasts, so the division of Essence Veins was completed a long time ago. Rarely does an Essence Vein change owners."

However, one thing was puzzling Krune, so he decided to ask Luvile.

"Didn't you say that Elemental Essences were rare even in the God Realm? It doesn't seem that rare in this place."

Luvile was as surprised as Krune.

"Let's wait and see. I'm also finding it weird."