079 : The Power of a Sovereign.

The moment Lin Tian ended the Sovereign of Ash, his body shook with power.

A surge of energy, unlike anything he had ever felt in this world, coursed through his veins.

It wasn't Qi.

It wasn't divine energy.

It was Authority.

A power that overruled the laws of nature—the strength of a Sovereign.

And then—the System spoke.

[Sovereign Title Acquired: Sovereign of Ash.]

[Analyzing Powers…]

[Processing…]

Lin Tian's golden eyes flickered. "Let's see what I just stole."

A new window appeared in his vision, revealing the abilities of his first Sovereign Title.

[Title: Sovereign of Ash]

[Category: Lesser Sovereign Title]

[Authority Level: Low] (Can be increased by defeating stronger Sovereigns.)

[Core Abilities:]

Ashborn Domain: Grants control over all forms of ash and cinders. Can manipulate burning remnants to suffocate enemies, reduce visibility, and obscure movement.

Ash Resurrection (Weakened): Allows the user to reform their body from ashes after a fatal blow once per day (limited due to low Authority Level).

Scorched Touch: Any strike delivered by the user burns with lingering embers, slowly consuming the target's stamina over time.

Erosion Command: The user can accelerate the decay of non-living materials, causing weapons, armor, and even structures to weaken over time.

Lin Tian's smirk widened.

He clenched his fist, feeling embers flickering across his skin.

"So that's how this works…"

Sovereign Titles weren't just symbols of power.

They rewrote reality within their domain of influence.

And now, he had his first piece of that authority.

It was weak compared to the true rulers of this world.

But that didn't matter.

Because Lin Tian wasn't done yet.

As he stood in the ruined temple, absorbing his new power, he felt something else.

A presence.

Something deep within the title itself.

It wasn't a voice.

It wasn't a thought.

But it was watching him.

Lin Tian narrowed his eyes. "What are you?"

The System responded.

[Warning: The Throne of Ash retains residual will from its previous owner.]

[Do you wish to purge it?]

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow. "Heh. Even after death, you're still clinging to power?"

The dead Sovereign's lingering presence trembled.

Lin Tian smirked.

"Too bad. This throne is mine now."

And without hesitation—he purged it.

A wave of authority exploded outward, and the last traces of the former Sovereign of Ash vanished forever.

Now—this power belonged to Lin Tian alone.

Lin Tian exhaled, his body now fully adjusted to his new power.

With one motion, he raised his hand.

The ashes from the fallen temple swirled upward, responding to his will.

They twisted, condensed, forming a burning sphere of embers in his palm.

This was his first Sovereign power.

Weak compared to the true rulers of this world.

But now—he had proof.

He could steal their thrones.

And soon…

He would take them all.

Lin Tian turned away from the corpse, stepping out into the night.

His next move?

Find a stronger target.

Because the power of one Sovereign Title was not enough.

Not for him.

Not for what he was planning.

And by the time he was done—he would be sitting on the highest throne of them all.

The night was cold, but Lin Tian barely felt it.

As he walked through the darkened streets of the lower city, his mind focused only on one thing.

The power he had just stolen.

He flexed his fingers, watching as tiny embers flickered across his skin.

This power was still new, unrefined.

But he could feel it.

The Sovereign Title wasn't just an ability. It was a law, a command over reality itself.

And now—it was his to control.

He needed to test it.

He needed to see what this new power could truly do.

And as he turned a corner, stepping into the slums of the city, he saw the perfect opportunity.

A group of thugs surrounded a beaten man, their weapons gleaming in the dim light.

They hadn't noticed Lin Tian yet.

He smiled. "Let's see how this works."

The largest thug—a scarred brute with a heavy club—raised his weapon over the helpless man.

"Shouldn't have crossed us," he sneered.

The victim shivered, coughing blood.

The club swung downward.

And then—Lin Tian moved.

In an instant, he was there.

The club never landed.

Instead, it stopped mid-air, its surface darkening, cracking, turning to dust.

The thug's eyes widened. "W-What—?!"

Lin Tian simply tilted his head.

"You're standing in my domain."

The ashes from the ruined club swirled upward, twisting into the air like living shadows.

Then—they surged forward.

Scorched Touch.

The embers lashed out, crawling over the thug's skin, burning away at his flesh without fire.

He screamed.

The other thugs staggered back in horror.

Lin Tian took a slow step forward.

"Who's next?"

The remaining thugs panicked.

They had fought warriors, soldiers, even low-ranked Sovereigns.

But this?

This was something else.

The air itself felt heavy, suffocating.

The longer they stood near Lin Tian, the more they could feel it—their bodies weakening, their weapons corroding.

One of them, a younger man with wide, terrified eyes, turned and ran.

Lin Tian didn't stop him.

He didn't need to.

Because the moment the thug reached the end of the alley…

His body froze.

Then—he crumbled into ash.

The remaining thugs stared in horror.

Lin Tian's golden eyes gleamed.

"I told you."

His voice was calm, but absolute.

"You're standing in my domain."

By the time Lin Tian left the alley, none of the thugs remained.

The air was quiet, filled only with the drifting remains of burning embers.

Lin Tian exhaled, flexing his fingers.

This power was still weak compared to the true Sovereigns.

But now—he understood it.

And it was time to move forward.

He had one title.

But he needed more.

A lot more.

And as he walked back toward the heart of the city, he made his next decision.

"I need to hunt my next Sovereign."

But this time—

He wouldn't wait for them to hide.

This time, he would walk into their territory and take it from them.

Because the Sovereign of Ash was dead.

And soon—another throne would fall.

As Lin Tian reached the upper city, he felt eyes watching him.

From the rooftops. From the shadows.

The powerful figures of this world were starting to notice him.

Good.

Let them watch.

Because soon, they would kneel.

Then—a voice broke the silence.

"You've made your first move."

Lin Tian turned.

It was her.

The woman with violet eyes.

She smiled. "So, how does it feel?"

Lin Tian smirked. "Like the first step toward the top."

She chuckled. "Then you'll want to hear this."

She tossed him a small parchment.

Lin Tian caught it and opened it.

It contained one name.

One title.

His next target.

"Sovereign of Iron."

Lin Tian's eyes gleamed.

A Sovereign who controlled weapons, armor, and fortification.

A ruler of strength and defense.

The perfect target for his next hunt.

Lin Tian smiled.

"Looks like I'm going hunting again."

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