This was the reality of the Sovereign Path. As much as you ruled and lorded over others, you could only grow by stepping upon the faith your people had in you. Since the beginning of time, this was the way was the way people climbed the latter of True Presence.

Why was it that the second trial was so necessary to comprehend Presence? It was because one needed to comprehend what it meant to be a ruler before they could grasp this path.

"Do you know how many have reached God Presence relying on the Sovereign Heart?" The deep, boiling voice of Dyon's manifestation continued. "The answer is zero! Why is it that a Half-Step King Dragon Soul is already as powerful as King Level Presence?! It's because this path is WEAK.

"The number of people who could truly call themselves Gods, the kind of experts that would wipe out you so-called True Gods with a single breath, can be counted on a single hand even if you stretch back to the dawn of time itself. Yet you want to use such a feeble Path to comprehend such a thing Should I call you head strong or foolish?!"

Dyon suddenly began to laugh. His body trembled, not from any sort of profound emotion, but rather of relief.

He suddenly understood what the crown of his manifestation meant. It didn't refer to mere sovereignty, it was a representation of standing above all things. What did a crown mean? It was simply a symbol of authority. However, an authority in what lane was the question?

Would Dyon rule over a small fief? Would he rule a planet? A galaxy? A universe? A quadrant, maybe?

What a joke. His crown didn't represent any of these things. It stood above that. It didn't even refer to ruling over a mere Mortal Plane or a mere Immortal Plane. What it stood for was absolute control of not these things, but of Dyon himself!

"Good!" The roar of his manifestation shook the very skies of his inner world. "Not even the Heavens themselves can dictate what you can and cannot do."

Who in existence could say they ruled over themselves to the fullest? Could anyone say such a thing?

Mortals had their Presidents and Prime Ministers. Immortals had their Clan Heads and Kings. Kings lowered their heads to Emperors and Emperors lowered their heads to Transcendents.

Transcendents must lord over their own lives then, right? However, didn't Transcendents die? Even the mighty Abraxus was coming close to the end of his life. In the end, Transcendents lowered their head to the Heavens themselves!

Dyon's laugh increased, carrying a hint of madness as a resolute expression appeared in his eyes. With a single thought, his Dao Heart shattered for a second time.

Dyon's wills blazed behind him.

The beautiful royal blue of the weapon's master. The gentle, tea leaf green of the wind. The yin and yang crystals of his flames. The marvelous rainbow colors of his music. The majestic and glittering crystal will. The silver embodiment of his space will. The dense blackness of his death will. And, finally, his unformed Titan and time Will

The last time Dyon's Dao Heart shattered, his wills dissipated along with them. How could you sustain a connection with the Heavens without a dao heart? As such, it only made sense for wills to disappear the moment a dao heart suffered so greatly. This was what happened to Patia-Neva, and thus it was what Dyon.

Just as expected, Dyon's wills began to whittle away, unable to sustain themselves. Comprehensions that he had traded his life for were floating away. However, Dyon had steeled himself. The moment he made this decision, he was aware that this would happen. Even if his combat prowess drastically fell, he was willing to make this same choice a hundred if not a thousand more times.

It was at this moment that the Crown glowed once more.

When Dyon shed himself of the discomfort of Amphorae's history in this life, his Crown had taken action. Not only did it forcibly increase the size of his inner world, it doubled the strength of his soul in an instant!

When Dyon swallowed the Martial Saint pill, expecting to suffer through days if not months of pain, his crown glowed once more. Not only did it forcibly negate the death's gate effects of the pill, it gave him nine new meridians in an instant!

When Dyon's inner world wanted to reseal his cultivation due to his increased meridian count and foundation, it was due to his Crown that it was forcibly stopped!

This time, even without having formed a proper dao heart, the crown acted once more. What bullshit heavenly laws and restrictions? I gave up my life for these comprehensions, who are you to take it away?!

The crown became Dyon's new anchor. He could now slowly comprehend a new dao heart, one that stood even above the central nine. The day he succeeded would be the day the martial world played in his palm.

Dyon couldn't help but laugh once more. Nothing repaid a cultivator more than a resolute attitude. He had taken this action still underestimating the abilities of his Manifestation, yet he had been so pleasantly surprised.

'My understanding of The Crown is at least at 10%...'

If others heard Dyon's thoughts, they'd be astounded. No one dared to say such things about their Manifestations. Even the Ancient Tomes of the Ancient Elvin Clans could only boast a 20% understanding after several generations. But to think Dyon would say he had understood to a tenth. It was truly mind numbing.

However, the benefits of this comprehension clearly showed. His Crown had the ability to sustain seven half-step daos, two of which were considered Supreme Laws!

'The strength of the Crown lies in its ability to bend the Martial Way. Before, 100 000km was the utmost limit my soul could reach without breaking into the dao realm, yet it broke that path and made it 200 000km, and that was with a mere 5% understanding.'