Pouant City.
The annual Academy Exchange Tournament had begun.
Outstanding students from both the Sadius Magic Academy and the Dragon Soul Warrior Academy would participate in this exchange competition.
Sadius brought Reyna, the three Violet-Gold Rat King brothers, and Bebe's family to watch the matches together.
"The Dragon Soul Warrior Academy's contestant this time should be from the Baruch clan, right?"
"Yes, Father. It's Hogg from the Baruch family. Not long ago, he awakened his Dragonblood Warrior lineage using a drop of Mr. Usor's essence blood."
Pouant Empire's Emperor Luoshen sat beside Sadius, giving the explanation.
"Hogg Baruch, hmm?"
Sadius looked at the young man in the arena.
Fate was truly mysterious. Even though Sadius had already changed the destiny of the Baruch clan, Linley's father still appeared.
Unlike in the original timeline where the Baruch clan had declined, now the Baruch clan was one of the most prestigious families on the continent, and the reputation of the Dragonblood Warriors once again resounded across the land.
"What about the Magic Academy? The contestant is a young girl?"
"Mm. That girl is named Lina, born a commoner. She cultivates necromancy. Originally, no one paid attention to her talent until the Radiant Church secretly infiltrated the Pouant Empire intending to abduct her. Fortunately, the imperial army discovered it in time, otherwise she would've been taken by the Radiant Church.
Later, necromancers in the academy discovered her soul purity was extremely high, so they recruited her into the academy. Now, she's already a seventh-rank necromancer."
Hogg Baruch. Lina.
Were these not the parents of the original story's protagonist?
Sadius hadn't expected them to meet in this way.
He pondered—if he interfered with the fate of their meeting, would Linley still be born?
When he thought about Linley's fourfold soul mutation of earth, fire, water, and wind, and how he would eventually transcend the Coiling Dragon universe itself, Sadius fell into deep thought.
Should he let Linley be born… or should he prevent Linley's birth?
By all rights, Linley was a fate-defying existence. Even Hongmeng himself could not foresee Linley's ultimate achievements.
But what about Sadius himself? Was he also a fate-defying existence?
In the original storyline, Sadius died as a ninth-rank warrior. Perhaps after his soul entered the Netherworld, he could've achieved something and independently become a God there.
But clearly, he himself was not a fate-defying person.
However, this Sadius—who had transmigrated—had a destiny clearly different from the original body.
Could that also count as a kind of fate-defiance?
And what about those whose destinies had changed because of the butterfly effect caused by his transmigration? Surely, they couldn't all be called fate-defying just because their fates had been altered, right?
As Sadius was lost in such thoughts, the battle in the arena had already begun between Hogg Baruch and Lina.
Lina summoned wave after wave of undead to attack Hogg.
Hogg directly transformed into a Dragonblood Warrior, and the two clashed fiercely.
"I'd better not interfere with the plot's development. If Linley can be born, I can still find a way to become his teacher. If I can't transcend the Coiling Dragon universe myself, I can at least rely on him to enter another universe."
The match ended quickly.
Hogg emerged victorious.
The power boost from the Dragonblood Warrior transformation was simply too overwhelming. Even though Lina's rank was higher than Hogg's before his transformation, she was no match for him after he transformed.
After watching the match, Sadius quietly placed a tracking imprint on both of them so he could observe their development at any time.
Afterward, the group enjoyed the entertainment of Pouant City. It was late at night by the time they returned to the imperial palace.
In the days that followed, Sadius focused on his cultivation in peace. Whether in Infernal Realm or on the Yulan Plane, all of his divine clones were diligently gaining insights.
After witnessing Hogg Baruch and Lina's battle, Sadius thought the two would be love at first sight.
But as time passed, there was still no progress at all between them.
This made Sadius curious. Could it be that their destiny had already changed?
Would Linley not be born?
Sadius pondered for a long time.
No. Linley must be born.
This was a transcendent being who only appeared once in thousands of eons.
Without him, who knew how long it would take before another Hongmeng Controller would emerge?
As things stood, Sadius didn't believe he himself could achieve transcendence.
The path to transcendence in the Coiling Dragon universe was far too restrictive.
Only with a fourfold elemental soul mutation of earth, fire, water, and wind, and by refining four same-level Sovereign sparks, could one transcend.
Missing even one element wouldn't work, and having more was far too difficult.
But Sadius' current situation was limited.
His three-way soul mutation only had the Earth God clone linked to the four elements.
Even with a second main body now, it would still only result in one more divine clone, nothing more.
Perhaps Sadius' strength could surpass Orloff and make him the number one in the Coiling Dragon universe…But even that would not allow him to transcend.
So Sadius placed a sliver of hope on the not-yet-born Linley.
The next day, a message spread from the Pouant imperial palace:
Dragon God Sadius will personally accept one student from the Dragon Soul Warrior Academy and one from the Sadius Magic Academy.
Very soon, the young Dragonblood Warrior from the Baruch clan—Hogg Baruch—was selected to become Sadius' disciple.
The top genius of the Sadius Magic Academy, Lina, was also chosen as Sadius' disciple.
Both of them were overjoyed.
After all, in the entire Pouant Empire, who didn't know that Sadius was a powerful Midgod?
That was an existence even more formidable than the High Priestess of the Yulan Empire.
The current High Priestess of the Yulan Empire had already been replaced, but people still respectfully referred to her as High Priestess.
That title was more like a position than a personal name.
Soon, Sadius summoned his two new disciples.
"Hogg, Lina, I have a task I want to entrust to you."
The two never imagined they could actually become Sadius' disciples.
To know how rare this was—back then, even the King of the Baruch Kingdom, Jason Baruch (Hogg's grandfather), had wanted to become Sadius' student but had been refused.
"Teacher, what task is it?"
"In recent years, the Radiant Church, and the Dark Church—these two heretical forces—have begun to rise again on the continent. Many imperial citizens have been beguiled by them. I want you two to investigate their traces together. When the time is right, the empire will send Saint-level experts to deliver a fatal strike against them."
Hogg was secretly delighted.
Didn't this mean the Teacher was creating an opportunity for him to spend time alone with Lina? That way, his chances of winning her over would be much higher.
Lina, however, slightly frowned.
She didn't want to spend time alone with Hogg.
Hogg was the royal grandson of the Baruch Kingdom, heir apparent to the throne, and its future king.
As for her, Lina… she had little interest in noble heirs.
She didn't want anyone to think her accomplishments came from flattering nobles.
But Sadius' task couldn't be refused.
So, despite her reluctance, Lina accepted.
Watching the two accept the mission and leave, Sadius finally felt some relief.
Hopefully, Hogg could seize this opportunity.
This was all Sadius could help with.
He couldn't very well directly bestow marriage upon them, could he?