盘龙 - Coiling Dragon, by I Eat Tomatoes (我吃西红柿）UNABRIDGED

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 19, War God, Cesar

After having killed twelve Highgods with a single sword, he had shocked his opponents. Thus, Linley’s group of four left safely.

“Linley, will that young master of the Bagshaw clan bring experts for revenge?” Olivier frowned, somewhat concerned.

Linley chuckled.

Delia replied, “Olivier, in truth, the young master of the Bagshaw clan and the three of us were only in a dispute because of clothing. And then, Linley killed those twelve ordinary Highgods. To an ancient clan like his, the death of twelve ordinary Highgods is nothing at all. I imagine that this young master wouldn’t be so rash as to seek revenge without clearly investigating.”

“If they come, we will kill them!”

Bebe snorted. “We’re about to leave Miluo Island anyways. Who cares about the Bagshaw clan. No matter how powerful they are, can it be that they can control other areas also?”

“Let’s go. These large clans are disdainful towards lesser individuals, but against true experts, they are still somewhat cautious.” Linley chuckled. Linley, when attacking, had been viewed by others as a Highgod, and yet his aura was that of a God!

The enemies would definitely believe that Linley was hiding his aura.

Actually, Linley really was only just a God! How could they possibly discover any Highgod aura from him?

However, the enemies would only believe that Linley was so powerful that his ability to hide his aura was simply too great!

Given his ability to hide his aura, as well as the sword attack he had just displayed, the opponents had plenty of material to begin wildly speculating over. No matter how powerful a clan was, they wouldn’t want to offend an ultimate expert. After all…a true expert, by himself, could destroy a clan.

In front of an ultimate expert, human wave tactics were ineffective.

That young master Sequeira wouldn’t dare to offend a possibly Seven Star Fiend over a small fit of pique.

Linley’s group immediately headed outside. After walking for a while, Linley didn’t discover anyone following them. In his heart, he understood that young master Sequeira should have really given up the idea of getting revenge.

Bebe muttered, “Miluo Island is quite a beautiful island. Unfortunately, after being here just a single day, we have to leave. I really wanted to become a hundred battles victor in that Arena.” How could Bebe possibly lose in a fight against those Gods? He could just stand there and let them beat on him.

Unless the opponent also had a godspark weapon or a Sovereign artifact. Most likely, only with those items would they be able to harm Bebe.

“Let’s go. In the future, we’ll still have the chance.” Linley laughed calmly.

“Linley, quick, look!” Delia, somewhat stunned, pulled at Linley and called at him. Linley immediately turned and followed Delia’s gaze. As he did, Linley was shocked. From a distant translucent restaurant window, he was able to see an icy man with long red hair seated on the other side of the window!

The War God, O’Brien!

“War God!” Linley was overjoyed.

“War God?” Olivier looked over, puzzled, and then he too was overjoyed.

All of these experts who had entered the Infernal Realm understood that it would be extremely hard for them to run into their old friends from the same material plane. The feeling of meeting with their old friends was enough to make them very excited and energetic.

“Haha, War God!” Bebe was the first to dash towards the restaurant.

Linley’s group immediately followed him as well. Entering the restaurant, they saw that this was a fairly quiet restaurant with fairly few customers. O’Brien was currently sitting there, quietly drinking a cup of tea.

“The War God actually became a Highgod?” Linley was somewhat startled. In the past, the War God had relied on fusing with a divine spark to become a God. In as short a period of time as a thousand years, he became a Highgod? There was only one explanation – he had fused with a divine spark.

“Hey, War God!” Bebe immediately ran towards the War God’s table.

O’Brien, his head lowered to his cup of tea, was startled. War God? In the Infernal Realm, it had been many years since someone had addressed him in that manner.

O’Brien raised his head and saw Bebe by his table, and also Linley, Delia, and Olivier walking this way as well. The War God O’Brien’s face went slack, and then he revealed a look of joy. “Linley, it’s actually you four!”

“O’Brien, long time no see.” Linley laughed.

“Long time no see.” O’Brien laughed as well.

“Aren’t you going to invite us to sit?” Bebe snorted.

O’Brien immediately began to laugh. “Haha, it’s fine if I don’t invite others to sit, but how would I dare to not invite you, Bebe, to sit? Come, let’s all sit together.” As he spoke, O’Brien immediately beckoned towards a distant waiter, who immediately came over.

“I don’t want to eat right now.” Linley said hurriedly.

“Then we’ll order some wine.” O’Brien casually ordered some wine, and then everyone began to chat together.

O’Brien asked Linley and Olivier about what had happened in recent years, while Linley gave a general description of the events which had occurred after their arrival in the Infernal Realm. However, he didn’t go into too much detail regarding the dangers they had faced. After giving a brief summary, Linley’s group concluded their description of what had happened in the Redbud Continent.

“We were trapped within the Amethyst Mountains for a time, but luckily were able to escape.” Olivier, for example, discussed that matter with a single sentence. While they were chatting, Delia even especially set up her ‘Godrealm’ to cover all of them within it, shutting out sound and preventing outsiders from eavesdropping.

Linley had thought that O’Brien would be shocked, but O’Brien didn’t seem to feel anything was amiss.

Actually, O’Brien had always been in the Starmist Sea, and thus he knew very little about the Redbud Continent. He didn’t understand what being trapped in the Amethyst Mountains and then escaping really meant!

“Linley, you really are audacious. The Infernal Realm is filled with countless dangers. If I hadn’t been following Tarosse, I probably would’ve died in the Starmist Sea long ago. You, however, actually left the Redbud Continent and began to hurry towards the Bloodridge Continent. Formidable. Admirable!” O’Brien sighed in amazement.

Olivier just chuckled.

As Olivier saw it, given Linley’s current strength, he would be able to roam the Infernal Realm with ease. As long as he didn’t encounter any major foes, he definitely wouldn’t be in any danger.

“O’Brien, how about you? How has life been in the Infernal Realm?” Linley laughed as he asked.

“Me? Not bad.” O’Brien nodded. “After arriving in the Infernal Realm, our group included Tarosse and Dylin. Although we ran into some dangerous situations, Tarosse and him were able to deal with it. Afterwards, Tarosse broke through from the God level to the Highgod level. He became a Highgod on his own!”

Linley couldn’t help but be surprised.

“After Tarosse reached the Highgod level, he became truly formidable.” O’Brien sighed in praise. “Tarosse himself had fused two types of profound mysteries to begin with. Matching that with his innate divine ability…in the Starmist Sea, he is extremely formidable. He even once killed three Five Star Fiends!”

“Killed three Five Star Fiends?” Linley’s group was shocked as well.

But after considering it, Linley understood. Tarosse had become a Highgod independently and had fused two types of profound mysteries. If he was able to perfectly match his attacks with his innate divine ability as a divine beast, then it was possible for him to be comparable to a Six Star Fiend.

“Right. Tarosse won a hundred victories here at Miluo Island!” O’Brien sighed in approval.

Linley nodded to himself. Generally speaking, Six Star Fiends were capable of gaining a hundred victories. Five Star Fiends, if lucky, could as well. It was possible for Tarosse to accomplish this.

“Dylin, in turn, won a hundred victories at the God Arena.” O’Brien laughed. “Precisely because of this, Tarosse and Dylin both now live in the western part of the island. Tarosse gave us divine sparks to allow myself, Cesar, and Dylin’s children to all reach the Highgod level.”

Linley now understood.

So that was what had happened. Dylin’s two children, those Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions, had both fused with divine sparks to become Deities, and O’Brien had as well. Since they had already fused with divine sparks, they might as well just keep doing so. Only, given that they had used divine sparks to become Highgods, their future potential was now rather slim.

Delia smiled. “It seems your life here isn’t bad.”

“That’s right.” O’Brien nodded, but then he seemed to have thought of something. He shook his head. “But Cesar, he…”

“What about Cesar?” Linley hurriedly asked.

Linley had a rather deep friendship with Cesar. Previously, in his homeland near Fenlai City, Cesar had helped him. Afterwards, when Linley had gone to rescue those Undying Warriors, the five Barker brothers, at the critical, life and death moment, Cesar had once again helped him and saved him.

Linley naturally was grateful towards Cesar for having helped him multiples time.

“Cesar is rather…depressed these days.” O’Brien shook his head and sighed.

“Depressed?” Bebe stared. “Cesar seems to have no cares in the world. How could he become depressed?”

Linley was rather puzzled as well.

“Problems of the heart.” O’Brien said.

A look of surprise appeared on the faces of Linley and the others. Cesar, in the Yulan continent, had been an extremely dissolute fellow who often changed women. There was no long-term woman for him. Even that ‘Holy Lady’ of the Frost Goddess Shrine, Cesar had ran away from as though fleeing a disaster.

As Linley saw it, a person like him shouldn’t suffer too much from matters of the heart.

Seeing the looks on the faces of Linley and the others, O’Brien explained, “At first, I was like you, unable to believe it. But this time, Cesar is for real. With regards to that woman, Cecily (Sai’xi’li), it is as though he has been possessed. Him and that Cecily woman really fell in love. Cesar even told me that this time, he had found true love!”

Linley’s group just listened, stunned.

“But of course, what happened between them in terms of their relationship, I’m not too clear. We wouldn’t pry about their private affairs. All of us were just very happy that Cesar and Cecily were able to be each other.”

“Logically speaking, this was a good thing.” O’Brien shook his head and laughed. “Unfortunately, that Cecily had a very special status. She was actually a core member of one of the five major clans of Miluo Island, the Gaylord [Gai’luo’de] clan. In addition, not too long ago, she got married to young master Sequeira of the Bagshaw clan!”

Young master Sequeira?

Linley’s group of four, upon hearing this name, exchanged glances. This matter actually had something to do with Sequeira? But not too long ago, Linley’s group had gotten into a dispute with that Sequeira.

“What, are you surprised? We were surprised as well. But that’s the truth.” O’Brien sighed. “Deities should have tough, resilient minds. Who would have imagined that Cesar seemed to have suffered a fatal wound. He’s in a daze all day, either drinking or just daydreaming or sleeping or training. He is extremely dispirited.”

Linley couldn’t help but sympathize with Cesar.

Although O’Brien described it all in a very ordinary manner, Linley himself had been heartbroken in love before as well. He knew well the heart-ripping pain of having his woman being taken away, and how that agony could make a person be able to barely breathe. The more deeply one loved, the more deeply one would be wounded.

“Cesar…seems to have really fallen for her.” Linley sighed.

As they chatted, their wine was soon used up.

“It’s a matter of time. This happened just recently after all. Cesar is just unable to get over it for now, I imagine. When time goes on, he should be better.” O’Brien said, then stood up. “Linley, come. Let’s go meet with Tarosse, Dylin, and those two children of Dylin’s. All of them are present. When they see you, they will definitely be very happy.”

Linley’s group immediately rose as well.

“Boss, are we still going to head off with Aches’ group?” Bebe asked.

“No need. When the time comes, we’ll travel alone. In addition, with Bates by their side, safety shouldn’t be a problem.” Linley, having met with a group of old friends, was in no rush to leave. As for his problem with Sequeira, Sequeira hadn’t immediately attempted to gain revenge, and so clearly he probably wouldn’t in the future.

After all, if he really wanted to get revenge, he would’ve done so right away.

Linley’s group of four followed O’Brien, heading directly into the western part of the island.

Miluo Island was divided into the eastern part and the western part. The western part was where the island guards, the five clans, and the others all lived. Outsiders were forbidden entry.

“It really is beautiful here.” Linley saw the beautiful two story buildings from afar.

“Those are the homes for the island guards.” O’Brien laughed. “I’m here as well. Thanks to Tarosse’s help, I also became an island guard. Island guards rotate their duty once a year. This year, I’m on break.”

In the area where the island guards lived, people were on patrol.

“Are we allowed to go in?” Bebe was a bit nervous.

“It’s fine. The residential area of the island guards aren’t under strict supervision. As long as an island guard leads the way, you can go in. The place which is under very tight supervision is the place where those five clans live. However, they are deeper inside.” As O’Brien spoke, his body suddenly became covered by a blood red uniform armor.

This was the proof of one’s status as an island guard. The patrolling island guards immediately let them in.

Linley’s group of four thus followed O’Brien into the residential area of the island guards.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 20, With Child?

The island guards lived in small buildings which dotted the mountains and forests of this area. Just by looking at the number of buildings, Linley could imagine what a terrifyingly large number of island guards there were here.

“The five clans must indeed be powerful, to be able to support such an enormous army of Highgods.” Linley couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. Maintaining an army meant paying salaries; after all, nobody was willing to work for free. Generally speaking, Highgod soldiers would have fairly high pay.

To support such an enormous army required an astonishing amount of wealth.

However, just by looking at the number of people who passed through the Arena as well the Free Castle, one could imagine how astonishingly wealthy Miluo Island was.

“We’re here.” O’Brien laughed.

“O’Brien, this building is quite large.” Linley looked at this residence in surprise. This residence took up space that was roughly ten times that of those ordinary residences. It had a large courtyard and three smaller buildings within. It was built as a stand-alone residence, and the walls had carvings as well.

O’Brien laughed. “This is Tarosse’s residence. Generally speaking, Highgod victors of a hundred battles, if they join the island guards, will have a salary as well as treatment far superior to that of ordinary island guards. Although I do have a small house of my own, normally, we all live at Tarosse’s place. His place is large!”

As he spoke, O’Brien pushed the door open and went inside.

“Oh, O’Brien, you’re back.” A voice rang out. By the green grass off to the side of the courtyard, a green haired man was seated in the meditative position. It was Tarosse!

Tarosse turned to look at him and was about to say something, but suddenly he was stunned. He stared at Linley and the other three behind O’Brien. Linley, seeing the look on Tarosse’s face, intentionally smirked at him.

“Swish!” Tarosse instantly appeared in front of Linley’s group.

“Haha!” Tarosse slapped Linley on the shoulders. “Linley, you guys actually came as well. This is so incredible and such a rare occurrence. The Infernal Realm is so vast, but we actually ran into each other here. Haha…”

Tarosse was very excited and happy.

“Bebe, Lord Beirut actually was able to bear with letting you come to the Infernal Realm?” Tarosse noticed Bebe.

Bebe pursed his lips. “What, got a problem?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Tarosse greeted everyone. “Come, everyone, sit down. Dylin and Cesar are currently outside. Jeeze!”

Linley’s group laughed, then sat down. Tarosse hurriedly said, “You really came at a fortuitous time. Today I was still out on patrols. I just came back not long ago. It is destiny that our group of people from the Yulan continent can meet here today!”

Linley was very happy as well, and he also laughed and chatted. While chatting about he and Olivier had met, they naturally discussed the Amethyst Mountains as well. However, Linley’s group once again just skimmed over it with a word. Tarosse actually didn’t seem to pay any attention to it at all.

Or perhaps it was simply that he didn’t understand what it really meant for Linley’s group to have been able to exit the Amethyst Mountains!

Actually, this was normal.

Tarosse was a Highgod, true.

But the amount of time he had spent in the Infernal Realm was simply too short. The things he knew about the Infernal Realm came mostly from those books he had read. Generally speaking, those geographical books would just give a simple explanation of the Amethyst Mountains. In the past, Linley had read some geography books as well, but before arriving at the Amethyst Mountains, he didn’t truly know how dangerous they were.

“Creaaaak!” The courtyard door was pushed upon, and a black haired man reeking of alcohol sauntered in, his eyes droopy with drunkenness as he gave off a clearly dispirited aura. It was Cesar!

Seeing how Cesar currently was, Linley couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. That former playboy who had enjoyed himself amongst the ‘flowers’…how had he ended up like this today? The events of the world truly were hard to explain.

“Cesar!” Linley spoke out.

Cesar heard that someone was calling to him, but he didn’t care too much. He just glanced sideways at Linley, then continued to head towards his own residence. But after taking just two or three steps, his body paused, and he turned to look at Linley once again, his misty gaze slowly growing brighter.

“Linley?” Cesar’s voice contained disbelief in it as well.

“Cesar, long time no see.” Linley began to laugh as well.

“Haha, Cesar, I’m Bebe.” Bebe immediately jumped up also.

Cesar took a deep breath, activating the divine power in his body. The odor of alcohol immediately vanished from his body, and he became much more sober. A rare hint of a smile appeared on Cesar’s face as well. “Linley, you came to the Infernal Realm as well? When did you come?”

Cesar was full of questions, and Linley’s group chatted with him happily as well.

Although Linley knew what had happened with Cesar, Linley hoped that Cesar’s mood would improve. Clearly, seeing some of his old friends from their Yulan continent had caused Cesar to be invigorated.

“Linley, chat more with Cesar, but remember, don’t raise that Cecily matter.” Tarosse hurriedly sent through divine sense. The state Cesar was currently in was the best state he had been in during this recent period of time.

“I know.”

Linley replied. At the same time, Linley was also somewhat puzzled. What was so amazing about that Cecily woman, that this sort of dissolute playboy like Cesar would become so infatuated with her?

Miluo Island. The residential area of the five clans. In the very center was the residence of the Bagshaw clan. The five clans were led by the Bagshaw clan, but the Bagshaw clan was actually not a very densely populated one, with the clan members far fewer than the other four clans.

But precisely because of this, every member of the Bagshaw clan had a fairly high status.

At present, in the rear flower gardens behind the Bagshaw clan’s ancestral estate, two men who were 2.2 meters tall were currently walking together. One of the two men was a youth with short red hair, while the other was a middle-aged man with unbound, long red hair.

If Linley was present, he would recognize that the youth with short red hair was Sequiera!

“Sequiera, you need to pay special attention to that man named Lomio in the Arena!” The red-haired middle-aged man had thick eyebrows and large eyes. With each moment, he gave off a domineering aura. “According to the servants’ reports, this Lomio is very likely a Seven Star Fiend. He has already achieved ten consecutive victories on multiple days. In two more days, he’ll have completed a hundred victories!”

“Yes, Father!” Sequiera said respectfully.

Sequiera’s father, Bakwill [Ba’ke’wei] Bagshaw, was the clan leader of the Bagshaw clan. Bakwill, despite having lived for countless years, only had two children. Each member of the Bagshaw clan had exceedingly few children, most having only one.

Having two children was already quite lucky.

“If he really is a Seven Star Fiend, then that’s wonderful news. It’s rare to meet a Seven Star Fiend. We can’t let him slip away.” Bakwill said calmly.

“I know, Father.” Sequeira laughed. “Father, not long ago, you went to the secret area, so I didn’t have a chance to tell you. Seven or eight days ago, in the Free Castle, I met an expert. We had a small disagreement with each other, but that expert, with a single blow, killed twelve Highgods!”

“Killed twelve Highgods?” Bakwill looked towards him.

There were quite a few experts capable of killing twelve ordinary Highgods with one blow.

“This isn’t the strange thing. The strange thing is…those twelve Highgods hadn’t even drawn near that expert, but they seemed to have gone silly and unresponsive, allowing that expert to kill them with one blow.”

Bakwill was surprised.

Cause twelve Highgod experts to not be able to even resist?

“This man’s soul is extremely strong.” Bakwill evaluated.

“More importantly!” Sequeira lowered his voice as he spoke. “Father, that person was actually hiding his aura. From the outside, he seems to be just a God. Even the thousand-man commander of our Free Castle, that Six Star Fiend, wasn’t able to sense even a hint of his true aura!”

Only now was Bakwill shocked.

