The Innkeeper

Everything was sturdier in the Primordial Garden, and Lex could use that to his advantage. When the trident fell, the commander dodged it easily, but Lex already changed how he was using the attack. Within the trident were packed entirely different laws - ones that changed the surroundings once they hit the ground.

The once solid footing suddenly became viscous sludge, as if they were stepping in quick sand. What's more, the sludge seemed to specifically target the commander, trapping him and slowing him down - even if it was temporary.

Lex, as if taking advantage of the moment, attacked using Naraka with his full force. The commander was forced to take the attack head on, so he reinforced his body to resist. Unfortunately for him, Naraka had a bite that was not so easy to resist.

One of his stone arms shattered entirely as his body was launched out of the muck. His chest bore the mark of a deep slash - the consequence of a single attack from Lex and Naraka.

His physical strength was not the kind of thing that could be so easily ignored, not anymore. Heaven Immortal, Celestial Immortal, or Primordial, none of that made them immune to his strength.

"Yes, this is what I'm talking about," the commander said, a mad zeal in his eyes as he looked at Lex. "This is how you overcome this obstacle."

Yet instead of attacking once more, Lex merely shook his head.

"No, this is how I overcome this obstacle," he said, dismissing his sword and pulling out his Karmic Bead.

The commander's expression quickly changed as he felt the immense threat of that bead. He quickly began preparing precautions, but no matter what he did, he was not ready for what Lex did next.

The Karmic Bead fused into Lex's karma with the commander, and found the piece of shattered rock that had flown out from the commander's arm. Lex had, purposefully, attacked in such a way that the pieces would fly far, and fly in the direction of the lake.

Once he identified the farther piece, one that was nearly at the lake, Lex merely nodded to the commander, as if recognizing his strength, and then swapped positions with that piece of rock.

In a single instant, through his karma, Lex had arrived at the edge of the lake. All he needed to do now was jump in and retrieve the belt. That should be simple right? Right. Even Lex didn't believe that.

"Ugh, what a disservice to what could have been an incredible fight," the commander spoke from far away. Although he could catch up, he didn't bother. He realized that if Lex wanted to escape, he couldn't hold him down.

"Regardless, I recognize your skill. You may go forth and retrieve your prize unimpeded. The lake itself will be your final obstacle. For someone from such a weak race, and for someone who is not a Primordial, you have shown admirable strength. Go - you have done your ancestors proud."

It was funny. Lex had no intentions of fighting the commander, that was not his goal. He had bypassed him, and even received his recognition and praise.

So why was it that the praise was pissing Lex off so much? Why was it… that the praise was making Lex feel like fighting him? The answer was straight forward actually. By looking down on Lex for not being a Primordial, they were challenging his supremacy.

"Primordials?" Lex said slowly, his voice suddenly turning heavier as the aura around his body changed slowly. "They are strong, yes. They are impressive, yes. But they merely had a head start. But even with that head start, that does not allow you the privilege of looking down on me. After all…"

Lex turned around to look at the commander, revealing his yellowish-gold eyes, and dragon horns that were equipped with a crown of flames. The commander froze, but before he could react, Lex flapped the wings that had grown out of his back.

"I am the best," the commander heard as a fist rammed into his chest faster than he could react, spreading cracks all across his chest.

The commander did not understand why Lex suddenly felt a lot more dangerous, but he understood that this was a fight, and that was his speciality.

Outside the crystal mountain range, Eclipse and Harriot were watching Lex. But further in the garden, far away, a Golden Dragon sat lazily in the Dao Congress. Suddenly, something attracted his attention, causing him to turn his gaze towards Lex in his dragonoid form.

Even now, Lex was weaker than the commander, yet the commander was the one taking a beating. It seemed that in his every action, in his every punch, in his every kick, Lex was delivering a message.

So what if he was not a Primordial? He was still the best!

With an absolute raging fury, Lex took on a much stronger foe, and did not lose the advantage for even a second.

"That arrogance… is truly worthy of a dragon," the golden dragon muttered with a satisfied smile. He did not care for Lex's strength, his ability, his race or his origin. If dragons cared about that stuff, they would not be famous universewide for sleeping with any race that caught their fancy.

Among dragons, besides strength, the thing that mattered most was their arrogance, and Lex was oozing it.

"Yes, only with such arrogance do you have a chance to look down on the whole universe," the dragon muttered, feeling deeply satisfied with Lex's behavior. He did not care if he was half dragon, full dragon, or anything else. He carried their lineage, and he carried it well - that is all that mattered.

A moment later, the golden dragon appeared beside Eclipse and Harriot, watching the show.

"Mistress, your insight once again proves itself," the dragon fawned on the Eclipsecrawler, all signs of the arrogance he himself was mentioning gone as he pandered to her. "This is a good specimen. May I have him after the show?"