Two days later, Dyon awoke from meditation at the top of the stairs leading to the 9th tier.
Just below, the white tiger glared at him, but was unable to follow. Clearly it still had some regrets.
Of course, Dyon wasn't in position to defeat a first-grade middle celestial. The power gap was far too large. At best he would defeat a 2nd stage first grade celestial, depending on their meridians filled. As for middle celestials, they'd have to be low order third grade celestials like the Grand Templar Sect's Kings for Dyon to be confident against them.
That said, that was only in terms of sheer combat prowess. Aside from combat prowess, Dyon had something else that his opponents usually couldn't match: his intelligence.
Where his battle prowess failed, his mind made up for it. Not to mention his overwhelming senses.
Still, it took him more than a day and a half to make it past the white tiger, and even then, it couldn't count as a true victory.
Dyon shrugged, winking at the white tiger trembling in anger before disappearing.
The moment Dyon appeared on the 18th tier, he felt as though a goddess had breathed life into his lungs.
Despite being the smallest tier by area, the 18th definitely had its own characteristics going for it. Not only was the life energy the densest here, but the reverberating effects due to this truth had astounding consequences that made it look more like heaven than a mystical world.
"Huh?..." Just as Dyon was taking in his surrounding, he felt the emotions of his master fluctuate so violently that a small ripple was set off in his Mind's Eye. "Master?"
Dyon blinked in confusion. But, before he could react, two white blurs sped toward him at a speed that made him absolutely certain that he was no match for him.
In an instant, two bright eyed and white-haired beauties looked up at him curiously, walking around his body as though they were observing a piece of art at a museum instead of a human being.
Dyon raised an eyebrow. Out of respect, he hadn't unleashed his divine sense, but that didn't mean that his senses weren't still sharp. He had felt them approaching, but he still didn't know who these two girls were. He only remembered that they were the two followers that always tailed Head Arie. Of course, he only knew this because the Master Symbol allowed him to see and hear everything in the Mystical World.
"Hello." Dyon smiled, ignoring their weird behavior. "I'm Dyon."
Dyon's voice was like a violent shock to the two beauties. They immediately scurried away.
However, Dyon didn't really pay attention to where they went because even with his senses, he hadn't realized that one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen in his life had appeared just three meters in front of him.
Head Arie giggled lightly at Dyon's reaction. "Aren't you going to greet your grandmother?"
"Grandmother?... You're?" A sudden realization came over Dyon, causing him to smile. "You're my master's mother?"
Head Arie pouted. "Don't call me that. Call me Granny Celest."
"Uh…" Dyon awkwardly scratched the back of his while also noticing that the two saintesses were actually hiding behind Head Arie.
Head Arie frowned before falling into a deep sadness. "I understand. You only just met me, how could you treat me like family already…"
"No – No!" Dyon quickly recovered. "It's not that, it's just that Granny Celest is too young and beautiful to be called granny."
Granny Celest's sadness faded away at Dyon's words, a breathtaking smile blooming on her lips as she disappeared only to appear beside Dyon.
"Come, take granny on a walk." The beautiful head of the Celestial Deer Clan grasped Dyon's arm and used him for support as though she really was nothing but an old lady who needed help walking instead of the powerful warrior who could kill Dyon with a finger that she was.
However, it could only be destined that this happy atmosphere would come crashing down as nine earth shattering auras descended from the skies. As no surprise to anyone, they were Head Simia, Head Tudo and Head Tigris, not to mention their attendants.
The nine of them stood in the skies, looking down at Dyon with varying expressions.
"What do you think you're doing, Head of the Arie family?" Head Tigris growled.
"Since when did any of you have the right to question what I did or didn't do? Are you forgetting who built the air you stand on now?" Granny Celest's aura changed. For the second time in thousands of years, the heads of the various families were suddenly reminded that the calm, kind-hearted Head Arie wasn't a docile woman only there to be bullied.
Saintess Rue and Ray found their way to Head Arie's back, snapping out of their previously playful demeanor.
"You'd do well to remember that you can only live in peace like this because of the Celestial Deer Clan. Take your arrogant air and put them away in the presence of my grandson."
Dyon suddenly laughed. "Well said Granny Celest."
The three family heads were stunned. They hadn't thought that Head Arie would rather fall out with them than offend a human. Did that really make any sense?
However, it was of course true that without the Celestial Deer Clan, the other clans would still be running away from any craving their heaven defying blood.
While Legacy World's could be evoked during the deaths of cultivators and didn't require understanding of the soul path, Mystical Worlds were different. Without death to catalyze their creation, it relied heavily on the skill of the creator along with various other factors.
Long story short, it was in combination with the Celestial Deer Sect that the Celestial Deer Clan created the Mystical World using the Life Stone as its core.
Obviously, the other celestial beast clans wouldn't be able to help because their soul talent was too poor. The only beasts in existence with excellent soul path talent were the celestial deer and no one else.
For these clan heads to forget this and actually try to police the entrance of someone Head Arie accepted, especially when their life and death relied on the protection of this world, it was absolutely ridiculous. It was no wonder Granny Celest was pissed.
Head Tudo, an old woman with a massive obsidian turtle shell on her back suddenly opened her wrinkled eyelids.
"Is this the path you want to take, Head of the Arie family?"
"And so what if it is? Do you believe that I'm scared of you?" Granny Celest's white eyes flashed as an oppressive aura wafted out from her pristine white robes.
Even Saintess Rue and Ray were shocked. They didn't believe that their family head would go so far.
When they turned their pleading gazes toward Dyon, hoping that he would voluntarily back out to make things easier on Head Arie, they found that he wasn't even paying attention to the family heads, instead, he was grinning wildly at an attendant that stood behind Head Tigris.
Many months ago, Head Tigris had been so angered by Dyon calling him a coward that he had tried to send one of his attendants to kill him. If it hadn't been for Head Arie, the young man would have definitely gone to find trouble with Dyon. This was the very same young man Dyon was grinning at.
However, this young man had yet another identity which was the reason he was shaking in anger at Dyon's gaze. It was he who was tasked with the responsibility of splitting his soul and guarding the pearly white steps!
He had thought that Dyon wouldn't be able to recognize him in his human form, which was why he hadn't cared about it originally. But, just how sharp were Dyon's senses? Did he really believe that he could hide something so simple from Dyon?
Why would Dyon go out of his way to mentally torture a person just trying to do their job? Was he really that cruel of a person?
Dyon, even though he was arrogant beyond belief, wouldn't ever be disrespectful without reason. But, he went out of his way to humiliate this white tiger time and time again. Why would he do that?
The answer was now obvious. Since this white tiger dared to accept a mission to kill him, he would never again gain Dyon's favor. So, while the sparks were flying between the gazes of the clan heads, Dyon was grinning with a malicious glint in his eye.
"Tell me, how does it feel getting your head bashed in? I can't say that I know the feeling."