A Six Star Fiend being unable to sense a hint of the ‘true aura’ of someone, and with that someone having such a powerful soul!

“At very least, a peak Six Star Fiend, and possibly even a Seven Star Fiend. In addition, one specialized in the soul.” Bakwill evaluated. Experts who specialized in the soul were dread-inducing, because the soul was the foundation of every single person. Experts who specialized in the soul were very hard to deal with.

“Where is he?” Bakwill said hurriedly.

“Gone.” Sequeira shook his head. “He shouldn’t be someone from Miluo Island. He didn’t know anything about the blood-colored Miluo Insignia. I didn’t dare to rashly attack him, so all I could do was watch him leave.”

Bakwill let out a long breath, then laughed. “If he’s gone, then forget it. Your actions were correct. When you encounter an expert like this, you can’t rashly offend him. If he kills you, then that truly would be terrible.”

Sequeira laughed as well.

“Sequeira!” A voice of jubilation came out from the gates of the rear gardens. A mesmerizingly beautiful woman with a pure white complexion and jade hair came running in, her face covered in joy. This was Sequeira’s wife: Cecily!

“Father.” Seeing Bakwill, that jade-haired beauty immediately curtsied.

Bakwill nodded calmly.

“Lily.” Sequeira, seeing his wife, immediately smiled and walked over to welcome her.

“Lily, you seem so excited. Do you have some good news?” Sequeira laughed.

“Sequeira, I’m with child.” Cecily said hurriedly.

Hearing this news, Sequeira and Bakwill were both stunned…and then looks of wild joy appeared on their faces. The two looked at each other, with Bakwill laughing loudly in excitement. “Haha…Sequeira, you chose an excellent wife, an excellent wife, haha!”

“I have a child? I actually have a child!” Sequeira was incomparably excited as well.

Cecily, hearing this, was puzzled.

It was just a child. Why was it that even the perpetually unflappable clan leader would be so excited? She had never seen the clan leader Bakwill be so excited before.

“Excellent!” Bakwill was so excited that his face was red. He slapped his son on the shoulders. “Sequeira, your wife has rendered great merits.”

“Right.” Sequeira nodded excitedly as well.

And then, Sequeira rushed to his wife, embracing Cecily as he excitedly kissed her. “Lily, you actually are with child…I…thank you…really…thank you so much!” Sequeira said excitedly.

Cecily, seeing her husband so affectionate and ardent, even with the clan leader nearby, felt both amazed and awkward.

“I have a child.” Sequeira stretched his hand out, gently placing it on his wife’s belly.

“Huh?” Cecily stared, puzzled, at her husband. She saw Sequeira’s right hand slowly emit a blood colored glow which was extremely bizarre. Sequeira’s face was full of excitement, but slowly, Sequeira’s expression froze. He stared in astonishment at his nearby wife, Cecily.

Cecily felt puzzled by the look in his eyes.

“WHAP!” With a sudden swing of the hand, he struck his wife heavily on the face, knocking her into the ground far away.

“Bastard, ****!” Sequeira was so angry, his entire body was trembling.

Cecily held a hand to her face, staring at her husband in disbelief.

“Sequeira, what are you doing!” Bakwill was enraged.

“Father.” Sequeira turned to look at his father, saying hurriedly, “That…isn’t my child!”

Bakwill was stunned. “Sequeira, are you saying…?”

Sequeira nodded.

Bakwill’s face instantly sunk down, as though covered by a layer of frost. Bakwill glanced sideways at Cecily, then said in a voice that was like ice, “Sequeira, this woman is no longer worthy of being your principal wife. You decide how to punish her. After a period of time, prepare to take another wife.”

“Yes, Father!” Sequeira turned to stare furiously at Cecily.

Cecily’s face was filled with confusion. She immediately said hurriedly, “Sequeira, this is your child, why do you say it is another’s?”

Actually, not even a Deity was able to tell if the fetus in his wife’s body was or wasn’t his own. But some people were exceptions! For example, Linley, because Linley belonged to the Dragonblood Warrior clan.

Any descendant of the Dragonblood Warrior clan would definitely have the lineage of the Dragonblood Warriors. Even if the amount was sparse, it would still definitely be there!

If there was no Dragonblood Warrior lineage in one’s body, then one definitely didn’t belong to the clan.

“Why?” Sequeira was so furious, his facial muscles were twitching.

The Bagshaw clan belonged to the ‘Bloodrune Titan clan’ of the Infernal Realm. The descendants of the Bloodrune Titan clan all had the Bloodrune Titan lineage in their veins. Of course, there were varying degrees of density, and if the density reached a certain level, they would possess extremely great power.

Just now, Sequeira had used some of their clan’s special energy for sensing, only to discover…

The child in the belly of his wife actually didn’t have any of his clan’s lineage at all!

Without even a hint of the lineage of his clan, it meant that this child was definitely not his own!

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 21, I Want Him Dead!

“You played me for a fool!” Sequeira stared at his wife, his eyes like death. “The child in your belly is someone else’s.” Sequeira doted dearly on his wife. When he had gone to the Free Castle, it was for buying clothes for her, but who would have imagined that his wife actually had another man!

And the child in her belly was that man’s!

The Bloodrune Titan clan was an extremely mighty clan within the Infernal Realm, and the power they controlled was astonishing as well. In Miluo Island, although on the surface, the five clans were in charge of things, in reality, the other four clans were simply subordinate clans to the Bagshaw clan!

The Bagshaw clan was the Bloodrune Titan clan. This was a secret which very few people knew.

At least, Cecily didn’t know it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have run over so excitedly to tell her husband that she was with child.

“No…no!” Cecily hurriedly shook her head.

“This woman doesn’t even admit it.” The nearby clan elder, Bakwill, said furiously, “Son, this is a shame to our clan. If this woman refuses to admit it, then destroy her entire familial branch within the Gaylord clan!”

Cecily’s body trembled.

The Gaylord clan, one of the five clans, was extremely large, with very many family branches. Destroying one of the branches, to the true masters of the Miluo Island, the ‘Bagshaw clan’, would need nothing more than a single word.

“Speak!” Sequeira stared coldly at his own wife as well.

Sequeira cared deeply about his face, and he was always very proud of the fact that he was a member of the Bloodrune Titan clan. He himself was the son of the clan leader, and was definitely in the principal line of descent, of an extremely exalted status. He was very haughty. Now that his wife had another man’s child in her belly, of course he was already going mad!

His face was so ugly, it was turning purple!

“Hurry, speak!” Sequeira landed a kick on Cecily’s body, who was struck viciously by that kick and sent smashing into a decorative boulder. “Otherwise, you and your lineage in your clan lineage will all die!” Sequeira said in a frenzy.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk.” Cecily said hurriedly. She was about to go mad.

Actually, she herself wasn’t sure who the child in her womb belonged to, because previously, she had been dealing with two men at the same time. One was Sequeira, while the other was Cesar. She had slept with both men, and so she herself wasn’t sure whose child it was.

Originally, as Cecily viewed it, since even she couldn’t be sure, she might as well say that it was Sequeira’s. There was no way for him to tell anyhow.

Unfortunately, she didn’t know that the Bagshaw clan was the Bloodrune Titan clan!

“Even I don’t know for sure who the child belongs to.” Cecily, seeing the rage on Sequeira’s face, hurriedly added, “But I’m certain that it is either yours or Cesar’s!”

“Cesar?”

Sequeira was stunned, and then he raised his head to the skies, laughing wildly. “Hahahaha….” His laughter carried boundless insanity within it, and his body faintly began to glow with a bloody light. He, Sequeira, a favored son of the heavens, had never suffered such a humiliation before.

Could there be anything more insulting than his woman having another man’s child in her womb?

“Cesar…I want him dead!!!” Sequeira snarled viciously, his eyes glowing with a faint, bloody light, as though he were a man-eating wolf.

At Tarosse’s residence. Over the past few days, Linley had lived here very comfortable, each day watching Lomio’s ten battles at the arena. He also often chatted with his old friends. As for Aches, Bates, and the others, they had left Miluo Island long ago.

“Lomio really is powerful.” Pushing the courtyard gates open, Linley and the others walked in while chatting amongst themselves. “That saber blow of his is all but undefeatable. It just chops the opponents in half.”

“He is proficient in both material attacks and soul attacks.” Tarosse sighed in praise as well.

Olivier agreed, “In particular, his speed is also astonishing. Lomio is simply too powerful. Each time, he wins with such ease. Up till now, nobody has been able to exchange a few blows with him. All of them were defeated with the first blow.”

Thinking back to the sight in the arena, Linley felt amazed as well.

In the Arena, Lomio was simply too arrogant. He held everyone in condescension, but he had the strength to do so!

“Linley, you’re back.” Dylin laughed as he came down from upstairs, and Linley’s group went to welcome him. “Dylin, where’s Cesar?”

“Cesar?” Dylin frowned, lowering his voice. “He’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping?”

Deities didn’t need to sleep at all, and Cesar normally wouldn’t sleep. However, ever since his relationship with Cecily had been destroyed, Cesar had become depressed and would often just lounge around lazily and sleep.

Tarosse shook his head and sighed. “Don’t disturb him. Just let him rest.”

Just as Linley’s group of people were gathered together and chatting, young master Sequeira of the Bagshaw clan, a sinister look on his face, was leading three black armored experts out of his ancestral estate. These three black armored experts were true elites of the Bagshaw clan.

“This Cesar actually dares to live amongst the island guards!” Sequeira became all the more enraged.

Cesar had slept with his woman, and was now living on his clan’s grounds!

“Let’s go!” Sequeira immediately flew into the heavens, moving at high speed straight for the island guards residences. Those three black armored warriors quietly followed.

Moments later, Sequeira arrived at the island guards region. The patrolling guards immediately came to welcome him. Seeing the four of them, these guards couldn’t help but be very shocked, especially upon noticing those three black armored warriors. Those silent black armored warriors were like three glaciers.

Although they were silent, they gave others a feeling of being unable to breathe.

“Go. Hurry and summon a thousand-man regiment!” With a wave of his hand, Sequeira revealed his blood-colored Miluo Insignia.

“Blood-colored Miluo Insignia!” The patrolling guards were shocked, and then immediately said while bowing respectfully, “Yes, milord.” Although they were puzzled as to why a thousand-man regiment was being summoned, anyone with a blood-colored Miluo Insignia could easily summon and order about a thousand-man regiment.

Soon, a thousand-man regiment was summoned.

“Young master Sequeira.” The commander of the thousand-man regiment immediately recognized Sequeira. “What are you…?”

“No questions. Follow me!” Sequeira ordered coldly.

The thousand-man commander was startled. He realized that today, Sequeira’s expression seemed rather different. In the past, Sequeira would always be smiling and laughing, but today, Sequeira’s face was simply too ugly to behold, and the aura his body was radiating was one of danger!

“Whoosh!”

Sequeira was the first to fly into the air, with the three black armored guards following. After them was the massive, dense cluster of a thousand island guards.

“Number 306!” Sequeira still remembered the address which his wife had given him, for where Cesar was living. Generally speaking, the addresses for the island guards had very large numbers, but 306 was an extremely small number. Generally speaking, only some rather special people could live there.

For example, Highgods who had won a hundred battles.

Tarosse’s residence. Linley’s group was seated together.

“Tarosse, you truly aren’t willing to leave with us?” Linley asked yet again. “Cesar has agreed to leave with us.”

In the end, Miluo Island wasn’t the ‘root’ for Tarosse and the others.

However, the Indigo Prefecture was where the Four Divine Beasts clan was located. Linley wanted to gather there with those people as well. Cesar was willing to leave, but O’Brien had to stay with Tarosse. Tarosse had given him a God-level spark, in exchange for his service.

“No need. We don’t want to leave this place.” Tarosse laughed, then shook his head.

Dylin shook his head as well. “We’ve lived here a long time, and we’ve grown to consider this place our home in the Infernal Realm. We don’t want to leave.”

Linley could only laugh helplessly.

“A few days after Lomio’s battles conclude, we’ll leave.” Linley said. “Such a pity. I wanted to be together with the rest of you, but there’s nothing for us. I have to go to the Indigo Prefecture.” Linley wouldn’t try and force them either.

If they weren’t willing, then forget it.

“Sorry, Linley.” Dylin apologized.

“It’s fine.” Linley shook his head.

Suddenly, Linley was startled. Raising his head, he saw a large number of island guards in mid-air.

“Why are there so many island guards? What major event is happening?” Tarosse was surprised as well.

But Linley noticed that the leader of this large group of guards was that arrogant young man with short red hair. Sequeira!

“What’s he doing here?” Linley was startled.

Right at this moment, that large group of people descended. Sequeira led the three black armored warriors into the courtyard, while over a hundred of the other island guards also landed there, with the rest hovering in the air.

“Boss!”

“Linley!”

Delia, Bebe, and Olivier all rose to their feet. They saw Sequeira as well.

“Are they here for us?” Delia asked through divine sense.

Linley stared at Sequeira, completely not understanding. Given what he had expected, Sequeira shouldn’t be causing such a ruckus over that small matter. But Sequeira had clearly brought a large number of experts to surround them.

“Who are you?” Tarosse stood up.

“Tarosse.” The thousand-man commander laughed calmly. “This is young master Sequeira of the Bagshaw clan! He has business.”

“Bagshaw clan!”

Tarosse and Dylin couldn’t help but be stunned.

Sequeira just glanced at Linley. “You are here as well.” And then, Sequeira paid no further attention to Linley. He shouted angrily, “Where is Cesar? Have him roll out!” His angry shout shook the entire courtyard.

“Cesar? He’s here for Cesar?” Linley began to frown. Sequeira wasn’t here for Linley, but was here for Cesar, but for what? Could it be that it had something to do with that woman named Cecily?

“Young master Sequeira, what are you looking for Cesar for?” Tarosse asked.

“No questions. Just have him roll out!” Sequeira stared around at the building, and then Sequeira let out a cold sneer, directly releasing his divine sense and almost immediately locating Cesar. He couldn’t help but look towards the second floor of the little building.

“Who is looking for me?” A lazy voice rang out, and Cesar walked out, flying directly down from the second floor.

“You are Cesar!” Sequeira stared at him.

“You are… Sequeira!” Cesar’s eyes immediately grew fierce, and became filled with rage.

Seeing the look in his face, Sequeira began to laugh wildly. This loud laughter caused Linley and the others nearby to have a bad feeling. The suppressed rage which Sequeira had held in his heart was now bellowing forth, and Sequeira’s eyes were faintly red.

Deities lived for too long.

It was very normal for a female Deity to have had multiple relationships with different men.

Sequeira wouldn’t care too much.

As long as his wife wasn’t with any other men while they were together, that was enough. But what enraged him was…the child in the womb of his wife belonged to another man! Given Sequeira’s temper, how could he possibly swallow this insult?

“Sequeira, why have you come looking for me?” Cesar said coldly.

“Why?” Sequeira raised his head to the skies and laughed loudly, his body beginning to brim with a bloody light, and then he stared at Cesar. “Today, I’m going to kill you!”

The faces of Linley’s group immediately changed.

Sequeira stared at the surrounding people, then said loudly, “Today, my Bagshaw clan is going to execute this Cesar. All of you others, leave. If you don’t leave…then you are becoming enemies of our Bagshaw clan!”

The faces of O’Brien, Linley, and the others turned ashen.

Cesar seemed very tranquil. He turned to look at Linley and Tarosse, then shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. Actually, recently, I myself have felt that my continued existence has no purpose. There’s no need to offend them for my sake.”

“How can this be acceptable?” O’Brien stepped forward, staring at Cesar. “Cesar, we came here from the Yulan continent together. Over so many years, have any of us ever abandoned each other? At worst, we’ll die together. What is there to fear!”

“O’Brien, resisting blindly is just death.” Tarosse let out a low sigh, then walked off to one side. “I won’t interfere in this matter.”

Linley was startled.

“O’Brien, don’t resist. Resisting means throwing your life away. There’s no point.” Dylin shook his head as well. He actually walked to one side as well. As for Dylin’s two children, those two Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions, they stared with shock on their faces.

“Father.” The two Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions stared at Dylin.

“Come over.” Dylin snapped at them.

The two siblings exchanged glances, but they had no choice but to follow their father.

“You…you…” O’Brien didn’t dare believe it. When they had come to the Infernal Realm, they had adventured together and treated each other’s lives like their own. Everyone believed…that none of them would ever abandon each other. However, how did things end up like this today?”

“Excellent!” Sequeira said coldly, and then looked towards Linley. “As for you, sir?”

“Me?” Linley, Delia, Bebe, and Olivier all looked at each other.

In their smiles, they knew what each other were thinking.

Linley laughed. Taking three steps forward, he walked to the side of Cesar and O’Brien. In a calm voice, he said, “I, too, am from the Yulan continent. None of us will abandon one of our own!”

“I, too, am from the Yulan continent!”

Delia, Bebe, and Olivier walked forward as well, with Linley as their leader.

Linley’s face grew solemn, and his gaze flashed through this group of Highgods.

He understood…

“This time, we really are going to go all out. I cannot show any mercy or forbearance!” Linley’s heart was beginning to fill with a killing intent. At a critical time like this, if necessary, he would sacrifice a drop of Sovereign’s Might and launch a slaughter that would turn the world upside down.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 22, All Who Bar My Path Shall Die!

Sequeira saw Linley step forward. His face changed slightly. He knew very well how powerful the person in front of him was. If Linley was to interfere, then a new variable would have entered this affair. Sequeira said coldly, “Today, my Bagshaw clan is definitely going to kill Cesar. Can it be that you all want to die with him?”

But Linley’s group didn’t hesitate or retreat at all.

“Linley, O’Brien, Bebe.” Cesar looked towards them, shaking his head slightly.

“Haha…” O’Brien began to laugh loudly, then looked at Cesar. “Cesar, we’ve lived so many years, and have seen countless things! Our life is important, but sometimes, there are some things which are more important than life! Today…either we shall all live together, or we shall all die together!”

Cesar trembled. He looked towards Linley’s group.

Linley’s group smiled back at him.

“Sequeira!” Linley turned to look at Sequeira. Linley could tell that Sequeira was currently slightly hesitant. As Linley saw it, it would be best if battle could be avoided. Linley thus said, “Sequeira, what sort of enmity do you and Cesar have, exactly, that you must force him to his death? Everyone should take a step back!”

Anyone else who said these words would be as good as looking for death.

But Linley saying these words was a different situation, because in Sequeira’s heart, Linley was very possibly a Seven Star Fiend!

“What is it about?” Sequeira was furious just thinking about this. “You ask him!” Sequeira pointed furiously at Cesar.

“Me?” Cesar had no idea.

Sequeira was so angry that his face was purple, but how could he so openly and publicly discuss this affair? Was he supposed to directly say that the child in his wife’s womb was another person’s? Once this got out, most likely he, Sequeira, would be a laughingstock for the rest of his life!

“Hmph!” Sequeira, seeing the look on Cesar’s face, couldn’t help but sneer.

“You are doing this because of Lily?” Cesar laughed coldly. “It must be for Lily’s sake, as otherwise, how would you, the mighty young master of your clan, come here for me?”

“Shut your mouth!”

Hearing Cesar call Cecily by her nickname ‘Lily’ in such an intimate manner, Sequeira was all the more enraged. “You aren’t worthy of calling her by that!”

