Just then, a god of chaos entered into the space where Bartholomew lived.
He began approaching him slowly.
"Rory,
you're finally back!
You've been gone in search of Winston for so many years. Have you managed to find anything? A clue
at least?
Is he dead or alive?"
Bartholomew asked frantically the moment he caught sight of the god of chaos.
"Sir, I haven't found his hideouts or even learned much of his whereabouts.
But one thing is for sure; he's still alive.
I sensed his aura several times, and even got close to him once.
But he seemed to have spotted me and escaped before I could get to him,"
Rory reported.
"So he really is alive."
Bartholomew frowned, unhappy with this news.
He was once Winston's disciple but had colluded with his master's enemy to set up a trap to take him
down. Winston had almost lost his life in that ordeal.
Whether he was in fact dead or alive had been haunting Bartholomew for years now.
He knew that he would come for him one day to settle this, if he was still around.
Winston was once a famous super master in the Absolute Space Sea.
Bartholomew never had the confidence to defeat his master, even when he was at the peak of his
powers.
Hearing that he was still alive had put Bartholomew in a sour mood.
"Keep looking for him. You must, at all costs, find him.
Take any men and use any resources you may need, just get the job done.
Do you understand?"
Bartholomew said to Rory with stern resolve.
"Got it!"
Rory answered with a firm, eager nod.
He knew Bartholomew was anxious to have Winston tracked down and in his grasp.
He had been conducting his search for him these years past.
"Winston, you may be alive, but there's still nothing you can do.
Those injuries you suffered back then were so severe it's impossible for you to have fully recovered
from them so soon.
You've been keeping yourself hidden all these years. That must mean you're still quite seriously hurt.
When I find you, I will finish you off myself.
I could beat you back then and so it wouldn't be difficult to destroy you now,"
Bartholomew said through gritted teeth, stewing in his fury and hatred.
"Hey, you!
Spread the word that we'll be killing all his friends, one by one. The longer Austin doesn't show himself,
the more of the ones he cares about will die.
Get it done!"
Bartholomew barked to one of his men after a moment of contemplation.
"Yes, sir!"
The subordinate then scurried off to complete his assignment.
While this was going on, Austin was focused on his cultivation in the Fallen Divine Valley.
The cultivation methods and martial arts skills Winston had taught him were quite brilliant indeed.
Austin was finding that his strength was increasing rapidly now.
It took a long time, but eventually, he had mastered the basic knowledge of what Winston had passed
on to him.
He finished his cultivation for the time being and stepped out of the small world.
Winston sensed his aura and nodded with satisfaction and pride.
"Very good, Austin. You are quite the talent. You've already cultivated what I've taught you to such an
impressive level, in such a short time," Winston remarked.
"I'm going to save my friends,"
Austin said to the infinity beast and Winston.
The leader of the Reincarnation Palace and the others were the successors of the reincarnation race,
and the Reincarnation Palace's leader had traveled around the Absolute Space Sea with Austin for
some time.
He could not sit back and watch them die after all they had been through.
More to it, it was because of Austin that they had been captured by Bartholomew.
His true target however, was Austin.
He was well aware of that.
"All right."
Winston and the infinity beast nodded in agreement, understanding he had to do this.
They knew what he was feeling and decided to respect his decision.
"Be careful.
Bartholomew is a formidable foe; do not underestimate him.
If he finds you, you must teleport yourself away immediately,"
the infinity beast reminded Austin cautiously.
"I will, sir. Don't worry,"
Austin replied, nodding respectfully.
He and the chaotic sky-devouring beast then left the Fallen Divine Valley and headed for the space sea
Bartholomew resided in.
Before they set off, they disguised themselves and their spiritual souls using the time-related secret
skill taught to them by the infinity beast.
It was without a doubt a brilliant and powerful secret skill.
Even if a god of chaos knew Austin and the chaotic sky-devouring beast, he would not be able to
recognize them now.
Along the way, they learned new information about their friends.
What they heard was that Austin's friends would be killed one by one if he did not turn himself in to
Bartholomew.
"Bartholomew, I swear I will kill you with my own bare hands!" Austin cursed.
This was going too far; Austin was growing hungry to see him die.
Not only had Bartholomew turned his back on Winston and set him up, forcing him into his current
exile,
but now he had threatened Austin with his friends' lives.
Austin wished he could rip him to shreds right that second!
Finally, they were coming up on the space sea where they would find Bartholomew.
It was a large space sea and a fairly important stronghold of the Time Chamber Sect. That was why
Bartholomew had been left in charge of it.
It had a special name; it was referred to as the Ninth Floor.
More men had recently been put on patrol nearby.
Bartholomew possessed great power and influence in the Time Chamber Sect. He was more than
capable of mobilizing a large force as he wanted.
Austin and the chaotic sky-devouring beast were hiding near the Ninth Floor, observing it from a safe
distance.
At last, Austin came up with an idea of how they would sneak in.
"Here's the plan. We'll pretend to be one of those on patrol and look for a chance to enter the Ninth
Floor,"
Austin explained.
There was a team of people patrolling close to the Ninth Floor. They were a relatively smaller group
than most others, consisting of around one hundred divine gods.
Some were genuine divine gods.
Ordinary divine gods and genuine divine gods were ranked at the bottom of the Time Chamber Sect.
"You know, recently we've been running off our feet. We patrol this area day and night, investigating
every suspicious person we see.
And I heard the person we're looking for has never even appeared.
There's no telling when we'll get to go home and have a good, much needed rest,"
one of the genuine divine gods complained.
"Stop running your mouth with all that nonsense. Lord Bartholomew has placed great importance on
this matter.
He gave the order personally.
We're nobodies. It's best for us to just fall in line, follow his orders and do our job.
A fool's mouth is his destruction,"
another genuine divine god added, advising them toward absolute obedience.
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