Volume 1, Chapter 161: The Temporal Paradox

Even without Regulos saying it, Chifan already had the same intention.

Yet, he still feigned a reluctant expression, considered the matter seriously for a moment, and then nodded slightly. "Very well. For Master Reiti's sake, I will reluctantly accept you as my disciple."

"Really!" Joy washed over Regulos's face as he bowed deeply.

With the grandmasters of the Space Beast Fist all dead, the figure before him was most likely the very last surviving grandmaster. If he could receive his guidance, he believed his strength would advance rapidly.

However, Diavolo was an Absolute Life Form. To defeat him would undoubtedly take a very long time.

Sensing what Regulos was thinking, Chifan immediately spoke up, "Do not lose heart. Relying on this forbidden book, you can quickly acquire the power to defeat that person."

"Relying on... the forbidden book?" Regulos raised his head and looked at him in confusion.

"That is correct," Chifan explained. "As I said just now, we Beast Fighters can only form a pact with a single beast at a time. Yet, this forbidden book clearly records that a person can form pacts with two, three, or even more Space Beasts."

"What!" Regulos gasped in shock, exclaiming, "Does that mean..."

"Indeed!" Chifan declared with a resonant, powerful voice, "As long as you can form pacts with multiple Space Beasts, you will gain the power to defeat Diavolo!"

Having received a definitive answer, a blazing fire instantly ignited within Regulos's previously dimmed eyes.

"Good eyes," Chifan chuckled. "But do not rejoice too soon. I have studied this forbidden book for many years and have never been able to comprehend its true meaning, so you must mentally prepare yourself."

"Understood!" Regulos nodded heavily. He picked up the forbidden book once more, clutching it tightly in his hands as though it were his only hope.

Yet, another person immediately came to mind. He hastily added, "By the way, Mentor Chifan, I have a junior martial brother. He is immensely powerful. He had previously left D60 because someone came looking for trouble. If we have his help, we will surely be able to defeat Diavolo."

"Junior martial brother?" Chifan's brow relaxed slightly as he raised his head to gaze at the sky. "Are you speaking of that person?"

High above in the sky, a figure was pacing back and forth, seemingly searching for something. It was none other than Tregear, who had just hurried back.

"It truly is my junior brother!" Regulos cried out in surprise and hurriedly flew up.

The moment he cleared the cliff, the aura he emitted instantly caught the attention of the figure in the air.

Having returned from the dark universe, Tregear had intended to seek counsel directly from Master Reiti.

Yet, to his surprise, D60 had been attacked once more. After searching all around, he only managed to find Master Reiti, who was down to his last breath.

Before Tregear could even step forward to help, Master Reiti's life force had completely extinguished, and his physical form dissipated into nothingness.

He hadn't even managed to leave behind a single dying wish.

Catching sight of Regulos, Tregear flashed through the air and appeared before him in an instant, asking in a deep voice, "What is going on? What on earth happened?"

"Junior brother, you're finally back!" Regulos was so emotional he was nearly brought to tears, his voice trembling as he spoke. "It was Dias... no, it was Diavolo! He killed Master Reiti, he killed Linglan, he killed everyone!"

"Diavolo?" Tregear's expression remained completely unchanged.

He had known from the very beginning that Dias was Diavolo, but due to being unsure of the other party's intentions, he had never exposed him.

He had not expected, however, that it would lead to such a situation.

Perhaps because Tregear appeared far too calm, Regulos was momentarily stunned and asked in bewilderment, "Jun... Junior brother, aren't you saddened at all?"

Tregear glanced at him and replied without batting an eye, "Of course I am saddened. I am going to avenge Master Reiti right now."

With that, Tregear directly opened a space-time tunnel and plunged right into it.

"Wait a moment... Ah!" Regulos was completely dumbfounded.

He truly had not expected Tregear to leave the moment he spoke. Shouldn't he have first discussed a strategy with him and their newly acquainted Mentor Chifan? To go off alone—wasn't that far too reckless?

With that thought, Regulos hastily turned around, intending to return and find Chifan.

The second he turned, however, he saw a figure standing right behind him.

"Men... Mentor Chifan!" Regulos startled, immediately calling out.

"Mm." Chifan gave a slight nod, his expression rather solemn as he asked, "Was that the junior martial brother you spoke of?"

"Yes!" Regulos answered without a moment's hesitation. "That is Tregear. He joined our sect not long ago."

"I see." Chifan nodded, an expression of realization washing over his face before he let out a sigh tinged with astonishment. "I never would have imagined that someone so young would already have mastered trans-dimensional abilities."

"Trans-dimensional abilities?" Hearing something entirely new, Regulos asked curiously, "What is that?"

"It is an ability to traverse space and cross dimensions," Chifan explained with patience. "To my knowledge, relying on this ability allows one to pierce the dimensional wall and travel to other universes."

"Other... universes?" Regulos wore a blank expression. "Are there really other universes in this world?"

"Of course." Chifan smiled slightly, a trace of yearning flashing in his eyes, before raising his hand and delivering a sharp flick directly against Regulos's forehead. "What are you staring blankly for? Why aren't you going back to study the forbidden arts!"

With a sharp *thump*, a visible bump rose on Regulos's head. Hurriedly clutching his head and shrinking his neck, he floated back down.

Meanwhile, Tregear had arrived within a colorful, kaleidoscopic space.

To be precise, this was a special space he had created for traversing timelines, serving the same purpose as Tartarus's Narak Space.

Before long, a tear ripped open within the space.

Tregear stepped through without the slightest hesitation.

Concurrently, the world within his vision shifted imperceptibly.

"Hm?" At that moment, Tregear suddenly frowned, muttering in confusion, "How can this be?"

Directly in front of him, a transparent membrane blocked his path.

Tregear raised his palm and gently touched it with his fingertips.

Instantly, ripples like water spread outward in circles, yet the membrane itself remained entirely unchanged.

Tregear did not withdraw his hand. Instead, he gathered a trace of energy at his fingertips and thrust forward with force.

...

Ripples arose once more, yet not a single sound passed through, as if plunging into a vast, silent sea.

"Could it be because of a temporal paradox?" Tregear's frown deepened relentlessly.

Indeed, he had not truly intended to seek out Diavolo; rather, he had prepared to cross the timeline once more, returning to the previous era to prevent everything from happening.

For if he did that, he could continue his peaceful cultivation of the Beast Fist until the day he sensed the Space Beasts once again.