“Haha…” Cesar laughed wildly as he stared at Sequeira. “I’m not worthy of calling her by that? It’s true that Lily and I were once together, but so what? Ever since you married her, the two of us never met again! What, can it be that after getting married, you are going to kill all of the men who were previously lovers with your wife?”

Immediately, the many island guards in the air and in the courtyard all began to speak quietly amongst themselves.

Deities had an unlimited lifespan. It was normal for people to have had many romantic relationships. If Sequeira were to truly say that he was going to kill a former lover of his wife, that would be going too far.

“So that’s what this is about!” Linley felt rather surprised as well. He had heard of the affairs of Cesar and that woman. That woman had met with Cesar one last time before her wedding, and then they had never met again.

Linley empathized for Cesar.

But who would have imagined that Sequeira would come to kill Cesar!

“Cut the crap!” Sequeira was furious, and yet he couldn’t even explain the real reason he was so angry. Explaining something so shameful, to him, was something worse than death!

“I’ll ask you one last time. Are you really insisting in interfering?!” Sequeira stared death at Linley. He didn’t even glance at Cesar. He held Cesar in utter contempt. As long as he were to attack, he could kill Cesar in the blink of an eye.

The one he worried about was only Linley, who stood in front of him!

“Young master Sequeira, why do you care so much about this God?” The thousand-man commander was puzzled. Even Tarosse and Dylin were confused about this.

“I am!”

Linley said calmly, “Even if it was just for the sake of the friendship we held, I cannot possibly just sit and watch. What’s more, Cesar has saved my life before!” Linley’s expression was calm, but in truth, the energy in his body was boiling, prepared to explode into an attack at any point.

Sequeira narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold look being revealed.

“Quick, go inform my father that someone who is apparently a Seven Star Fiend is getting tangled up in this matter.” Sequeira immediately sent a mental message to one of the black armored warriors. A hint of surprise appeared on the black armored warrior’s face, and then with a flash, he disappeared.

Seeing this, Linley couldn’t help but furrow his forehead.

“Haha…” Sequeira suddenly began to laugh wildly.

“Kill!” Sequeira suddenly howled.

The surrounding guards were clearly prepared for this the entire time. In the instant Sequeira gave the order, all of the island guards immediately made their move. Clearly, Sequeira wanted to launch a sudden attack to catch Linley off-guard and thus seize the opportunity to kill Cesar at once.

However, as soon as Sequeira ordered that black armored warrior off, Linley had been prepared.

In the same instant that Sequeira let out that furious howl…

“Rumble…”

With Linley at the center, within three hundred meters, a misty earthen light arose. This region was large enough to cover a large number of the island guards, including both Sequeira and their leader, the thousand-man commander.

Blackstone Space!

Powerful gravity!

“Aaaah!” Some of the guards who had been flying up in the air, not too far away, were caught within the sphere as well, and all of them dropped at high speed. As for Sequeira, who had been on the ground to begin with, his body involuntarily hunched down for a moment before he then immediately straightened his waist.

“Not good!”

Sequeira’s face changed dramatically, because he saw that Linley was charging towards him at high speed!

To subdue bandits, first capture their king!

Linley had made his plans long ago. “It will be hard for anyone to flee from Miluo Island, but Sequeira is clearly an important figure. If we can capture him and use him as a hostage to threaten the others, the situation would be much better!” In the same instant he created his Blackstone Space, Linley charged straight for Sequeira.

“What terrifying gravity!” Sequeira’s face changed dramatically while at the same time he immediately retreated.

“Young master!” The two black armored warriors by Sequeira’s side, ignoring their own lifes, immediately interposed themselves in front of Sequeira, forcibly blocking Linley’s path to him.

“Die!” Linley’s gaze turned cold.

“BANG!”

Linley’s clothes exploded violently, and he instantly Dragonformed. Azure-golden draconic scales covered every part of Linley’s body, and those dark golden eyes stared coldly at the people in front of him. That draconic tail, flashing with a metallic light, began to wave.

Seeing this, those island guards, Sequeira, the thousand-man commander, and the black armored warriors all felt their hearts tremble.

“An ultimate expert!” The island guards had all thought that Linley was just a God, but now they realized how terrifying Linley was. All of them immediately believed that Linley had been hiding his true strength, and that his true status was that of an extremely powerful expert.

“Four Divine Beasts clan!” The thousand-man commander was greatly shocked.

“He’s of the Four Divine Beasts clan!” Sequeira, while rapidly retreating, was surprised as well.

“Kill!” Sequeira shouted explosively once more.

So what if he was of the Four Divine Beasts clan? The current Four Divine Beasts clan was not like how the Four Divine Beast clans had been in the past. The former Four Divine Beast clans, their Bagshaw clan might perhaps be frightened of, but these days…their Bagshaw clan didn’t fear them at all!

They were capable of controlling Miluo Island and keep it proudly erect in the Starmist Sea. The true power of the Bagshaw clan was such that not even Sequeira, the young master of the clan, knew more than just the tiniest bit.

“Linley, he…!” Tarosse, Dylin, Cesar, and O’Brien were all greatly shocked.

“Die!” The dark golden eyes swept past those two black armored warriors. A surge of spiritual energy centered around the ‘black stone’ suddenly surged towards those two black armored warriors. Instantly, a strange wind sound began to thoroughly penetrate their souls.

The two black armored warriors both hesitated slightly.

“Swish!” A devilish violet light flashed.

“Clang!” Those two black armored warriors actually both drew their weapons, blocking Linley’s sword.

Although the soul-affecting power was great, these two black armored warriors could be considered true elites of the Bagshaw clan. Both of them had the power of a Five Star Fiend. Although they were affected by the wind sound, they didn’t fall into a stupor, and were able to maintain their grip on a hint of wakefulness.

“Whap!” The draconic tail viciously slammed upon the shoulder of a black armored warrior.

“Crunch!” Flesh and blood exploded out, and an arm and half the side of his body was split off. The black armored warrior seemed to have been struck by a meteor, and was knocked far away. The black armored warrior was greatly shocked. Fortunately, he had dodged quickly enough, as otherwise, Linley’s draconic tail would have swept onto his head.

The whipping strikes of Linley’s draconic tail were simply too powerful!

“Whap!” The other black armored warrior was sent flying as well.

“Hmph.” Linley’s gaze was focused on the frantically fleeing Sequeira. Although the above took time to describe, in truth, when Linley charged past the two black armored warriors, he just struck out twice with his draconic tail, fast as lightning, and sent them flying.

Sequeira had been so terrified by the previous scene that his face was greatly changed. The two black armored warriors hadn’t been able to stop Linley for even a moment!

“You want to flee?!” Linley laughed coldly.

Instantly, the gravitational pull that had been towards the ground changed. As Linley’s divine power flowed out and began to fluctuate, immediately, all living things within the Blackstone Space sensed an astonishingly powerful gravitational force that was tugging them towards Linley. The sudden change in gravity caught all of the enemies off-guard.

“How is this possible?!”

Sequeira could sense that he was unable to overcome this gravity, and was actually being drawn backwards!

How could he be moving backwards?!

Immediately, his body emanated a bloody light, allowing Sequeira to just barely resist the force. But still, he was completely unable to move forward. The backwards gravity was simply too strong.

“Young master Sequeira!” The thousand-man commander, however, was able to resist the gravity.

“Block him!” The thousand-man commander shouted loudly. Even if a thousand island guards died, it didn’t matter, but Sequeira couldn’t die! The Bagshaw clan had too few people. Every single member of the clan was precious, and what’s more, Sequeira was of the primary line!

All of the island warriors were unsteady right now, and because they were squeezed into too small a space, they were tightly clustered together. They didn’t dare to wildly chop out with their weapons, because they might hurt their own people!

“Fleeing?” Linley increased his speed. Sequeira couldn’t be allowed to flee. Linley wasn’t too far away, and so naturally, he almost instantly appeared next to Sequeira.

“Bang!” A wave of powerful energy struck onto Sequeira, but Linley couldn’t help but be astonished. That wave of energy had actually come from the nearby thousand-man commander.

“Swoosh!” Sequeira instantly was knocked far into the distance, outside of the effect of the gravitational field.

After having left the gravitational field, Sequeira flew for another thousand meters before coming to a halt. He felt a sense of terror in his heart. “This member of the Four Divine Beast clans is simply too terrifying. That gravity was just…even I was unable to resist it. Fortunately, that last blow!”

Sequeira felt very grateful towards the thousand-man commander. That last attack was very queer; it didn’t possess much harmful power.

It was just a very heavy blow which impacted him, constantly pushing him outwards at high speed. This surge of force, combined with Sequeira’s own power, naturally shot him out rapidly.

“Kill, kill! Kill him for me!” Sequeira immediately shouted explosively!

Only two hundred or so people were trapped in the Gravitational Space, while the eight hundred other island guards were flying high in the sky. They wanted to attack, but the people trapped in the Gravitational Space were too densely clustered, and most of them were their own people. They didn’t dare to engage in group assaults.

If they did, they would injure their own people!

“Terrible!” As soon as Sequeira escaped, Linley’s heart lurched.

The situation just turned terrible!

After Sequeira escaped, he definitely wouldn’t be so careless as to fall into the Gravitational Space again.

The plan of capturing Sequeira had failed!

“Now, only the second method is left to me!”

A slaughter was about to commence!

At present, Cesar and O’Brien were watching in stunned shock. They had believed that Linley was just a God and had come to die by their sides. They had been certain that they were going to die, and had been prepared to fight to their deaths. But now, they discovered…

They were wrong, ridiculously wrong!

Those island guards and black armored warriors weren’t even able to stand on their feet steady, within that Gravitational Space. Those people, in front of Linley, were like a flock of sheep, while Linley was a savage wolf. The wolf entered the flock of sheep!

“Linley, he…” Cesar and O’Brien were both rather stunned.

“The situation right now is very bad. Having not captured Sequeira, all we can do is slaughter a path out! To prevent them from engaging in group attacks, we have to battle within their groups. Only within their groups will we be able to avoid the group attacks of the other island guards!” Linley’s voice rang out in Cesar, O’Brien, Delia, Bebe, and Olivier’s minds.

Cesar and the others immediately focused their attention.

“Remember, follow me!”

After giving this instruction to those behind him, Linley let out a growl, then like an explosively enraged lion, led Cesar, Bebe, and the others to charge directly into the group of island guards in front of them!

“All who bar my path shall die!”

At this moment Linley’s heart was as cold and hard as iron. He would no longer show any mercy!

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 23, Turning the World Upside Down

Within the Bagshaw clan’s estate.

The only sound that could be heard was that of the gentle wind. Only, a large number of figures flew out from within the Bagshaw estate, moving at high speed towards the residential area for the island guards. It must be understood that those who lived at the Bagshaw clan estate, aside from the elites of the Bagshaw clan, were the true experts.

In mid-air.

His long red hair fluttered unrestrained. Bakwill’s face was emotionless as he flew at high speed. Behind him was three experts dressed in long red robes, two of them men, one a woman. The three red-robed experts were the true experts of the Bagshaw clan…

In the Bagshaw clan, the number of red-robed elders was extremely low. They were, however, one of the main reasons why the Bagshaw clan was able to stand so tall in the Infernal Realm, to erect Miluo Island, and ignore the official powers.

Every single red-robed elder was a Seven Star Fiend!

The Bagshaw clan, in the entire Infernal Realm, was one of the ancient clans that was ranked within the top ten! The Four Divine Beasts clan, before their fall, was of course far superior to the Bagshaw clan. But now that they had declined, they were a level weaker than the powerful, full-strength Bagshaw clan.

“Seems to be a Seven Star Fiend?” Bakwill was full of worry.

He was worried about his son!

“Whoooosh!” Bagkwill flew at high speed, with three red-robed elders behind him, and a hundred black-armored warriors behind the elders.

“Swish!”

A ray of blood-colored light spread out at high speed into the skies, from the residential area for the Miluo Island’s guards. As it flew high into the skies…“BANG!” It released a powerful explosive sound, while at the same time the blood-colored light expanded greatly, instantly seeming to become an eye-piercingly bright blood-colored sun.

The faces of Bakwill and the three red-robed elders changed.

This was the emergency call-to-arms for Miluo Island, ordering all of the warriors of Miluo Island to immediately enter battle mode as well as prepare to attack.

“Let’s move ahead!” Bakwill sent out his divine sense.

Immediately, Bakwill and the three red-robed elders increased their speed dramatically, instantly throwing off the nearly hundred black-armored warriors behind them. The four Seven Star Fiends transformed into four blurs, instantly moving into the distance. Bakwill, as soon as he saw the signal, was worried for his son.

Indeed, the situation had turned extremely, terrifyingly grim, for Sequeira to have been forced to release the signal. Sequeira hovered in the air off into the distance, staring at the slaughter down below, his face ashen. “Too terrifying. How could he be so strong?”

A slaughter!

Linley, who had entered berserk mode and was using both his incomparably strong Dragonform as well as the ‘Blackstone Space’, had released a slaughtering power that caused the hearts of these men to turn cold.

“Kill!” Linley’s icy, dark golden eyes were filled without a hint of compassion.

He led Bebe and the others to charge and slaughter into the residential area of the island warriors. Within this region, there were simply too many island guards. Most of them were spread into the various regions, and on the way over, there were quite a few groups of island guards. Linley intentionally charged towards the areas where the guards were the most plentiful.

The Blackstone Space had expanded to its limit as well…a diameter of five hundred meters!

Everyone within this region was affected by the gravitational pull. Within a diameter of five hundred meters, each time he unleashed it, many island guards were caught within. When affected by the gravitational pull, they couldn’t help but be dragged closer to Linley. “Bang!” Their bodies smashed through walls but continued to be pulled towards Linley.

“No!” These island guards were terrified as well.

They discovered that there were many island guards already within the gravitational field.

But instantly, the direction of the gravity changed!

Originally, the gravity was directed towards Linley, but suddenly, it became directed to the ground. The sudden change of the direction of the gravity caused those island guards who had been striving to resist the gravity to smash viciously against and fall downwards towards the ground.

“Kill!” Some of the island guards who had suddenly been pulled into the gravity field were enraged.

“Kill!”

The many island guards who had been trapped into the gravity field attacked.

But as soon as they attacked, Linley immediately activated the soul-bewildering effect! All of the island guards who had fallen into the gravitational field entered a stupor, but of course, amongst the island guards were a few experts as well who could just barely remain clear-headed. Against these very few experts, there was only one word…

Kill!

They were able to just barely remain clear-headed, but in the gravity field, how could they compare to Linley in speed?

“Bang!” The devilish Bloodviolet directly chopped an enemy’s head apart.

As for those other island guards who were in a stupor, Linley continued to control a small amount of gravitational power to drag them along with him at high speed as he fled.

A violet sword light continued to flash unabated!

An azure-golden blur continued to flicker!

Blood and flesh exploded, skulls shattered, and divine sparks flew everywhere wildly!

Linley’s ‘earthen yellow light sphere’ continued to advance, like a strange, devouring beast that had swallowed the island guards directly into it. Those who didn’t resist became stupefied puppets, while those who did resist were mercilessly slaughtered by Linley!

This beast was continuously advancing.

“Bastard.” Sequeira, watching this from mid-air, felt his entire body tremble.

“Linley!” Cesar and O’Brien felt their hearts filled with astonishment as well.

“Haha, Boss, this feels great!” Bebe was very excited.

All of them, despite being within the gravity field, were covered by a flowing earthen yellow light, and so they weren’t affected at all.

In addition, in the regions through the island guards residential area, more and more island guards had flown into the air, coming in nonstop after having seen the summoning signal in the skies.

Not only were there many island guards on the ground, there were many island guards in the skies as well. In the skies, the island guards were like a swarm of locusts. More than ten thousand island guards were hovering high in the sky. Staring down at that earthen-yellow sphere of light that was constantly advancing, they too couldn’t help but angrily curse…

“This bastard!”

As they saw it, Linley really was quite a bastard!

Because within the Blackstone Space, there was a group of stupefied island guards. These guards were like a wall of flesh!

If these island guards in the skies were to attack en masse downwards, the first to be struck would definitely be these ‘meat shield’ island guards. Linley was completely capable of controlling these stupefied island guards to use them to block any attacks, once they came.

“Can’t let this continue.” Sequeira gritted his teeth.

He immediately spread out his divine sense towards those ten-plus thousand-man commanders. “Forget about those hundred island guards. Group attacks. Kill that man!”

The thousand-man commanders were all shocked.

“Yes!” They still acknowledged.

Very soon, the ten thousand island guards in the skies all received the orders.

“Attack?” The island guards were all rather surprised, but they still obeyed their orders. In accordance with the group orders, the ten thousand island guards in the skies all began to brandish their weapons, unleashing countless material attacks and physical attacks!

“Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” “Whoosh!”

Instantly, countless multicolored attacks filled the skies, falling down from up above like a rain of rainbows. Only, each ‘raindrop’ was a lethal one!

Seeing this sight, Linley’s heart clenched.

“They really are going to do this!” Linley immediately turned, leading the group of people within his gravity field to dodge to the side.

Fortunately, the countless island guards up above them were all afraid of being caught up by this blackstone space, and so they all were rather high up, causing their attacks to have to fly quite a long distance. With such a long distance, even though they flew quickly, there was still enough time to react.

Linley’s group dodged!

“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!”

The attacks descended from the skies. Countless rays of material attacks or soul attacks fell upon them without mercy!

They fell down as tightly clustered as drops of rain.

The thousand-man commanders of the island guards clearly knew that Linley would dodge, and so their attacks were also aimed at the areas which Linley might possibly flee to. Although by doing so, it meant their attacks were not very focused, in the end…Linley wouldn’t be able to dodge them all either.

Within the gravity field, those many stupefied guards were controlled by Linley to block from above Cesar, Bebe, Delia, and the others. Linley himself also retreated backwards to stand closer to Delia.

With so many ‘meat shields’, the soul attacks naturally struck them first, entering the seas of consciousness for those many stupefied island guards. The number of attacks that actually fell directly upon Linley’s group came in clusters, with a single ‘meat shield’ sometimes being able to block multiple soul attacks and quite a few material attacks.

“Quick, prepare the second wave of attacks!” Sequiera immediately shouted.

The thousand-man commanders understood that the first wave of attacks was almost completely absorbed by the ‘meat shield’. Linley’s group wouldn’t actually be harmed much.

But before they had a chance to give the orders, Linley moved.

“Up!”

Linley’s group had just relied on the meat shields to avoid that last round of attacks, and as they did so, they immediately charged upwards. Their flying speed was of course extremely fast, and most of the island guards above them hadn’t even had a chance to react before Linley flew within several hundred meters of them. Instantly, dozens of island guards above Linley were drawn into that Blackstone Space.

“Ahhhh!” “Ahhhh!” They screamed miserably, but began to sink down at high speed.

But their screams quickly quieted, because they themselves entered a stupor.

The island guards began to panic.

“Flee!”

If they fell into the Blackstone Space, that would be terrible. Linley’s sudden upward charge into the middle of the island guards caused them to completely fall into disordered chaos. All of them were terrified of falling into the Blackstone Space, and so they frantically tried to fly farther away from it.

“About time.” Linley said to himself.

Instantly, a large amount of earth elemental essence began to rise up.

“Crackle…” The strange thing was, an enormous black cuboid appeared in mid-air. This black cuboid had six sides, and it hovered there in mid air, four hundred meters tall. This enormous black cube contained more than a hundred Highgods within it.

