The leaders of the Marauders stepped back in fear, but Ning kept moving forward toward him.
"Are you not going to answer?" he asked. "Where's your 9th Marauder?"
"He-he-he… he is imprisoned," the leader said.
"Oh, so you do have nine," Ning said. "And you are trying to take us hostage because?"
"W-we wanted to f-free our brother," the leader said.
"Ah, and you were going to use us as leverage, huh?" Ning said, understanding the situation. "So, why was your brother imprisoned? Did he do something bad?"
"He… he did nothing wrong," the leader said.
"Hmm…" Ning felt that hard to believe so he quickly checked himself. "I see, so looting people alone on the road, and even killing them when they don't give it to you is considering nothing wrong? I guess I know what to do with you seven then.'
The leader freaked out and pointed his spear forward hopelessly. "Wh-what do you plan on doing?" he asked.
"Don't worry, it's nothing wrong," Ning said as he walked forward. The spear touched his chest but it was only forced back. The spear had met something that was both unstoppable and immovable.
The blade's tip bent backward as it couldn't even leave a single scratch on Ning's body.
"Alright, I will give you one chance," Ning said. "Throw away your weapons and give yourself up to the authorities here. If you do so, I won't kill you."
The leader was a little confused and so were the others behind him. They were simply too scared to understand just what Ning was saying.
"NOW!" Ning shouted at them.
"They… they will kill us if we go," the leader said. "They are already going to execute our other brother."
Ning's eyes narrowed. "And you think I care?" he asked. "Do what I say or I will execute you all myself."
The group couldn't find the will to resist, even though it was the only way to protect themselves.
However, when the tiniest bit of resistance was building up in them, Ning revealed his cultivation base.
At that moment, the group of True immortals fell to the floor like fish out of water. They trembled so hard that the other passengers could hear their teeth clatter in fear.
They had no idea what was happening as Ning's cultivation base was only affecting the Marauders.
Without hesitation, they all willingly went to the Blackspire guards to give themselves up.
Ning watched them get taken away and returned to his seat. The other passenger thanked him and even tried to talk to him to form some connection, but Ning only smiled and nodded before turning away.
"Just how strong have you gotten before you got back?" she asked. "You must be Immortal King or Immortal Emperor level by now."
"I don't think you can measure my strength with the Qi system anymore. At least not the system of this Universe," Ning said.
"What… does that mean? Are you saying that you are stronger than Immortal Emperor? Or even Immortal Gods?" she asked.
"Pretty much," Ning said.
"Can I even ever catch up to you?" Ely asked with a slightly fearful look on her face.
"I don't think that's possible for anyone," Ning said. "Not unless they are users of the Energy system themselves."
"I wonder if I can ever get one too," Ely said. "The Artifact system is good and all, but it is nowhere near as robust as yours."
"Hmm… I wonder if a system owner can get the energy system," Ning thought to himself. "Let me ask."
Ning quickly asked the system if it was possible for Ely to ever get the Energy system or not.
<It is possible, even if one does have another system attached to their soul. As long as there is a soul, one can get the Energy system>
"Ooh, he says you can. I wonder if I can ever find you one," Ning told Ely.
<However, the person getting the system must have the two requirements fulfilled. If they have, the system will find them itself>
"Two requirements… right, what were they again? One was something like having a terrible previous life?" Ning asked.
<Yes. As long as your life has been nothing but tragedy prior to this and it was fated that you would die without ever being truly happy, you have a chance at getting the Energy system.>
"Die without ever being happy…" Ning thought to himself. "Wait… was I fated to die in the Dungeon Break? Is that it? Did the system come before I could die then?"
<The system cannot tell you about a potential timeline that did not happen.>
"Either way, I was going to die shortly after," Ning thought. "And what was the 2nd rule? You never told me, right?"
<The creator hasn't allowed the system itself to know exactly what the 2nd rule is. So, the system is unable to tell you.>
"Will I ever get to know the reason? Maybe I will have to ask the creator himself if I ever do meet him," Ning thought. "Goddammit, but the damn bastard lives outside the multiverse. Isn't that the place where I die if I go? Dammit."
"Why are you angry all of a sudden?" Ely asked.
"Sigh, it's nothing. Never mind," Ning said.
"Yeah, you shouldn't be so angry. You have no reason to be angry anyway. You are the strongest person in this entire world," Ely said proudly.
"Well, just in this tiny little sphere alright. There are beings millions of times stronger than me that will obliterate me in the blink of an eye," Ning said.
"How can that be?" Ely said. "Who can do that?"
"Wills," Ning said. "There are many wills out there, even Constellation wills that can do that to me. Not to mention, coming across a rogue Galactic will or Universal Will that knows what I am will mean absolute misfortune for someone like me," Ning said.
"I'm sure it will be fine," Ely said. "What are the chances of something like that happening anyway?"