This enormous cube was formed from countless miniature cubes that were only four meters tall.

The precise number of the small cubes, was a million!

An enormous cube that was four hundred meters tall, formed from a million smaller cubes. Those Highgods were all trapped within.

This was the true form of the Blackstone Prison – a cube!

“What is this?” Many island guards were astonished.

“Swoosh!” That enormous cube flew towards the east at high speed. Any island guards that were too slow or who weren’t able to dodge, upon contact with the cube, were immediately devoured within.

At the center of the enormous cube, Linley’s group was gathered together.

“Now that these people have come in, it will be hard for them if they want to go out again.” Linley laughed calmly. The gravitational force within the cube was under Linley’s complete control. By relying on changing the direction of the gravity, Linley was capable of causing those within it to lose their sense of direction. In addition, each time they attempted to break through a wall, it would be tremendously difficult.

It must be understood that this was formed from a million cubes, and Linley was capable of soundless altering the insides of this cube.

To escape was virtually impossible.

The only possible way was to forcibly shatter it!

“Linley, what are we going to do?” Delia asked.

“First, we’ll fly to the eastern part of the island.” Linley had planned this out in advance. “By the time we arrive at the eastern part of the island, we will only have to cause a panic amongst the countless guests. The population in the eastern part of the island is very high. After causing them to panic, we’ll be able to seize the opportunity to flee.”

This was Linley’s second scheme!

“Linley, you…you…when did you become so powerful?” The War God, O’Brien, looked at Linley.

“When we are all safe, I’ll tell you.” Linley replied.

“Bang!” The outsides of the black cube were currently suffering countless attacks from the island guards. Although the island guards were numerous, their attacks were too spread out. At most, they would be able to destroy a few exterior layers, which Linley could instantly repair.

“I can block those material attacks, but as for the soul attacks, let those unfortunate ‘meat shields’ block them. The Blackstone Prison is so large that those outside have no way at all of knowing where we are within it.”

The countless island guards in mid-air were staying far, far away from that enormous black cube. The black cube thus flew across the skies of Miluo Island, moving at high speed towards the eastern part of the island. Slowly, it drew nearer and nearer to the eastern part of the island.

“What’s that?”

The countless outsiders of Miluo Island raised their heads, staring at the enormous black cube.

Suddenly…

Four blurs shot at high speed towards that black cube, while at the same time, a dazzling, enormous black saber-light flashed, slashing directly across the black cube. Although it seemed to cut through it with difficulty, in the end, it still chopped through the center of the black cube.

“BANG!” The black cube crumbled.

The Dragonformed Linley, with Delia, Bebe, and the others, hovered there in mid-air.

“You won’t be able to flee!” A cold voice rang out. The speaker was Bakwill, who along with the three red-robed elders were staring coldly at Linley.

Linley stared at his surroundings.

Currently, the area around them was surrounded by dense clusters of island guards who had already formed a sphere around them, completely sealing them off. From afar, the countless outsiders at the eastern part of the island were raising their heads to stare at this place.

“Those four are very powerful.” Linley felt a hint of tension. That blade just now had been launched by one of the red-robed men, but the red-robed men were clearly under the command of that red-haired man. Linley had no confidence at all in his ability to fight those four head on!

“It seems…I’ll have to use plan three.” Linley’s gaze slowly turned ice cold.

Plan three…was the final plan!

It was time to use the Sovereign’s Might!

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 24, Life and Death, Two Paths

Currently at Miluo Island, at the air above the border between the western and the eastern part of the island, tens of thousands of Highgod island warriors were in a sphere, surrounding Linley and his group who were in the center with no place to flee. The greatest threat to Linley, however, was the four people he was facing.

Four Seven Star Fiends!

“A single saber blow that chopped my Blackstone Prison ‘cube’ in half, with enough remaining force that I had to disperse it with my fist. The power of that saber blow was really quite frightening.” Linley felt that his right fist was slightly numb. Lowering his head, he saw that on his fist, there was a white imprint.

Linley was quite astonished.

This was the remaining power from that flash of saber light, after it had chopped through so many walls of the Blackstone Prison! If the saber had landed with full power on Linley, it would be hard to say if his draconic scales would be able to resist it!

“Seven Star Fiend! Definitely a Seven Star Fiend!”

Linley stared at the red-robed man who had launched that saber blow just now. He was a muscular, red-robed man with wild, tousled golden hair like the mane on a lion. At present, this man was currently standing respectfully behind the red-haired man.

“And who is this red-haired man?” Linley was cautious.

The three red-robed elders were by the side of the red-haired man, while young master Sequeira was currently by the side of the red-haired man, appearing quite respectful. However, the red-haired man glanced at him, and Sequeira lowered his head, respectfully stepping to the side.

“Even Sequeira is so respectful, and he seems quite similar in features to Sequeira. Could this be Sequeira’s father?” Linley, seeing this scene, guessed to himself. After a short consideration, Linley came to the conclusion…

That the situation was grim!

The three red-robed men were very likely Seven Star Fiends. As for the red-haired man, he couldn’t be weak either.

“Using Sovereign’s Might is one possibility, but more importantly, I have to protect Delia and the others.” Linley was still rather worried. After all…their group was surrounded by a dense cluster of tens of thousands of Highgod island warriors!

This group of Highgod warriors were extremely dangerous as well.

“It seems…I have no other options!” Linley gritted his teeth.

He had to block the opponents while at the same time, he had protect Delia and the others. But the enemy consisted of four Seven Star Fiends. Even if he used his Sovereign’s Might, he had to go all out.

Thus, in the worst case scenario, he had to simultaneously use two drops of Sovereign’s Might!

One drop for his original body to deal with the four Seven Star Fiends.

One drop for his divine clone to protect Delia and the others.

“That’s the worst case scenario.” Linley was rather unwilling to do so. After all, this was two drops of Sovereign’s Might. But the enemy was too powerful!

“I hope you won’t force me to that step.”

Linley said quietly to himself.

Currently, as Linley was weighing his opponents, they were weighing Linley as well. They discovered, to their astonishment…that they, four Seven Star Fiends, weren’t able to see through Linley at all.

“This person is extremely powerful.” The clan leader of the Bagshaw clan, Bakwill, felt astonished. At the same time, he gave his son a hard look.

If it wasn’t because of his son, how could they have possibly offended an enemy like this?

“Boslo [Bo’si’luo]!” Bakwill shouted.

“Milord.” The lion-like man went forward.

“Go test him. If you can, then kill him.” Bakwill ordered through divine sense. Bakwill knew very well exactly how powerful the three red-robed elders accompanying him were. In terms of defense, Boslo was the strongest.

Thus, he was the most appropriate choice for testing the opponent’s strength.

“Yes, milord!” Boslo seemed rather excited.

Boslo immediately turned his head, his yellow golden eyes locking onto Linley. Cracking his lips, he laughed loudly. “Haha, just now, you were able to take on my blow. That means you are worthy of knowing my name. I am Boslo. Now, if you die, you won’t die without even knowing who killed you!”

Linley just stood there coldly in mid-air.

His body suddenly moved, and his divine wind clone flew out, landing next to Delia, Bebe, and Olivier’s sides. Delia was filled with concern as well, while Bebe said through divine sense, “Boss, are you going to use the Sovereign’s Might?”

“Right. My wind-style divine clone will also carry a drop of Sovereign’s Might. At a time of danger, I’ll immediately use it.” Linley sent mentally.

Two drops of Sovereign’s Might. One was held by the original body within the Coiling Dragon ring, while the other had been shifted into Linley’s divine wind clone’s interspatial ring. If the situation suddenly changed, Linley would immediately use his Sovereign’s Might!

“Haha, I haven’t even killed you, but you are already so frightened that you sent out your divine clone?” Boslo laughed loudly.

The laughter echoed like thunder in the air above Miluo Island.

“Enough bullshit!” The cold voice burst forth from Linley’s lips. Boslo was slightly startled, and then his face grew solemn as well. With a flip of his hand, he retrieved a pitch black long blade that was two meters long.

Immediately…

The tens of thousands of surrounding Highgods and the countless Deity spectators on the ground all went silent, expectantly waiting for this astonishing battle to begin.

“I didn’t expect that this sort of battle would occur at Miluo Island.” A black haired man carrying a warblade on his back appeared within the ground. Raising his head, he stared at the battle. This was Lomio Bornesen whose fame had become widespread throughout Miluo Island.

Lomio narrowed his eyes, staring at the two men who were about to battle as closely as a viper.

The battle that was being watched by countless people was about to begin!

“Rumble…” That explosive red-robed man, Boslo, wielded his long blade. His speed reached the limit, and because he was too fast, the world itself began to rumble and thunder. In an instant, Boslo appeared high in the air.

And then, Boslo’s form tightened!

Silently, soundlessly, Boslo charged down from up above with his long blade, chopping down viciously towards Linley. But the strange thing was…this blade actually didn’t make any sound at all, and it didn’t cause any spatial vibrations at all.

It looked as though it was a very ordinary blade blow.

“Eh?” Watching from below, Lomio’s eyes suddenly lit up. “To have trained to such a level in the Way of Destruction…Miluo Island really is a place of crouching tigers and hidden dragons!” But Lomio discovered that Linley still just stood there, not seeming to care at all.

Lomio was surprised.

Even he, in the face of that saber blow, wouldn’t dare to be so casual.

“Formidable.” A sigh of praise escaped Linley’s lips, but right afterwards…

As Boslo slashed down in a perfect arc, while he was still two hundred meters or so away from Linley, his body suddenly, bizarrely quivered, then was pushed back by several meters. Instantly, the stance of his downwards chopping blow was broken.

“What sort of power is this?” Boslo was astonished. Just now, he clearly could sense a terrifying repulsive power acting on his body. Even at his level of power, when caught off-guard, he couldn’t help but retreat.

Even Bakwill and the others, watching at a distance, were astonished.

“Father, that man’s Gravitational Space is very bizarre. Not only can it pull downwards, it can also draw inwards or repulse outwards.” Sequeira immediately explained to his father through divine sense. Bakwill couldn’t help but stare at Linley in amazement. “A Gravitational Space that can reach such a level?”

He didn’t dare believe it!

“Haha…” Boslo let out a loud, gravelly laugh, which sounded like the bursting waters of a flood. His flashing golden eyes stared at Linley. “I underestimated you.”

Boslo wielded his saber with both hands, forcibly resisting the repulsive force as he charged towards Linley.

Linley just stood there quietly.

“Die.” Boslo swung down violently with full force. Wherever his warblade passed by, space itself was chopped open by the sharp blade, with a large crack easily being created. That enormous long blade came straight down towards Linley’s head.

Before the long blade arrived, the spatial tremors that it had caused had reached Linley.

“This is the moment!” Linley’s eyes suddenly widened viciously.

The repulsive force immediately transformed into a downwards gravitational force!

Boslo felt that he instantly seemed to have had a trillion-kilogram mountain crush down on his body. This sudden gravitational pull caused all of his movements to change. When experts exchanged blows, a sudden change like this had a tremendous impact.

Boslo, caught completely off-guarded, suddenly sank down. Boslo had been chopping down at Linley, but he was now below Linley. How could he possibly hit Linley?

“Hmph!” A cold voice rang out.

An azure-golden light flashed. Linley’s right leg struck out like a blade towards Boslo’s head, with his Dragonformed body containing such boundless physical strength that this kick actually caused space to crack and rumble.

Boslo was an expert as well. He immediately changed his downwards swing to an upwards block, and wherever the blade of his saber passed, space was parted like the waters of the sea.

“Bang!”

Linley’s right leg slammed viciously onto the blade, but the weird thing was, the power of the blow actually passed through the warblade and into Boslo’s body. Boslo’s entire body twitched momentarily, and at almost the same moment, Linley’s draconic tail also lashed viciously against Boslo’s body.

Boslo had been impacted by the Gravitational Space to begin with and was being impacted by an astonishing downwards gravitational force. Now that he had been successively hit by Linley’s kick and also struck by Linley’s vicious tail.

“Bang!” The earth trembled as Boslo smashed directly into the surface of the other, an enormous, deep crevice appearing on the ground.

The tens of thousands of island warriors and the countless spectators on Miluo Island were all stunned.

He actually had dared to use his leg to kick down towards Boslo’s warblade? And had even knocked Boslo into the ground?

“How hard is his leg?!”

This was what countless people were wondering.

“Swoosh!” Boslo emerged from the ground and flew out at high speed, his face filled with disbelief. At this moment, a voice rang out in his mind. “Boslo, what is going on?”

“Milord, his strength is too powerful. I’ve never encountered a person whose strength was so great!” Boslo sent back.

His physical strength was indeed vast!

Just now, when Linley’s leg had smashed against Boslo’s warblade, Boslo had felt as though an enormous mountain that had existed for ten million years had slammed onto his body. The strength of this power was indescribable!

“Milord, just now, my attack…he wasn’t injured?” Boslo asked. As he was smashed into the ground, he hadn’t had a chance to notice.

“You only broke a few of his draconic scales. You didn’t injure him much.” Bakwill said.

“My blade attack contained a soul attack as well. He didn’t feel anything?” Boslo asked hurriedly. Although he was more proficient in material attacks, his soul attacks weren’t weak either. Anyone who didn’t have a soul-protecting divine artifact would find it hard to resist.

“His soul defense has to be excellent. I haven’t noticed any change in him.” Bakwill was beginning to worry.

The mysterious expert of the Four Divine Beasts clan in front of him seemed to be rather too powerful.

“How dangerous. Fortunately, my soul-protecting Sovereign artifact ablated ninety percent of the attack power.” Linley was frightened as well. Just now, although the material attack component of that blade chop was powerful, it was only able to shatter his draconic scales and give him a flesh wound.

But the soul attack embodied within the blade had struck like a thunderbolt against that translucent membrane.

Upon smashing into the soul-protecting Sovereign artifact, of course it shattered. After the first blow, 60% – 70% of the power was dispersed, and then the remaining force spread throughout the translucent membrane and discovered the flaw in the membrane. The ‘bandage’ over the flaw was now quite strong, and an enormous amount of force was needed to break through it.

The remaining bit of energy, Linley was able to resist with his own soul power.

“This person is still more proficient in physical attacks. If I were to encounter someone who was an expert in soul attacks…” Linley, just now, had already gripped the drop of Sovereign’s Might into his hand, prepared to use it at any moment.

Bakwill and the three red-robed elders were all hesitating. This Linley was truly unfathomable to them. Even a Seven Star Fiend like Boslo seemed to be at a disadvantage.

But what they didn’t know was that even a Six Star Fiend, if proficient in soul attacks, would be enough to deal with Linley.

Unfortunately, they didn’t know any details regarding Linley.

After all, they all believed that Linley was hiding his aura.

“His ability at hiding his soul aura is at such a level…how could his soul attacks possibly be weak?” Bakwill and the others all came to this conclusion, which is why they had sent Boslo, who had the strongest material attacks in their group.

“Father.” Sequeira said softly.

“F*ck off. Go to one side.” Bakwill growled.

Bakwill was frustrated, but Linley was also frustrated. Linley knew his own power. His body was very tough and so he could frighten the opponents, but if they were to truly battle, he would absolutely have to use up his Sovereign’s Might.

Linley immediately flew over towards Bakwill.

“What are you doing!” Bakwill immediately used his divine sense to shout. Bakwill and the three red-robed elders all grew guarded, staring at Linley. It was as though if he said a single word wrong, they would immediately attack.

“That Lord Linley is flying over. Can it be that he wants to fight them, one on four?”

The countless spectators on Miluo Island who were watching with their heads raised were all staring at this sight, and Lomio was watching quietly as well.

Linley continued to fly. Roughly at a distance of three hundred meters from Bakwill, Linley came to a halt. Seeing Linley halt, Bakwill and the others calmed down slightly as well.

“How could I be here to cause you trouble? You just don’t know…that at a long distance, my divine sense isn’t long enough to reach you!” Linley didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. He was only a God. Generally speaking, the divine sense of a God was only a hundred meters.

Although he had refined a large number of amethysts and his soul had grown to the limits of power for a God and was unable to absorb any more, his divine sense was still limited to three or four hundred meters or so. Highgods, however, could generally speak with divine sense to a thousand meters.

Only by drawing closer was he able to speak with divine sense!

“I am Linley!” Linley sent through divine sense to Bakwill.

“Bakwill.” Bakwill responded. “Linley, your friends are all surrounded. As long as I give the order, tens of thousands of Highgods will join forces and attack. Your friends will all die. Given your power, you should know the true power of our Bagshaw clan. If we really start to claw at each other’s faces and go all out, even if you are an Asura, our Bagshaw clan will still be able to kill you.”

The experts of the Bagshaw clan were more numerous than just the few of them present.

“I understand. My power has only been partially revealed as well.” Linley sent back through divine sense, while at the same time, Linley stretched out his right hand. In his right hand, a sparkling blue drop of water appeared!

This blue drop of water was giving off a faint yet awe-inspiring aura of power.

The faces of Bakwill and the three red-robed elders immediately changed greatly. “Water-type Sovereign’s Might!”

“I don’t want for us to rip at each other’s faces and go all out. You should know that given my power, if I use this drop of Sovereign’s Might…what the results will be!” Linley sent through divine sense.

Bakwill’s facial muscles twitched, and then he laughed coldly.

Bakwill flipped his own hand, and a drop of black liquid appeared. Linley could sense the terrifying energy contained within that black drop of liquid. It was a power on the same level of his blue drop of water, only what it emanated was the aura of Destruction.

“Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might?” Linley was shocked as well.

“Your Four Divine Beast’s clan has Sovereign’s Might. Did you think my Bagshaw clan doesn’t?” Bagshaw sent through divine sense. “For you to have a drop of water-type Sovereign’s Might means that your position in the Four Divine Beasts clan must be quite high.”

It was normal for Bakwill, as the leader of the clan, to be carrying a drop of Sovereign’s Might.

The top ten ancient clans of the Infernal Realm, such as the Bagshaw clan, all possessed astonishing power of their own!

“You killed so many of my men. Although they were minor figures, you still besmirched the face of my Bagshaw clan. I’ll give you two paths to choose from! The first path is the path where we go all out against each other and engage in a great battle. At worst, my Bagshaw clan will lose a number of experts, but we will still kill you. I wager your Four Divine Beasts clan won’t dare to come to my Miluo Island to avenge you!” Bakwill was absolutely confident.

Linley’s face didn’t change. He continued to listen.

“The second path is, my Bagshaw clan can give you face and forget about those minor figures you killed. However, you must serve my Bagshaw clan and assume the position of a red-robed elder. You must serve the Bagshaw clan without compensation for ten thousand years as a form of apology. In this way, this matter will be at an end.”

“Pick a path!” Bakwill stared at Linley.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 25, Red-Robed Elder

Which path to choose?

Linley’s forehead creased slightly.

Neither of these two paths were ‘good’ paths. The first went without saying; for the Bagshaw clan to be able to keep Miluo Island erect in the Infernal Realm for countless years meant that this ancient clan’s roots and foundation of power definitely exceeded his imagination. Killing Linley wouldn’t be too hard!

The second path, be a red-robed elder for ten thousand years?

For an ordinary expert, ten thousand years wasn’t much. But to him, it was too long a period of time. From birth until now, he hadn’t even lived a thousand years.

“Linley, you haven’t made up your mind yet?” Bakwill was growing rather angry. He believed that the conditions he had offered for the second path were already quite good; it was just a short ten thousand years. For ultimate experts, they might spend ten thousand years in a single training session.

“Ten thousand years is too long. I have to go to the Bloodridge Continent on business.” Linley sent back through divine sense.

Bakwill’s face instantly became all smiles.

Ten thousand years. A hundred years. To experts on the level of Bakwill, there wasn’t much difference. If he truly had wanted to punish Linley, he wouldn’t say ten thousand years; he would say a hundred million years! After all, to ultimate experts like them, a hundred years or ten thousand years really wasn’t a long period of time.

“That’s easy to negotiate. Linley, since you are willing to become my clan’s red-robed elder, my Bagshaw clan won’t go too far either. How about this. No matter what, you still have to show your sincerity in apologizing. Let’s just say a hundred years then.” Bakwill said.

Actually, Bakwill didn’t want to waste his Sovereign’s Might either, nor did he want to lose his clan’s experts. If he could avoid battle, he would. As long as Linley was willing to give his clan face, it would be enough.

But of course, this was also because Linley’s ‘power’ was too great.

If it had been another person, even another Seven Star Fiend who didn’t have Sovereign’s Might, Bakwill most likely would have ordered them to be killed already.

“There’s nothing I can do. This is the only choice.” Linley understood as well.

Although he had two drops of Sovereign’s Might, the Bagshaw clan had Sovereign’s Might as well. If they really did claw at each other’s faces and battle wildly, using up those two drops of Sovereign’s Might was a small matter, but whether or not he would be able to safely allow Delia and Bebe and the others to leave was another, greater matter.

Right now, both sides were taking a step back.

He might as well stay a hundred years. By doing so, not only would he save two drops of Sovereign’s Might, he would also protect Delia and the others.

“I accept.” Linley nodded.

Bakwill instantly laughed.

“Linley, follow us, then.” Bakwill sent through divine sense.

Linley nodded, then sent mentally to Bebe and Delia, “Bebe, Delia, Olivier…all of you, follow me.” Although Bebe and Delia were full of questions, they still flew over.

“Go back!” Bakwill suddenly said in a clear voice.

And then, Bakwill, the three red-robed elders, Sequeira, Linley, and the others all flew directly towards the western part of the island, with the hundred black armored warriors following. As for those tens of thousands of island guards covering the skies, they were all completely lost.

Not just them. The countless spectators watching the battle with heads raised on Miluo Island were puzzled as well. Why did that lord leave with the people of the Bagshaw clan?

“What just happened?”

“Moments ago, they were battling mightily. Why is it that the Draconian expert left with the people of Miluo Island?”

“Isn’t it obvious that it’s because he fears the people of Miluo Island? Over countless years, there’s been no one who dares to resist Miluo Island.”

“I disagree. Most likely, that Draconian lord was concerned about his friends.”

The countless outsiders of the entire Miluo Island were all chatting about this battle, either discussing Linley’s power or guessing at why Linley had left with them. However, without question, everyone agreed…

That Draconian was very powerful.

He was able to kick a red-robed expert flying and control a large number of Highgods like toys in the palm of his hand.

“Experts are as common as the clouds. It seems as though I should accept the invitation of the Bagshaw clan. Let’s take a look and see…what sort of experts the Bagshaw clan has!” Lomio Bornesen raised his head, watching Linley and the others disappear into the western horizons.

And then, he calmly turned and vanished into the crowds, while the people around him continued to chat excitedly.

While flying towards the western part of the island and towards the residential area of the Bagshaw clan, Olivier, O’Brien, and Cesar all used their divine sense to query Linley. They had bellies full of questions.

“Linley, what did you promise that Bagshaw clan?” Cesar hurriedly asked. His heart was filled with guilt. This was all because of him.

“Boss, what does that Bagshaw clan want us to do?” Bebe queried.

“Linley, are you a Highgod or a God?” O’Brien asked.

The repeated questions from multiple people caused Linley to momentarily not know how to respond.

“My power, I won’t explain for now. In the future, I’ll explain in detail. You can just consider me as a Six Star Fiend.” Linley responded to O’Brien. Six Star Fiend only was a level of power.

It didn’t mean he had to be a Highgod.

“Bebe, Delia, they just want me to be a red-robed elder for a century. We’d best humbly take a step back.” Linley replied.

Only now was Delia relieved. Delia hadn’t been in a hurry to go to the Indigo Prefecture to begin with; she only wanted that Linley wouldn’t place himself in too much danger. That tremendous battle that was about to break out just now had terrified her so much that her heart was rising into her throat.

Fortunately, the dangerous moment had passed.

The Bagshaw clan took up an exceedingly wide amount of space, with all sorts of buildings and manors scattered throughout it.

“Linley, from today onward, you can live at the estate.” Bakwill laughed calmly. “We agreed that you would only stay for a hundred years. It’s just a hundred short years. There’s no need for you to make a special oath.”

With a wave of his hand, Bakwill brought out a set of long red robes and a green insignia.

“This is the uniform for red-robed elders. The defensive power of this uniform is equivalent to a Highgod divine artifact. This insignia is a ‘green Miluo Insignia’. In Miluo Island, when you use this insignia, you can easily summon and mobilize a hundred island guards.” Bakwill smiled as he spoke.

Linley immediately smiled and accepted it.

“Lord Bakwill, don’t worry. Within these hundred years, without your permission, I definitely won’t leave on my own.” Linley said.

Bakwill laughed and nodded. “I trust the words spoken by the descendants of the Four Divine Beast clan.” Bakwill knew very well that large clans like theirs, the Bagshaw clan and the Four Divine Beasts clan, all had Sovereign’s Might and would give them out to clan members of exceedingly high status.

As he saw it, for Linley to be able to acquire a drop of Sovereign’s Might meant that even in the Four Divine Beasts clan, he was most likely an elder-level figure.

The word of someone like Linley was thus worthy of being trusted.

If he had to swear an oath for simply a hundred years, that would actually be laughable.

“Lord Bakwill, normally, what do I need to do?” Linley asked.

“Not much. Only when any major problems occur would we have the red-robed elders go out. For example, today!” Bakwill teased. “But of course, as a red-robed elder, there is a benefit as well. In the future, you can go to the secret area here in the western part of the island for a viewing.”

“The secret area in the western part of the island?”

Linley had heard others speak of this place long ago. It seemed as though the victors of a hundred Arena battles were qualified to go in for a viewing. Linley had wanted to ask more questions regarding this secret area, but that Bakwill just laughed and said, “Linley, I’ll leave now. If there’s anything you need, feel free to come find me.”

Linley didn’t feel comfortable chasing after him with questions.

Thus, he simply watched as Bakwill, Sequeira, and the three red-robed elders left.

………………

“Creaaaak.” The door shut.

In the main hall, only Bakwill and Sequeira remained.

“Father, you’re going to just let Linley live a hundred comfortable years? This is letting him off too easy. How many of our men has he killed!” The rage which Sequeira had suppressed for so long was finally boiling out.

“Hmph!”

A single cold snort, but it struck against Sequeira’s heart like a hammer. Sequeira’s words instantly came to a halt.

Bakwill turned and gave Sequeira a cold stare. “This matter, if we pursue it to its roots, was caused by that **** and Cesar. She’s just a woman. Can it be that for the sake of your ****, my Bagshaw clan would lose several Seven Star Fiend-level experts and one or two drops of Sovereign’s Might, while at the same time offending the Four Divine Beasts clan? Is it worth it?”

Killing Linley? They could do that.

But the price was far too high.

“It’s just the Four Divine Beasts clan.” Sequeira muttered.

“Hmph. An enormous dragon, even after starving to death, is still enormous. Although compared to ten thousand years ago, the Four Divine Beasts clan has changed dramatically and their power has dropped, however…the Four Divine Beasts clan had previously dominated the Infernal Realm for countless years. Their roots are extremely deep.”

Bakwill growled, “Our Bagshaw clan is more powerful than the Four Divine Beasts clan, but only by a bit.”

Sequeira no longer dared to say a word.

West Miluo Island. The Bagshaw clan’s residential area. Linley’s estate.

“Elder!” At the estate, two servants respectfully saluted Linley.

Linley was currently dressed in a long red robe. All roving island guards, upon seeing Linley, would be extremely respectful. Linley gave orders to a nearby island guard. “Go to room 306 of the island warriors’ residential area. Bring Tarosse and Dylin over.”

“Yes, elder.” An island guard said respectfully.

Linley turned and returned to his estate. At present, Delia, Bebe, Cesar, O’Brien, and Olivier were all living here. In three steps, Linley reached the rear gardens.

O’Brien, Olivier, and Bebe were chatting idly, but Cesar was in the corner of the garden, sitting there foolishly, thinking who-knows-what.

“Linley.” Delia walked towards Linley from behind.

Delia had also noticed the distant Cesar. Sighing, she said, “Most likely Cesar is still thinking about Cecily.”

“Right.” Linley nodded slightly. Most likely, Cesar would need a long period of time before he could escape this ‘valley’.

“Hey, Boss, you came.” Bebe immediately rushed over and intentionally said a few words of congratulations. “Boss, I must say, that red elder’s robe you are wearing looks quite fetching and handsome.”

Linley couldn’t help but laugh.

Linley’s conversation attracted the notice of Cesar, who upon seeing Linley, immediately ran over, his eyes lighting up. He hurriedly said, “Linley, I want to ask something of you.”

“Cesar, if there’s anything you need, just say it.” Linley had always felt gratitude towards Cesar in his heart.

Cesar said nervously, “For Sequeira to suddenly attack me…I’m worried that possibly some sort of major conflict sprang up between him and Lily. Otherwise, how could Sequeira have been in such a towering rage and have come for me? After all, the day before her wedding, Lily and I officially broke up. Ever since that day, we never met again, not once.”

Up till now, Cesar still didn’t know that Cecily had become pregnant with his child.

“Linley, I want to ask you to go investigate and see what is going on with Lily.” Cesar begged.

Linley nodded. “Alright. Don’t worry. I will go do a careful investigation.”

Linley knew a bit about Cesar and Cecily’s affairs.

The two of them, Cesar and Cecily, were actually truly in love with each other. Unfortunately, young master Sequeira had taken a fancy for Cecily. The Gaylord clan had thus immediately requested Cecily to marry Sequeira, so as to win the favor of the Bagshaw clan!

How could Cecily disobey the orders of her clan?

Thus, in great pain, she had to separate from Cesar. On the day before her wedding, she hardened her heart and told Cesar that they would never meet again.

“Alas, Cesar is really unfortunate.” Linley sighed to himself. “Miluo Island supposedly has five clans, but in reality, the master is the Bagshaw clan. The other four clans are just their subordinates.”

He could completely imagine how, in order to ingratiate themselves to Sequeira, the Gaylord clan had forcibly required Cecily to do what had to be done.

Beneath the ground. In a darkened tunnel.

Sequeira was walking with a cold look on his face. On each side of this tunnel were jail cells, each of them quite unusual. They were specially made to detain Deities. This corridor had a black armored warrior on guard every ten meters.

“****!”

Whenever Sequeira thought about how his wife Cecily had someone else’s child in her stomach, and had so excitedly run over to tell him about it, he felt humiliated. And today, he hadn’t been able to kill Cesar because Linley had appeared.

“Linley! He shows up everywhere.” Sequeira truly detested Linley. He had first shown up in the Free Castle, and now here as well.

“Time to deal with it.” Sequeira took a deep breath. Cecily was the shame of his clan. She definitely wouldn’t be permitted to continue living. Once this got out, the Bagshaw clan would become a laughingstock.

He had come here…to kill Cecily. Not because he wanted to, but because his father had ordered it!

After arriving at a cell.

“Open it.” Sequeira said calmly, while at the same time showing his blood-colored Miluo Insignia.

In the dark, damp jail cell, Cecily was leaning against a wall, her long hair somewhat in disarray. Hearing the cell door open, Cecily couldn’t help but turn to look. Seeing that it was Sequeira, her face changed slightly.

“You…you killed Cesar?” Cecily said in a low voice.

“Yes. I killed him.” Sequeira said coldly, as he emotionlessly stared at Cecily, waiting expectantly for that look of despair and agony on Cecily’s face.

He got what he wanted!

Cecily’s face instantly turned white. Soundlessly, her tears came dripping down. In the short few hours she had been imprisoned here, she had been worried about Cesar. She knew that Sequeira would go seek revenge, and she also knew that Cesar wouldn’t be able to stop him.

But…she had still held onto hope. Upon hearing Sequeira’s words, though, she lost all hope.

“Cesar….”

Cecily’s mind returned to those happy scenes, those days she had spent with Cesar. She had been so happy, so free, without any restrictions from the clan. She could live as she pleased. But…

Sequeira had taken a fancy to her.

And thus, her destiny had been changed. In the face of her clan, she had lowered her head. Even after being married into the Bagshaw clan, she had always forced herself to remain smiling and happy.

“Sequeira!” Cecily suddenly raised her head to stare at Sequeira, her eyes like death. “If it wasn’t because you are a member of the Bagshaw clan, you would be less than dogshit. Do you know? Whenever I slept with you, I pretended you were Cesar!”

Sequeira’s face turned red and he roared angrily, “****!” With that explosive shout, he immediately launched a heavy, furious slap, smashing down on Cecily’s head. “Bang!” Cecily’s entire body trembled, and then she slowly slid to the ground. To the very end, Cecily had a strange smile on her face.

She had said those words because she wanted to die.

Death would be an escape.

She would no longer have to continue to force herself to be happy every day. Wouldn’t have to force herself not to think of Cesar every day.

“****, ****, ****!!!!” After having killed Cecily, Sequeira’s rage was still endless. In his mind, those final words echoed over and over.

“Do you know? Whenever I slept with you, I pretended you were Cesar!”

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 26, Scryer Records

Since he had promised Cesar, Linley naturally began to ponder as to what method he could use to investigate Cecily’s situation. However, despite the fact that he was now a red-robed elder, he didn’t have the authority to arbitrarily enter the residence of the clan leader. After having ordered people to bring Dylin and Tarosse over here, Linley began to investigate and see what he could find.

“Magnolia [Ma’ge’nuo’li’ya]!”

Linley quickly strode forward to greet her.

Magnolia. A red-robed elder of the Bagshaw clan. She was the one and only female red-robed elder of the three which Bakwill had brought during the previous battle. Magnolia turned, her violet eyes carrying a hint of a smile. “Mr. Linley, is there something you need?”

“Magnolia, there’s something I want to ask about.” Linley said hurriedly.

“Go ahead.” Magnolia was very courteous.

“Last time, Sequeira was infuriated and wanted to kill my friend. It should have been for the sake of his wife. Do you know the current situation of young master Sequeira’s wife?” Linley asked directly.

Magnolia furrowed her forehead, then shook her head. “I’m not sure about that. Sequeira and his wife both live in the clan leader’s estate. I normally find it hard to go in there as well. I imagine that those who know of this situation are most likely the servants and the housekeepers of the clan leader’s estate. Just those few.”

Linley frowned.

The clan leader’s estate was the most tightly restricted area in the entire Bagshaw clan. The people who lived there consisted of Bakwill as well as his two sons. Those servants who lived there normally never came out.

To investigate would be very hard.

“If you have the chance, you can just go ask Sequeira or the lord clan leader directly.” Magnolia advised.

“Alright. Got it. Sorry for bothering you.”

Linley immediately left.

Ask Sequeira or Bakwill? Of course Linley knew that was the best way! But Linley also knew that upon asking, Sequeira or Bakwill would definitely know that he was asking on behalf of Cesar, at which point, what would Sequeira and the others think?

At the very least, they would feel quite uncomfortable.

Unless absolutely necessarily, Linley didn’t want to act to make others irritated.

After walking around for a bit, he asked quite a few people with high status, but he still didn’t know anything about Cecily’s current situation. Disappointed, Linley thus could only first return home. By the time he returned to his own estate, Linley saw Cesar at the gates.

“Linley, how did it go?” Cesar hurriedly asked.

“Cecily lives in the clan leader’s estate. Even I’m not allowed to just barge in there. Don’t be hasty. I’ll ask again in a while.” Linley shook his head regretfully.

A look of disappointment flashed past Cesar’s eyes, and then he forced out a smile. “I’m in no rush, in no rush!”

Linley sighed in his heart.

“Right. Tarosse and Dylin are here.” Cesar said. “They came?” Linley immediately walked inside, and the nearby Cesar hurriedly said, “Linley, you can’t blame them. You know how bad the situation was. They didn’t want to sacrifice themselves for nothing.”

“I understand.”

In his heart, Linley didn’t blame Tarosse or Dylin too much.

Only, Linley was puzzled. Based on his understanding of Tarosse and Dylin, when that sort of dangerous situation had occurred, those two should have been the first to stand forward. But both of them actually retreated, naturally causing Linley to be filled with disbelief.

Although there was nothing wrong with their decision, from an emotional standpoint, it was still rather hard to accept.

Walking past the corridor, he passed through the courtyard door. Linley saw Dylin and Tarosse, currently seated.

“Boss!” Bebe stood up, then muttered disdainfully from the corner of his lips, “These two came.”

Linley just glanced at Bebe. Although he wasn’t happy, there was no need for them to stomp on their face like that.

Dylin and Tarosse both immediately stood up as well. The two of them were rather embarrassed. But Linley laughed as he walked over. “Dylin, Tarosse, sit and chat, sit!” Linley himself was the first to sit.

Dylin and Tarosse exchanged a glance.

“Linley, about today, it was our fault.” Dylin took the lead to speak. Shaking his head, he said helplessly, “I’m sorry. At the time, we both thought that resistance just meant death, and so…” Tarosse nodded as well.

When a person felt guilty, they would be timid when speaking. This was how Dylin and Tarosse were right now.

“I don’t blame you.” Linley laughed. “After all, in the end, Cesar’s still fine.” Linley could tell that Dylin and Tarosse both felt ashamed. Since they were capable of feeling shame, there was no need for him to say anything else.

Tarosse and Dylin both felt relieved.

“Linley!” Tarosse couldn’t help but feel puzzled, and so he asked, “I heard that you, by yourself, killed many island guards, and that you even defeated a red-robed elder?”

“That was luck.” Linley said.

Tarosse and Dylin looked at each other. They lived here on Miluo Island, and knew how powerful the red-robed elders were. Each red-robed elder had the power of a Seven Star Fiend! But this God in front of them, Linley, had actually defeated a Seven Star Fiend!

Back when they were in the Yulan continent, Linley was only just a Demigod.

“Linley, you…are you a God or a Highgod?” Dylin asked again.

It wasn’t Dylin’s fault for asking this. Linley’s performance had simply been too astonishing.

“No need to discuss this. You can just consider me a Six Star Fiend.” Linley shook his head. “Tarosse, Dylin, I want to ask you about something. I hear that the victors of a hundred battles in the Arena can enter the secret area in the western part of the island. Do you know what is inside the secret area?”

The red-robed elders were qualified to enter the secret area of Miluo Island as well.

What exactly did the secret area of Miluo Island have? Linley was puzzled as well.

“The secret area?” Dylin and Tarosse were both surprised and puzzled.

“Ask Tarosse. I’m not sure.” Dylin shook his head.

“Weren’t you a victor of a hundred battles in the God Arena?” Linley didn’t understand. Dylin explained, “After entering the secret area, you also need to undergo a test within the secret area. Only if you are considered to be qualified will you be allowed to go in for a viewing. I was refused outside the door.”

Linley was startled.

There was an inspection for whether or not a person was qualified?

Linley turned to look at Tarosse, who sighed emotionally and said, “The only thing I was able to see in the secret area was a series of scryer recordings!”

“Scryer recordings?” Linley was astonished.

Linley was very familiar with scryer recordings. They were created from a simple ‘Floating Scryer’ technique, a very simple water-style spell. That year, before Linley had broken up with Alice, Linley had purchased two memory crystals that had been filled with scryer recordings. He had used the memory crystals and filled them with many memories to give to Alice.

Only, after they broke up, Linley had smashed the memory crystals.

“Scryer recordings?” Linley didn’t understand.

These scryer recordings could record many memories, but why would the Bagshaw clan treat them as a treasure? What exactly did these images record?

“Right. Scryer recordings.” Tarosse said with a sigh. “Recordings of experts who battled each other. Every single scryer recording has recorded some truly astonishing duels, with the experts who were in the duels at least of the Seven Star Fiend level.”

Linley’s eyes lit up.

For many people, viewing a duel between true experts was of great benefit in helping them to make breakthroughs and gain insights. Normally speaking, it was extremely rare to see a pair of Seven Star Fiends do battle.

“How many duel recordings are there?” Linley was eager as well.

“Very many, at least thousands.” Tarosse sighed in praise. “There are so many experts in those recordings. Also, there are explanations and introductions to each of those ultimate experts, including the Sixwing Fiend, the Bloodviolet Fiend, the Snow Fiend, the Silvermoon Fiend…it truly was astonishing.”

Linley’s eyes were shining as he listened.

So many Seven Star Fiend duels?

“However, my strength was insufficient. I was only allowed to go to the second secret room to do a viewing.” Tarosse shook his head. “In the second viewing room, the vast majority were Seven Star Fiend level battles, not just here in the Infernal Realm, but also including experts who are in the other Higher Planes as well as the Divine Planes.”

“I hear that the scryer recordings in the first room are truly exciting.” Tarosse’s eyes were shining. “There are recordings of Asura-level experts, and supposedly, there are recordings of inter-planar battles. And even…scryer recordings of a Sovereign showing his might!”

Linley sucked in a cold breath.

Recordings of a Sovereign showing his might?

“However, that’s all in the first room.” Tarosse shook his head. “Generally speaking, only red-robed elders or Seven Star Fiends are permitted to go view them. In addition, that’s only at the invitation of the Bagshaw clan.”

Linley remembered quite clearly how Bakwill had said that as a red-robed elder, Linley was qualified to enter the western part of the island’s hidden area.

“The recordings of so many experts engaging in battle is a priceless treasure! Asura-level battles, inter-planar battles…and even Sovereigns attacking?” Linley’s heart was blazing. What did those high and mighty Sovereigns look like when they attacked?

He had been a red-robed elder for two days now. During these two days, Linley hadn’t found any hint of information regarding Cecily.

“Boss, the secret area actually has so many exciting recordings. Can I go take a look as well?” Ever since they had learned information two days ago regarding the secret area, Bebe had also been desirous of going to take a look.

“I don’t have that authority. That’s the treasure of the Bagshaw clan.” Linley then frowned. “Only, I rather don’t understand. The scryer recordings of ultimate experts battling against each other definitely can be considered a priceless treasure.”

“But why is the Bagshaw clan willing to open it up to the public and allow the red-robed elders and the victors of a hundred battles to go for a viewing?” Linley was puzzled.

Logically speaking, these recordings should be kept secret.

Bebe rubbed his nose, then muttered, “Maybe it’s because the Bagshaw clan is confident in their strength, and so intentionally put on a show of being generous, so as to attract more experts to go to the Arena to fight. That is their lure.” Linley nodded slightly as well.

Suddenly, footsteps rang out from behind them. It was a black-armored guard.

“Elder.” The black-armored guard bowed respectfully. “Per the orders of the clan leader, tomorrow morning, please gather tomorrow morning at Suncutter Peak in the western part of the island. At that time, you will meet with victors of a hundred battles in the Arena and go into the secret area together!”

Linley’s eyesbrows lifted up.

“Haha, it came just as we were discussing it.” Bebe laughed loudly. “Hey, can I go too?”

The black-robed guard couldn’t help but be startled, and then he immediately, courteously withdrew.

“No sincerity.”

Bebe snorted. He was uncomfortably curious, but Linley still wasn’t able to take him in to do a viewing as well. “Enough, don’t be impatient. In the future, you’ll have a chance to look.”

“What are you talking about? Why so happy?” Delia walked in from her room.

“Ha!” Bebe immediately leapt up in excitement. “I was a fool! Victors of a hundred battle are all qualified to go in. Although I’m a God, I can go win a hundred victories.” Bebe was uncontrollably excited. “Last time, I won ten victories. I’ll continue!”

Miluo Island. Suncutter Peak.

Sucnutter Peak was a very ordinary mountain peak, just a thousand meters tall. Currently, eight people were gathered at the peak, with Linley being the last one to arrive. As Linley arrived and looked at the other seven…

“Three Highgods. Two Gods. Two Demigods.” Linley instantly could tell. Those who were allowed to enter the secret area were all victors of a hundred battles. Thus, even Demigod victors would be allowed in.

“Him.” Linley instantly noticed that person.

A skinny body, a long black robe, and long black hair, with a warblade on his back. It was Lomio Bornesen!

Currently, Lomio Bornesen had seen Linley, and he was staring at him, his eyes shining. “You are Linley, right?” Lomio had accepted the invitation of the Bagshaw clan, and then had asked around for some information regarding that battle. He had also learned Linley’s name.

Linley felt rather astonished. Lomio actually recognized him?

“I saw the battle between you and that red-robed elder the other day.” Lomeo’s face, normally so hard that it looked as though it had been carved out by a knife, was currently revealing a hint of a smile. His gaze was akin to one who was staring at a precious item. Firmly and forcefully, he said, “Your power is very great! On we leave from the secret area, I hope we can have a competition.

Linley didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

This Lomio was utterly insane. Whenever he met an expert, he wanted to fight them.

“Everyone, you are all here?” A familiar figure walked over. His tall form, his short red hair…it was the young master of the Bagshaw clan, Sequeira.

Sequeira glanced at the eight people, his gaze pausing momentarily on Linley, then said loudly, “Alright. I’ll lead all of you to the hidden area, everone. Just stay behind me, and remember, on the way over, don’t make trouble. If you are killed by the guards in the hidden area, don’t blame others.”

“Sequeira.” Linley suddenly said.

Sequeira frowned slightly. He didn’t have any good feelings towards Linley at all, but he still opened his mouth. “Elder Linley, what is it?”

“I’d like to ask, how is Cecily doing?” Linley asked directly. This question caused Sequeira to be quite embarrassed, but Linley didn’t have any other choices. After all, he couldn’t enter the clan leader’s estate.

For Cesar’s sake, he had to ask without consideration for his face.

“You ask me about this?” Sequeira’s faze was frozen into a frown. He could guess that Linley definitely was asking on behalf of Cesar. Once again, Cecily’s dying words echoed in Sequeira’s mind.

“When I slept with you, I pretended you were Cesar!”

Sequeira’s rage began to rise, and he couldn’t help but let out a cold sneer. Knowing Linley’s power, however, he knew that attacking meant humiliating himself.

“She…left Miluo Island.” Sequeira said coldly.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 27, Secret Area

“Left Miluo Island?” Linley was suspicious as soon as he heard this.

Only a few days had passed since that last great battle, and Cecily had married Sequeira not too long ago. How could she suddenly leave Miluo Island? Even if she had truly left, others should have seen it. But in the past few days, he had asked many people. None of them knew anything about Cecily, nor had they seen her.

“He is lying!” Linley decided.

Why was he lying? Instantly, Linley had a terrible premonition in his mind.

“Everyone, follow me. We’re heading out.” Sequeira’s face was extremely sinister looking right now. After speaking, he led the group of people deep towards Suncutter Peak. Although Linley felt suspicious in his heart, he still followed.

Suncutter Peak. Linley’s group of nine floated into it.

Moments later, Linley’s group arrived at a deep cavernous tunnel, without a hint of sunlight within it. Sequeira was the first to enter the deep tunnel, while Linley’s group of eight hesitated slightly, then entered as well.

“Young master Sequeira.” A Highgod said through divine sense. “Where exactly is this secret area? This tunnel seems to be bottomlessly deep.”

“Just follow me.” Sequeira said calmly.

Linley and Lomio followed quite calmly. What was there to fear? This Sequeira was right in front of them, and either of them could easily kill Sequeira. They didn’t need to fear Sequeira playing any tricks at all. In addition, Linley had learned from Tarosse that the hidden area contained scryer recordings.

“Linley.” A voice rang out in Linley’s mind.

Linley turned to glance at the nearby Lomio. Just now, the one who had sent him the mental message was Lomio. Lomio’s lips curved upwards, and he continued to chat through divine sense. “When I saw you fight, I became certain that the Four Divine Beasts clan really lives up to its fame. Might I ask how strong the other three branches of the Four Divine Beasts clan are?”

“Why so many questions?” Linley responded.

In truth, Linley himself knew very little regarding the Four Divine Beasts clan.

“Right. There’s no need to ask. I’ll know once I’ve truly fought with them. After we exit this secret area, let’s first have a little spar. Afterwards, I’ll head to the Indigo Prefecture of the Bloodridge Continent to seek out the experts of the other three branches of your Four Divine Beasts clan and compete with them.” Although Lomio’s face was calm, his eyes were shining.

Lomio was very eager to battle against other experts.

Linley couldn’t help but feel a headache coming.

As soon as he left the secret room, he would have to compete against this madman? It wasn’t that Linley didn’t like to compete, it was that Linley knew his own strength and weakness. It wasn’t so bad if he ran into an expert who specialized in material attacks, but if he encountered an expert in soul attacks, it would be terrible.

Linley cursed inwardly, “This guy, ugh. He’s even crazier than that Learmonth was. As soon as he encounters an expert, he wants to challenge them.”

While chatting with Lomio through divine sense, given the speed at which Linley was advancing, they had gone multiple kilometers. The strange thing was, however, that despite having gone down many kilometers into the cavern, there was still no end in sight.

“Given this depth, we should be deep within Miluo Island.” Linley guessed to himself.

Suddenly, Linley discovered that the corridor beneath them was completely filled with water.

“It’s all water down there. Are we still going down?” Someone couldn’t help but ask.

“Just follow me and cut out the chitchat.” Sequeira was feeling very unhappy right now. Linley’s words at Suncutter Peak had made his mood turn terrible Those words which Cecily had said before dying made him feel even more insulted than when he had discovered that Cecily had another person’s son in her womb!

“Drip, drip…”

Linley’s group followed Sequeira into the water, and the eight of them all formed protective coverings around their bodies, easily blocking the water.

“Back then, I should’ve asked Tarosse in detail as to what place this secret area actually is.” Linley felt puzzled. This water-logged passage had cave walls covered with green vegetation. Clearly, this passage had been filled with water for a long, long time.

Suddenly…

The tunnel beneath them became smooth, and at the end of this smooth tunnel, a faint glow could be seen.

“We finally reached the end.” Linley couldn’t help but feel a sense of celebration. As soon as they exited the tunnel, however, they saw a world of endless, boundless water.

“Eh? The secret area is actually in the middle of the ocean?” Linley couldn’t help but speak out in astonishment.

Sequeira sneered. “Are you puzzled?”

Linley discovered that ever since he asked that question, Sequeira’s face had continuously been ugly to behold, and his temper had turned irritable as well. Linley couldn’t be bothered to reply. Arguing with Sequeira was something that simply wasn’t worth it.

After flying at the bottom of the sea for some time, Linley was stunned.

Off the distance, an enormous black castle that was dozens of kilometers in circumference had been erected at the bottom of the ocean, like a massive monster lying in wait. The amazing thing was, countless, densely clustered figures could be seen around the castle on patrol. The number of people here was extremely high.

“This is the secret area of our western part of the island.” Sequeira said proudly. “The secret area of my Bagshaw clan! You are very lucky to have the chance to come here.”

As he spoke, from the distance, a squad of black armored warriors dressed with black cloaks flew over. Seeing this squad, Linley and the others all felt a sense of shock in their hearts. These ten guards all naturally emanated a baleful aura, and their faces were all expressionless and cold.

“Each of them is an expert.” Linley was incomparably shocked.

Compared to the warriors of Miluo Island, these black armored and black cloaked guards gave off a far more powerful, valiant, remorseless aura. Even Lomio narrowed his eyes, looking carefully at the distant black castle.

“A single clan actually has so many forces!” Linley felt stunned.

He could see, with the naked eye, thousands of people, each of them Highgods, and excellent Highgods at that. They weren’t on the same level as the island guards, who were made up of just any Highgods who wanted to join.

“Young master Sequeira.” The leader of the squad bowed.

“They all came. Let’s go.” Sequeira said calmly. The ten black armored guards immediately guided Linley’s group towards the black castle. The gates to the black castle were open.

This black castle had existed for unknowable amounts of time, deep at the bottom of the sea.

The strange thing was…

The black castle seemed to have a sort of strange energy. It actually was able to keep the waters of the sea at a distance, making all the sea water unable to get within a kilometer of the black castle. It was as though a translucent barrier was protecting the castle, keeping all the seawater at a distance.

And thus Linley’s group suddenly entered a water-less area.

“Hey?” Everyone was astonished, while Lomio’s eyes lit up in excitement as well.

Linley turned to carefully look, but he wasn’t able to find any special ‘barrier’. “There really are all sorts of marvels in the world.” As he entered the black castle and saw the many guards within the black castle, Linley was stunned.

“This…is most likely the true power of the Bagshaw clan.” Linley said to himself.

Within the black castle. An empty plaza. Linley’s group of eight was waiting here.

“Wait here a while. Later, people will come.” Sequeira said emotionlessly. “You’ll have to be tested to see if you will have the chance to enter the secret area.” After speaking, Sequeira himself turned and left.

His assignment was complete.

“Tested?” Some people were instantly puzzled.

“Wasn’t it said that as long as we can win a hundred victories, we’ll be able to go to the secret area for a viewing? Why is there a test?”

Hearing this discourse, Lomio and Linley both maintained their silence. Linley knew all along that there would be a test, and he stared at the area around him. The buildings around this plaza also had roving patrols of black armored guards, and the entire castle was like a military fort, under extremely tight guard.

Just moments later, the ancient, dark blue gates in front of the plaza that were ten meters tall up rumbled opened.

“Creaaaaaaak.” The opening of the dark blue gates caused a very unpleasant, scraping sound.

Six people walked out from inside the gates, the leader a man with white hair, a white beard, red armor, and a red cloak. The five behind him were all black armored warriors, but they too wore red cloaks.

“Welcome!” The white-haired elder immediately strode forward and laughed clearly, “Welcome to Castle Hendsey [Han’di’sai]! Let me introduce myself. My name is Uriah [You’lai]!”

Castle Hendsey?

A hint of suspicion arose in Linley’s heart.

“Although all victors of a hundred battles in the Arena can come to this secret area,” Uriah laughed, “The scryer recordings within the secret area aren’t just shown to everyone. If you want to view them, you must undergo testing.”

“Scryer recordings? Of what?” Lomio said.

“Battles of Seven Star Fiends. Battles of Asuras. Interplanar wars. Even scryer recordings of a Sovereign showing his might!” Uriah smiled. “This has been accumulated by my Bagshaw clan over countless years!”

As soon as these words came out, everyone’s eyes lit up. Even Lomio’s eyes were shining. Linley sighed to himself; these scryer recordings of experts doing battle was indeed a very alluring prospect.

“Now, all of you come, one at a time, to compete against our people. Based on your performance, I will judge if you are qualified to go in for a viewing.” Uriah glanced at a person next to him, and immediately, a callous bald man wearing black armor and a red cloak strode forward.

Uriah stretched out with his hand, pointing towards one of the Highgod victors. “You first.”

“Fine.” That Highgod who had won a hundred Arena victories chuckled twice, then stepped forward. “If I kill him, don’t blame me.” This Highgod was dressed in a blue robe and had thick eyebrows.

“If you can kill him, feel free to.” Uriah laughed calmly.

Immediately, this blue-robed Highgod and the bald man moved to the center of the plaza. The two faced each other.

“You can start now.” Uriah gave the order.

“Boom!” The blue-robed Highgod instantly transformed into a flash of fiery light that didn’t emit flames, with the scorching heat causing even the air to crackle. And then, the flameless fire-light immediately formed into a fiery arrowhead, which hovered there in mid-air in the plaza, emanating a heart-shaking power.

“Swoosh!”

The arrow of flame suddenly shot out like a meteor.

“Hmph!” The bald man gave a low snort, his entire body immediately becoming covered by an earthen yellow armor. His enormous fist began to be covered with rippling light, and he astonishingly landed a direct punch towards that fiery missile.

“Bang!” A low, rumbling sound. Even the arena itself trembled.

The rippling light on the fist of that bald man had been shattered, and even his fist had been blown apart. Even the layer of earthen yellow armor on his body was cracked, and he couldn’t help but take several steps back, cracking the ground as he did.

The fiery red missile collapsed as well. That blue-robed Highgod’s face was ashen, but he was still standing there.

“Not bad.” The white-haired Uriah nodded. “You are qualified to enter the second secret room.”

“The second secret room?” The blue-robed Highgod was puzzled.

“Right. The secret area is divided into two rooms; the first room and the second room. The first room has more scryer recordings, and the experts in those recordings are more powerful.” Uriah said calmly.

“Then what must I do to be qualified to enter the first room?” The blue-robed Highgod was rather unwilling to accept this.

“Kill him in one blow.” Uriah pointed towards the bald man.

The blue-robed Highgod instantly gave up.

Hearing this, Linley was stunned. “Can it be that the leader of this castle doesn’t treat life as having any value? He can so casually sacrifice even his own people?”

“You are next.” Uriah pointed to a God.

“Enough of this.” A cold voice rang out. Lomio directly strode forward, looking calmly at Uriah. “Let me go first. Didn’t you say that if I could kill him with one blow, I can enter the first room, right?”

Uriah glanced at Lomio in surprise, then laughed. “You are Lomio, right?”

Lomio nodded calmly.

“You don’t need to be tested.” Uriah shook his head and laughed. “Of the eight of you, you and red-robed elder, Linley, don’t need to be tested. You can go directly to the first room for viewing.”

Linley couldn’t help but laugh.

“However, opening the secret room is a very important matter. We have to make a request to the master of the castle, and then find a good time. You can go rest for now. We will soon notify you.” As he spoke, Uriah arranged for people to guide Linley and Lomio away.

As Linley was led away by the black-armored, red-cloaked guard, he now understood.

“It isn’t that the leader of the castle doesn’t care about the lives of his men. It is that when a real expert comes, there’s no need for a test.” Linley was quite eagerly anticipating that moment of viewing those scryer images coming as soon as possible.

The black castle was very large. It had thick, sturdy walls, and a very complicated layout of many corridors.

“Captain Mob [Mo’bu], I’ve been here for nearly a month. Why isn’t his lordship willing to meet me yet?”

“Don’t be in such a hurry. If his lordship wishes to meet you, he will. Otherwise, just wait here.”

Hearing this voice from a corridor up ahead, Linley couldn’t help but frown. “This voice is so familiar!”

In front of Linley were four corridors. Two people headed out from one of the corridors, and one of them was a man who wore a long green robe and had fish scales on his face. He was currently with another man, one dressed in black armor and a red cloak, who the first man was constantly speaking to. And then, the two of them entered another one of the corridors.

“Ganmontin?” Linley’s face was filled with disbelief. “Why is he here?”

This person was the exact same person who had waylaid and attacked Linley’s group in the Starmist Sea, the person who had wanted to offer Olivier to his ‘Lord Commander’. Ganmontin!

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 28, The Secret

Originally, Ganmontin had wanted to forcibly take Olivier away, but Linley had refused. Thus, Ganmontin and Linley had battled against each other. At that time, Linley had relied upon his Blackstone Space to execute Ganmontin’s divine wind clone, but who would’ve thought that Ganmontin actually had a divine water clone as well?

Ganmontin naturally hated Linley to the core.

Linley still clearly remembered Ganmontin’s dying bellow. “You can’t kill me. If you kill me, the Lord Commander will definitely kill you!” Ganmontin had, back then, used the so-called ‘Lord Commander’ to threaten Linley.

“He went to find the Lord Commander? And he is now here…can it be that the Lord Commander is right here?” Linley frowned.

This mysterious seafloor castle…Castle Hendsey. The white-haired elder who had welcomed him had once said, “Opening the secret room was a matter of great importance. We need to request permission from the master of the castle.”

“Master of the castle?” Linley pondered. “The people which Uriah had brought were all roughly around the level of Six Star Fiend in power. Then Uriah’s power…? The power of the master of the castle…?”

“Ganmontin’s so-called. ‘Commander’…”

“The master of the castle?”

In that instant, Linley suddenly thought of a possibility.

As soon as he thought of this possibility, Linley only felt a sense of terror fill his mind. His entire body couldn’t help but tremble, and his face instantly turned white. “Can it be…”

“That I’m like a lamb who has delivered himself into the mouth of a tiger? That I’ve come to throw my life away?” Linley pondered.

From the number of experts at Miluo Island and the number of experts on display here at the seafloor Castle Hendsey, Linley could tell that this master of Castle Hendsey was, without a doubt, an ultimate expert who possessed astonishing power!

In the Infernal Realm, a person who had great status had to have an equivalent, matching amount of power. Otherwise, others wouldn’t submit to them!

“Eh?” Lomio, who was travelling alongside Linley, naturally noticed that Linley currently seemed rather ‘off’. He glanced at Linley, puzzled. What had caused Linley to lose his bearings like this?

Fortunately, the person leading them didn’t turn to look at Linley, and didn’t know what had happened.

“Milords, once we arrive at the guest houses, we’ll be nearly there.” The black armored red cloaked warrior laughed as he spoke, his words causing Linley to be startled awake from his pondering. Linley immediately began to adjust his mindset.

After all, the situation hadn’t become utterly disastrous yet. Even assuming that the master of the castle was the ‘Commander’, which he might even be, this person had never met Linley.

“One thing at a time.” Linley said to himself.

The seafloor Castle Hendsey was like a small city, filled with intersecting corridors that divided it into many areas. Generally speaking, guests all stayed in one area, which had a number of two-story buildings that were all built in a similar fashion.

These small buildings were built with a type of rice-yellow stones, and made one feel quite comfortable within the black castle.

“Lord Lomio, you will stay here in room twenty six. Lord Linley, you will stay here in room twenty seven.” The black armored, red cloaked warrior said respectfully. “When the time comes, someone will deliver food to you. As for when you will enter the secret room, please don’t be impatient, milords. When the time comes, there will be people who will come notify you.”

Lomio frowned. “Are we just supposed to wait here indefinitely?”

Linley felt rather uncomfortable as well.

“Milords, don’t worry. Based on our long-established rules, in roughly half a day or so, you’ll be invited to the secret area. At the slowest, it would only take three days.” The guard smiled as he spoke.

“Right.” Lomio nodded calmly.

At most, three days? Lomio wouldn’t mind. But Linley minded!

“You can go now.” Linley stepped back from the guard, feeling rather concerned, because the more time he spent here at Castle Hendsey, the more dangerous it was. After all, Ganmontin was within this castle.”

“Linley, I’ll go to my room for now. If you need anything, you can come find me.” Lomio said, then immediately turned and entered his room, not giving Linley a chance to reply.

Lomio was normally a very arrogant, solitary figure. It was only because he had seen Linley fight and wanted to spar with Linley that he was now so courteous. Otherwise, why would he say so many things to Linley?

But Linley’s mind was preoccupied with Ganmontin, and so he didn’t have any energy to bother with Lomio. He turned and went to his own room as well.

Taking a meditative stance on the stone bed, he looked through the window to the outside.

“I had wanted to come watch the scryer recordings of battling experts, but who would have imagined that Ganmontin was here?” Linley sighed to himself. At this time, footsteps rang out from outside, followed by a knocking on the door.

“Enter.” Linley said calmly.

The door opened. Immediately, two beautiful women dressed in bright yellow robes walked into Linley’s room, carrying a large platter of food.

“You can just leave it on the table.” Linley said calmly.

“Yes, milord.” The two maids were very respectful. They gently set down the platter of delicacies, but Linley suddenly raised his head to look at them. “Has the examination of those who had come alongside us concluded?”

One of the maids said respectfully, “Yes, milord. The examination is complete. Of those six lords, two of them have already returned to Miluo Island, while the other four are living here, not too far from you, milord.”

“Oh.” Linley understood.

Of the six, two were like Dylin; they had been refused and shut out, and weren’t going to be permitted to enter the secret room.

“You can go now.” Linley instructed.

The two maids curtsied, then left. As for the platter of delicacies, Linley didn’t take a single bite. He didn’t have any appetite or desire to enjoy delicacies right now.

“Whether fortune or disaster…if it’s a disaster, I won’t be able to avoid it anyhow.” Linley shut his eyes, quietly meditating.

Castle Hendsey. Currently, that red armored, red cloaked old man with white hair, ‘Uriah’, was currently walking on a tightly controlled and restricted corridor.

“Rumble!” A great door covered with all sorts of mystical runic carvings swung open, revealing a narrow walkway.

Uriah continued in.

And then, the two guards at each side of the door immediately closed it again.

The walls on each side of the walkway had some carvings, either of thousands of soldiers doing battle, or two figures dueling each other in mid air…

At the end of the walkway was a wide, empty throne room.

On one end of the throne room, there was an enormous fireplace. Uriah walked to the end of the fireplace and pressed a button, immediately causing a wide corridor made completely from a blood-red stone to be revealed. This blood-red corridor had a deathly aura about it that made one’s heart tremble.

Uriah took a deep breath, then stepped into the wide, hidden tunnel.

The tunnel wasn’t very large. At the end, there was a blood-red door with black edges that was ten meters tall and six meters wide. The entire gate faintly emanated a red glow. Uriah didn’t dare take another step forward.

“Teacher!” Uriah said in a low voice.

“Mm. The examination is done?” A low, gentle voice rang out from past the door.

Uriah said respectfully, “Teacher, nothing out of the ordinary happened. The other six didn’t have any special abilities or potential. However, Teacher, those two you paid attention to should be very strong. I, your disciple, personally witnessed Lomio’s battles in the Arena. He is definitely on a Seven Star Fiend level. As for that red-robed elder, Linley, he was able to easily defeat the red-robed elder, Boslo. There’s no need to say anything further.”

“Mm.” The person inside made a noncommittal sound.

Uriah hesitated a moment, puzzled, then asked, “Teacher, that Linley is a descendant of the Four Divine Beasts clan.”

“Four Divine Beasts clan?” The low voice suddenly began to laugh. “Haha…if this was ten thousand years ago, I’d be concerned. However, the Four Divine Beasts clan, at present, wouldn’t dare come irritate me! There’s no need for me to be concerned. However, for him to possess a drop of Sovereign’s Might means that this Linley should be an important figure within the Four Divine Beasts clan. Unfortunately, the present is the present, not ten thousand years ago.”

“Tomorrow, bring Linley and Lomio in to see me. Let Lomio come in first, then let Linley come in.” The low voice instructed.

“Yes, Teacher.” Uriah said respectfully. After waiting a few moments without any response, Uriah added respectfully, “Then I’ll leave now.”

“You can go.”

Uriah immediately bowed, then left, not worried about his teacher at all. Sovereign’s Might? A drop of Sovereign’s Might was indeed powerful, but his teacher was at the highest level one could be at, beneath the Sovereign-level.

Forget about just a drop of Sovereign’s Might.

Even that ultimate expert, Lord Aikens of the Redbud Continent, who was able to refine Sovereign’s Might from inkstones was someone his teacher didn’t fear!

“Sovereign’s Might, in the hands of different people, have different amounts of power as well.” Uriah clearly remembered the words his teacher had once said to him.

At present, Linley was seated with his eyes closed, while people would occasionally cross by from outside on the street. Most were maids and guards. But of course, occasionally some guests would pass by as well, and each time they did…

Linley would open his eyes!

“Ganmontin is a guest. He should live in this area as well!” Linley said to himself. “Judging from his conversation with that captain, Ganmontin clearly is waiting to see that so-called ‘lord’.”

Quietly, silently, time flowed on.

Although they were at the bottom of the sea and unable to tell whether it was day or night, Linley could clearly calculate in his mind if it was time for the sun to rise or the sun to fall. It was night, now. Suddenly, footsteps came from the street, outside the window.

Linley still opened his eyes, looking outside the window carefully.

A figure walked past the window.

Linley’s eyes instantly lit up. “Him!” Although he only caught a glimpse of the man, Linley immediately recognized him. It was Ganmontin. With but a thought, a human figure appeared in Linley’s room. It was one of Linley’s Deathgod Golems!

“Swoosh!” The Deathgod Golem instantly appeared outside the door, looking towards the street.

The Deathgod Golem wasn’t a living creature. It only had a hint of Linley’s consciousness within it. At the doorway, it stared at the distant Ganmontin, who didn’t notice anything. But of course, if it had been Linley himself staring at Ganmontin, he would have noticed.

A Deathgod Golem, in the end, wasn’t a living creature. It was just an object. Who would care about an object?

“I didn’t expect that this Ganmontin would be here as well.” Linley, through the Deathgod Golem, could clearly see Ganmontin enter a little two story building that was eight hundred meters or so away from them.

It made sense. Ganmontin had arrived a month earlier, after all. It made sense that he lived here.

A killing look flashed past Linley’s eyes.

“Ganmontin hasn’t yet had a chance to meet with his ‘Lord’. It’s best to remove this potential source of disaster early on.”

If Ganmontin was allowed to remain alive, it would be very dangerous for Linley as well as Olivier. It was better to remove him immediately. The roving patrols of Castle Hendsey didn’t keep a very strict patrol watch on the guest living area.

In addition, even if they kept strict watch, it didn’t matter.

“Whoosh!” The Deathgod Golem entered the interspatial ring, while Linley himself instantly arose, his body immediately fusing with the ground…

Worldwalking!

Linley didn’t dare to emanate any hint of an aura. Immediately using Worldwalking, he reached the window below that two-story building, but as soon as he arrived, Linley heard Ganmontin cursing loudly.

“Hmph, a group of bastards. They knew that my divine wind clone was destroyed so they all look down on me. After talking to them for so long, all of them are still delaying. Most likely his lordship doesn’t even know that I’m here!”

Ganmontin had a belly full of fire right now, and thus was currently cursing in his room.

He came here wanting to meet the Lord Commander, but now that his power had greatly dropped after losing his divine wind clone, those ‘old friends’ of his all looked down at him. It was like pressing his warm face against their icy buttocks; how could he possibly not be upset?

“Motherf*cker, it’s all that Linley’s fault!” Ganmontin would forever remember Linley, who had destroyed his powerful divine wind clone.

“Once the Lord Commander knows that there is a soul mutant God, he will definitely intervene. That Linley will definitely die!” Ganmontin ground his teeth. “Alright. I’ll have the Lord Commander use his ‘Soulseed’ to control Linley and live for millions of years without freedom, and then be killed!”

Linley, hearing Ganmontin’s ‘cursing’ from outside the window, felt his heart tremble.

“Soulseed control?” Linley clearly remembered that when he had been at the Yulan continent, his old friend, ‘Boss Yale’, had once been controlled in such a manner. People controlled through a Soulseed had their own memory, but were completely devoted to serving their master.

“Soulseed control?”

Thoughts flashed like lightning through Linley’s mind. He instantly thought of a possibility.

“Why would Miluo Island be so generous as to allow the victors of a hundred battles in the Arena to come here and look at the precious scryer recordings of their clan?”

“Why would Miluo Island permit the red-robed elders to come to this secret area?”

“This Ganmontin is hunting for experts with great potential for his Lord Commander. Why does this Lord Commander want experts with high potential? If he was to train them, how could he be assured of their loyalty?”

“Also, why are so many Seven Star Fiends willingly serving Bagshaw’s clan? Why are Seven Star Fiends so loyal to the Bagshaw clan?”

“And also, Tarosse and Dylin. When Cesar was about to be killed by Sequeira, why had they actually, unbelievably, chosen to throw their lots in with the Bagshaw clan’s side? In addition, the two of them just so happened to have come here before as well!”

Linley’s face instantly turned white!

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 29, Unable to Leave!

“Trap!”

Linley felt his heart turn cold.

“What an enormous lie!” Linley began to shudder.

Demigods. Gods. Highgods. Generally speaking, all those capable of winning a hundred battles had high potential and some special abilities! In addition, after arriving at Castle Hendsey, they had to be tested. Only after their potential was verified would they be allowed to stay, while the others were deported.

“All those who are allowed to stay have special potential.”

“Wait! If that’s the case, how can we explain Dylin?” Linley, based on the series of events and on the fact that Dylin and Tarosse had chosen the Bagshaw clan’s side, was now certain that Dylin had been controlled as well.

Linley immediately came up with a possibility…

“It’s not just those who pass the test who are spiritually controlled. Even if they don’t pass, most likely they will still be controlled. Only, a subordinate will do it instead.” Linley understood this; after all, how could any hundred battles victor of the Arena be weak?

The more the merrier, as far as soldiers for one’s forces.

Pondering this from the viewpoint of the master of Castle Hendsey, instantly understood: “The so-called examination is most likely to divide people based on their power. After determining how powerful an opponent is, they’ll know what level of expert is needed to control that person.” The more powerful a person was, the harder they would be to control.

For the likes of Lomio, a Seven Star Fiend, it would be incredibly difficult to control him.

“Lomio and I didn’t need to be tested at all. This means…very possibly, this master of the castle, the so-called lord ‘Commander’, will personally deal with us.” Thinking of this, Linley couldn’t help but be frightened. Even in Miluo Island, there were quite a few red-robed elders.

Within Castle Hendsey, there were multiple Six Star Fiends and Seven Star Fiends.

“Even Seven Star Fiends have been effortless controlled. Then the power of this Lord Commander…?” Linley frowned. For the Lord Commander to be able to control Seven Star Fiends meant one thing…this person was extremely powerful with regards to the soul.

But what Linley feared the most…

Was precisely this, experts skilled in soul attacks!

“When I encounter this castle master, I won’t be able to resist at all. Can it be that I will have to use my Sovereign’s Might?” Linley immediately thought back to how the clan leader, Bakwill, had Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might himself. “This master of the castle is clearly the true power behind the Bagshaw clan. Even Bakwill has Sovereign’s Might…how can the master of the castle not have it?”

“Someone capable of letting Miluo Island stand proud and independent in the Infernal Realm…the power this master of the castle possesses is at a level which I definitely cannot take on.”

Linley immediately came to a conclusion…

“Flee!”

He had to flee!

Linley turned to look at the window. Ganmontin was currently resting in his room. Ganmontin now only had his divine water clone, and it would be very easy for Linley to kill Ganmontin.

“Cannot kill him! If I kill him, I would attract attention, and they will definitely keep a close watch on me. If I want to leave, it will be very hard.” Linley, after having come to this understanding, couldn’t possibly remain here and wait for death.

He had to flee quickly!

“Just consider yourself lucky.” Linley glanced at the window, then immediately utilized the Worldwalker technique and entered the ground.

After having come to this conclusion, Linley himself felt shock in his heart. Based on what he knew…his hypothesis was most likely 99% correct! It no longer mattered whether or not this place truly had scryer records of experts; he couldn’t remain!

Having one’s soul controlled was a fate worse than death!

On the city walls that were forty meters tall, there were a large number of patrolling black armored guards. Occasionally, there were some red cloaked guards amongst them. This place was more severely guarded than any other place Linley had ever seen.

All of the black armored guards were silent, not daring to make a sound.

However, the red cloaked guards would occasionally chat, as though quite relaxed.

“Each time Arena victors are sent here, even we have to come over and be on patrol.” Two red cloaked warriors were walking alongside each other while chatting and laughing.

“Actually, all we need to do is capture anyone we see fleeing. The real task of oversight isn’t for us to worry about; it’s that thing over there.” One of the red cloaked warriors pointed to the core of the city.

“You are talking about the Water Element Heart?”

“Naturally. The Water Element Heart controls the vast water around this area. If anyone dares to exit our boundaries, the Water Element Heart will easily detect it. By then, we’ll just have to act.” The roving guards were quite relaxed.

It was impossible for anyone to secretly flee!

Forcibly flee? That depended on if they were strong enough. If they were, those patrolling guards would be dead.

But suddenly…

The enormous city wall glowed with the colors of the rainbow, and the multicolored light even blinked twice, immediately startling awake all of the patrolling warriors.

“Someone is fleeing!”

Dozens of the nearest black armored guards and red cloaked warriors all flew directly towards the direction of the disturbance. They clearly could tell that the person who had charged out was…

The red-robed Linley!

“Good heavens, a city wall that has a circumference of tens of kilometers is actually protected by an enormous magic formation? And which seems to have all types of elemental energy?” Linley stared at the massive city walls and the flashing, multicolored magic runes. He tasted sourness in his lips.

He wasn’t able to flee.

Currently, a large number of black armored guards were staring at this place, and many red cloaked experts descended from the skies as well.

“A red-robed elder?” These red cloaked warriors were startled, and then one of them said in a sonorous voice, “You dare to abscond? Hmph!”

Linley glanced at the group of red cloaked warriors. Previously, during the testing, Linley had seen a red-cloaked warrior attack. They were roughly on a Six Star Fiend level. “A group of Six Star Fiends?” Linley laughed bitterly to himself.

There was no way for him to forcibly escape any longer.

“I am a red-robed elder of the Bagshaw clan, Linley! I have something important that I must immediately return to handle. I didn’t want to disturb you. Now, please step aside and let me return to Miluo Island.” Linley’s voice rang out.

The leader of the red cloaked warriors said calmly, “Oh, Elder Linley? The rule of our Castle Hendsey is that unless we have permission, no outsiders are ever permitted to leave.”

“I have something important to do!” Linley said angrily.

“Please, Elder Linley, just wait a while.” One of the red cloaked warriors said. “If you want to force your way out, then don’t blame us.” Actually, these red cloaked warriors, upon seeing that it was a red-robed elder of the Bagshaw clan, didn’t want to attack either.

This was because red-robed elders were all Seven Star Fiends.

Once battle began, their group of people might be able to obtain victory through numbers, but it would assuredly be a pyrrhic victory.

Linley was frustrated. “Neither acting firmly nor speaking softly works. If I try to force my way out, most likely all the experts from the castle will pop out.”

“Linley, why are you in such a rush to leave?” A familiar voice rang out. Linley turned and saw that white-haired elder with red armor and a red cloak fly out. It was that expert named ‘Uriah’.

Uriah laughed as he looked at Linley. “Linley, you haven’t even gone to the first viewing room yet.”

“Mr. Uriah.” Linley said hurriedly. “There’s nothing that I can do. Just now, I received a soul message from my servant. I really do have something important I must handle, and so I have to leave. As for the first viewing room, how about I return tomorrow?”

“Oh?” Uriah frowned.

“Makes sense.” Uriah laughed. “Linley, since you really do have an important task to handle…”

Linley’s heart leapt up.

“Then I won’t force you to stay. However, I’ve already reported your arrival to the master of the castle. I don’t have the authority to let you leave. How about this. You wait here for a while, and I’ll make a report to the master of the castle. I trust that he won’t make things difficult for you.” Uriah laughed.

“Sorry for the trouble, Mr. Uriah.” Linley said.

Uriah laughed calmly, then immediately flew away.

Linley’s face sank. “Ask the master of the castle? This is going to be troublesome!” Linley glanced at his surroundings. There were tens of red cloaked experts staring at him, and on the walls, there were many black armored guards watching as well.”

“How can this Castle Hendsey have so many experts?” Linley was helpless.

Originally, in Royalwing City, even Six Star Fiends were very rare. As for Seven Star Fiends, they were virtually nowhere to be seen, as they were usually hidden throughout the Infernal Realm. But this Castle Hendsey had a pile of Six Star Fiends and even quite a few Seven Star Fiends, and a seemingly even more powerful ‘master of the castle’.

Moments later…

“Eh?” Linley’s face changed.

From afar, with Uriah at their head, three red armored and red cloaked experts flew over, with the black-robed expert, ‘Lomio’, with them!

“Red armor, red cloak? The other two people have roughly the same status as Uriah. Most likely, they are here to keep me from fleeing. But…why did they bring Lomio?” Linley was puzzled, but Lomio had a rare smile on his face.

“Mr. Uriah, you have news?” Linley said clearly.

Uriah and the others landed alongside Lomio, and Uriah laughed. “Good news, good news. The master of the castle is truly considerate towards you, Linley.”

Linley was startled. Could it be that he had guessed wrong? The master of the castle was going to be so kind as to let him leave

“When he learned that you, Linley, had something important to handle, he agreed to let you and Lomio go to the first viewing room right now! Going to the first viewing room and using your divine sense to view the scryer recordings is a very fast process.” Uriah laughed.

Linley’s facial expressions couldn’t help but congeal.

“Linley, since you could wait here for me, you also have enough time to go to the first viewing room and do a quick viewing with your divine sense, right?” Uriah laughed. The other two red armored, red cloaked experts laughed as well as they looked at Linley.

But Linley felt bone-deep terror from their stares.

“Alright, then we’ll go do a viewing first.” This was the only thing Linley could say.

Uriah immediately laughed. The three of them immediately led Linley and Lomio towards the center of Castle Hendsey. The path over there had multiple intersections, and patrols could be seen everywhere. Outsiders would probably find it hard to take a single step here, but as Linley was following Uriah, he wasn’t barred or impeded at all.

“Lomio, you need to thank Linley. If it wasn’t for him, you’d probably have to wait until tomorrow before you can go to the secret room.” Uriah laughed.

Lomio had a rare smile on his face. Clearly, he was in an excellent mood due to the prospect of about to see so many experts doing battle in those scryer recordings.

“Linley, it is quite rare for the master of the castle to let you go to the secret room early.” Uriah said to Linley.

“Right. I truly need to thank the master of the castle.” Linley said, but in his heart, he was cursing nonstop. That master of the castle clearly had no good intentions.

While walking on the path, Linley was paying attention to his surroundings.

But the deeper into the heart they went, the more patrols there were, and in addition, he had those three experts around him.

Flee?

Hard!

“Rumble!” The great door covered with mysterious carved runes swung open, revealing a corridor which had many carvings on each side. Linley and the others thus began to walk towards the end of the corridor.

Linley didn’t have any time to enjoy the sculpture.

As they reached the throne room at the end of the corridor, Uriah walked to one side of the throne room, against a brazier, and opened up a mysterious, wide corridor. The corridor was made completely from blood red stones, and emanating a heart-shaking, deathly aura.

“How mysterious.” Linley frowned.

Lomio frowned as well. The silver-haired woman by Uriah’s side laughed and said, “This is the place where the scryer recordings are held. Naturally, it’s rather hidden. The two of you, just follow me in.” As she spoke, she was the first to enter.

Linley and Lomio naturally followed them in, while Uriah and the other followed from behind.

At the end of the tunnel, they reached that black, patterned door with the blood red edges. They came to a halt.

“Teacher, Lomio and Linley are here.” Uriah said respectfully, while the others bowed as well.

Lomio raised an eyebrow. “There’s someone else inside?”

“A place as important as this naturally must be guarded.” Uriah laughed as he explained. Linley just narrowed his eyes, musing to himself, “It seems this so-called ‘Teacher’ is the master of the castle.”

“Fine. Let Mr. Lomio be the first to enter for the viewing.” A low, gentle voice came from within the door. Immediately, the large door swung open slightly, revealing a crack that was enough for one person to enter.

“Lomio, go on in.” Uriah and the other two looked towards Lomio.

Lomio was a bold, courageous expert. He immediately was about to head in, but Linley gave a soft cough, then hurriedly sent via divine sense, “Lomio, be careful. The person within the room will most likely take sinister action against you. Beware his soul attack.”

Lomio glanced at Linley in surprise, but then with a laugh, he still entered.

“Regardless of whether this is true or not, thank you! If someone inside really does attack, I’d actually be quite happy.” Lomio’s voice rang out in Linley’s mind, while he himself entered past the door.

“BANG!” The great door once more slammed shut.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 30, Sledgehammer

The blood-red corridor. The blood-red gate. That overpowering aura of death.

“I need to flee. How can I flee?” Linley was incomparably frantic. The three experts around him were all guarding him, while past that door was the ‘master of the castle’, a person of astonishing power. Most likely, even if he used Sovereign’s Might, it would be hard for him to flee.

“Calm down. Calm down!”

Linley strove to find a chance to escape, but no matter what he thought of, in the end, there was only one possibility.

“I can only entrust my hopes to Lomio. Lomio will be on his guard. He might be able to escape. If he had a violent battle with that ‘master of the castle’ and attract the attention of those three, I’ll be able to seize an opportunity to flee.”

Linley understood that for the master of the castle to be willing to allow Lomio enter meant that he was confident in being able to easily defeat and mentally control Lomio. If it really was that simple, though…then even this final chance Linley had for escape would be gone.

Although he was frantic, Linley still watched carefully for any chance, and was prepared to explode forth and flee at any moment.

“Linley, are you impatient?” Uriah chortled. “Don’t be impatient. Lomio needs a bit of time in the first viewing room to view those scryer recordings. It’ll be your turn soon.”

“It’ll be my turn soon?” Linley felt that Uriah’s laughter was so vile. Uriah clearly knew that this was a lie, a trap, but was still trying to lie to Linley, even now.

“BOOM!” Suddenly, the entire floor trembled violently, and even the great door in front of them shook forcefully. The tremor caused the walls around them to begin to crack, with scattered rocks falling down and smashing onto the corridor. Linley’s group of four swayed, and they were all astonished.

“Good.” Linley was overjoyed. Lomio, indeed, hadn’t let him down. He had indeed caused a disturbance.

“Eh?” Uriah and the other two were shocked. They looked at each other. Given the master of the castle’s power, how could such a huge commotion have been caused? Although they were shocked, they still kept watch on Linley.

Linley put on a puzzled look. “Mr. Uriah, what is going on inside?”

“I’m not sure.” Uriah laughed calmly. “Perhaps Lomio, when watching those scryer recordings of ultimate experts, was suddenly so excited that he wanted to test out a technique. Right. Linley, after you enter the secret room, no matter what, don’t wildly test out techniques.”

“Got it, got it.” Linley had to admit that Uriah’s dissembling abilities were top notch.

Right at that instant…

“Rumble…” It was as though heaven was collapsing or the earth was shattering. A terrifying explosive sound rang out, and the entire corridor and great door blew apart, with countless pieces of rubble flying everywhere, each one containing lightning-type energy.

Chaos!

The faces of Uriah and the other two changed. They hadn’t imagined that Lomio, in front of their teacher, could cause such a huge disturbance.

“Excellent.” Linley was overjoyed. “This is the moment.” Just as Linley was preparing to use the Worldwalker ability to leave…

“Swish!”

Uriah and the other two immediately moved, forming a three-point triangle and surrounding Linley. Uriah laughed calmly. “Linley, don’t be impatient. Perhaps Lomio did something to anger Teacher.”

Linley, seeing that he was surrounded by these three, frowned.

“Haha…kid, it looks like I underestimated you.” The low, rich voice rang out in the air above Castle Hendsey, and Linley couldn’t help but to raise his head to look up.

In the air above the shattered building, Lomio’s blood-splattered black robe fluttered in the wind. He held a black warblade in his hands, and his entire body was surrounded by crawling lightning serpents. His eyes were flashing with electricity, and he looked to be the very picture of a true Thunder God.

Facing Lomio was a man that was nearly 2.5 meters tall. The man had short red hair that looked as though it were made out of metal, and he wore a very ancient, unadorned set of armor. His thick, massive arms were a bronze color, seeming to hold a vast amount of strength, while in his right hand, he actually held a large black sledgehammer!

“He is the master of the city? That ‘Commander’?” Linley said to himself. But then, Linley stopped paying attention to the skies, instead focusing on the three around him. He hoped that one of them might relax their guard, allowing him to flee.

From high up in the sky, Lomio’s voice rang out once more.

“Hmph, I must thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have made yet another breakthrough. You want to kill me? You are far from being able to!”

“The three of you, keep watch on Linley.” The sledgehammer-wielding red-haired man said calmly.

“Yes, Teacher (Master)!” Uriah and the other two said.

“Indeed.” Linley became all the more certain. “They actually address him as ‘Master’…I didn’t expect that amongst these three, two are under the control of the master of the city.” Although surprised, Linley was still searching for his chance to flee.

Linley’s face changed.

“Uriah, what is going on?” Linley asked angrily.

Uriah laughed, “Teacher wishes you to stay, so as to let you be able to view the first secret room.”

“Why do they address him as ‘Master’?” Linley asked another question.

“We have been followers of Master since we were Demigods.” The silver-haired woman said calmly, while Linley just smirked coldly. Two Demigod subordinates had actually both become Seven Star Fiends?

“Whatever abilities you have, use them all!” Lomio said with incomparable valor.

In mid-air, that sledgehammer-wielding red-haired man let out a loud laugh. “You were able to take a few punches from me. Not bad. Now, let’s see if you can withstand my sledgehammer.” The red-haired man agilely swept out with the massive black sledgehammer in his hand.

It made no sound out all…

The sledgehammer struck out, and as it did, a very bizarre ripple spread out, with the sledgehammer at the center. Everywhere the ripple passed through, the stone structures all transformed into fine powder. Thus did this sledgehammer slam down with no sound.

It seemed slow, but in reality it arrived next to Lomio in an instant.

“BANG!” Lightning appeared out of the blue skies.

As the thunder roared, a saber shadow clashed with the sledgehammer.

“Rumble…” The sledgehammer seemed to tremble slightly, with the surface of the sledgehammer rippling as though the sledgehammer was made of water. Lomio’s warblade actually trembled as well, and then completely shattered.

A silent, soundless sledgehammer blow.

But even Lomio’s weapon had been destroyed.

Linley, stunned, raised his head up to watch, his mind filled with that soundless blow that he had just seen. It seemed so graceful and gentle, and yet in reality the sledgehammer blow had carried trillions of kilograms of force. That amazing, miraculous curving blow caused Linley’s soul to be stirred.

Linley had never been able to understand the description of the ‘Strength’ profound mystery of the Laws of the Earth, but suddenly, Linley had the feeling…

It was as though a seed in his mind had suddenly begun to bloom.

“Strength…boundless…massive…”

Linley had been training hard in the ‘Profound Mysteries of Strength’, but had yet to make any headway. However, this time, upon seeing that sledgehammer blow from this ‘castle master’ which seemed to hold a hint of the Profound Mysteries of Strength.

Although in reality, this master of the castle used the Way of Destruction, every single path had some similarities.

For example, the Laws of Lightning and the Laws of Light all had mysteries pertaining to speed. The speed of lightning had some similarities with the Profound Mysteries of Lightspeed.

“Impossible!” Lomio had been thrown far away, and he landed in a pile of debris, his face filled with disbelief. He had just made a breakthrough, and so he felt he was now strong enough to battle against an Asura. But why was it that despite his power, he still wasn’t able to withstand that sledgehammer?

At this moment, Uriah and the others all glanced slightly at Linley. Seeing that Linley wasn’t running, they immediately returned to watching this battle. This battle, to them, had quite the allure.

“If Linley is to flee, with so many people in the castle, he has nowhere to run.”

Uriah and the others were very confident.

“The natural ability of my Bloodrune Titan clan, when matched with the Way of Destruction…did you think it was something to be trifled with?” The red-haired man said loudly. Standing in mid-air, he was like a celestial divinity, causing people’s hearts to be filled with fear.

“Ah, why am I standing here like an idiot? I need to flee, that’s what matters.” Linley instantly came to his senses and stopped his pondering.

The sudden starting and stopping of his pondering actually only took a very short period of time.

“These three are actively watching this battle.” Linley felt a surge of joy in his heart, then turned his head to stare at the distant master of the castle and Lomio. “The moment the master of the castle attacks is the moment that I’ll flee!”

The attack of the master of the castle would definitely be carefully scrutinized by Uriah and the other two, while the master himself wouldn’t have any time to bother with catching Linley.

“You managed to eat one of my sledgehammer blows without dying. You can be considered a peak Seven Star Fiend, approaching the Asura level in strength.” The master of the castle laughed loudly, and then transformed into a bloody shadow, instantly slashing through the sky…

Linley’s eyes lit up. “This is the moment!”

Worldwalking!

Very suddenly, Linley disappeared from within the rubble, while Uriah and the other two, in a triangle surrounding Linley, were focused on watching this battle in the sky. An instant after Linley escaped, Uriah and the other two noticed from the corner of their eyes that Linley had disappeared!

“Fled?” Uriah and the other two were dazed, but they quickly recovered.

“He used Worldwalking.” Uriah immediately shouted. “Hurry up and fly into the sky. He won’t be able to flee from the ground. He’ll have to go into the skies.” Deep under Castle Hendsey as well as on the walls surrounding it was that enormous magic formation. There was nowhere to flee.

Only by flying through the skies or by going through the gates would one be able to leave.

The three powerful experts immediately flew into the air while simultaneously shouting towards the other warriors to be on the lookout.

“All of you, watch closely. If you are capable of Worldwalking, hurry into the underground and find Linley, quick!” Uriah immediately shouted. One black armored warrior after another began to use Worldwalking, merging into the ground.

Uriah and the other two were floating in the sky. At the same time, other experts were hovering in the sky as well, all of them staring in every direction.

“This Linley actually dared to flee!” Uriah couldn’t help but feel infuriated.

After this event, his teacher would definitely censure him.

Underground, Linley had fused with the earth elemental essence and was travelling through the ground.

“There’s no way I’ll be able to flee the castle from underground.” Linley had previously tested it already. “I’ll first run to a unassuming place in the castle, then quickly fly into the air and flee.” Linley immediately flew at high speed towards the northwest corner.

But the strange thing was…

“Eh?” Linley could easily sense that there was a living aura from up ahead.

Linley was shocked. “There are others using Worldwalking as well?” That living aura immediately drew near at high speed, even spreading out a divine sense.

“Lord, Linley is here!” A voice rang out, echoing in the castle. Linley himself immediately fled hundreds of meters away, and then ignored all else, immediately emerging from the ground.

“Swoosh!”

Linley immediately flew into the skies, his entire body transforming violently, with azure-gold draconic scales covering every part of him and fierce spikes sprouting out as well. Linley’s speed increased yet again, and like an azure-gold flash of light, he flew upwards at high speed.

“Seize him!” The distant Uriah bellowed.

Instantly, from every direction, a large number of black armored guards and red cloaked guards swarmed over towards him like locusts. Linley let out a mighty roar, and then with Linley at the center, a sphere of nearly five hundred meters in diameter formed.

Blackstone Space!

“Huh?” All of the black armored guards and red cloaked guards who charged into this region found out to their astonishment that they were forced to retreat.

“What a powerful repulsive force.” Those people were astonished.

“Pincer him from every direction. Trap him.” Uriah bellowed, while he himself was hurrying over as well.

Linley’s dark golden eyes were focused up above himself, but from up above, a large number of black armored guards had already gathered, completely sealing off his escape routes.

“It’s your own fault for seeking death!” Linley’s eyes turned cold.

Instantly, the world began to glow with an earthen yellow color, and earth elemental essence suddenly gathered at high speed. Divine earth power flowed about, and instantly, an enormous cube that was four hundred meters tall appeared out of nowhere. Those black armored guards which were struck by the cube were directly swallowed into it.

“Bang!”

From afar, the red-haired man once more exchanged blows with Lomio. Lomio’s face was ashen, but then, with a sudden bellow, he transformed into a ray of black lightning, disappearing into the horizons at an astonishing speed. The master of Castle Hendsey raised his head, watching with resignation. “This fellow trains in the Laws of Lightning…he’s actually so fast. He’s even a bit faster than me!”

Lomio’s speed was so great that even the master of the castle couldn’t catch him.

“There’s still another one.” The master of the castle turned to look.

Currently, Linley’s ‘cube’ had collapsed. After having suffered the combined attacks of four Seven Star Fiends and many Six Star Fiends, Linley’s ‘cube’ had immediately blown apart, while Linley himself continued to fly up at high speed.

“Teacher, his Gravitational Space is very bizarre. We are unable to catch him alive.” Uriah said hurriedly.

“Hmph.”

A cold snort, and then the master of Castle Hendsey, holding his sledgehammer, transformed into a bloody shadow as he chased towards Linley. The master of Castle Hendsey was so fast that he was only just a hair slower than Lomio, and far faster than Linley.

He was quickly drawing nearer and nearer to Linley.

“Kid, why don’t you stay.” A loud laughter rang out.

Linley lowered his head to look. “The master of the castle?” With a flip of his hand, a drop of Sovereign’s Might appeared, but Linley didn’t immediately use it, because Linley was still confident in his Gravitational Space.

“Crackle…” As the bloody shadow passed through the area of the Gravitational Space, its speed lessened dramatically.

“Haha, this Gravitational Space isn’t bad.” As he spoke, the master of Castle Hendsey laughingly waved the sledgehammer in his hand. Multiple rays of black energy coiled out from the sledgehammer, as though countless strands or ropes had been spun out, filling the entire Gravitational Space.

“Catch!”

The countless rays of black energy entangled Linley, making him no longer able to flee.

“What is this?” Linley frantically struggled and was able to break dozens of strands through brute force, but even more black strands entangled him. Linley’s face changed, and he was about to immediately use his Sovereign’s Might.

But right at this moment…

“Your strength is decent, and the Gravitational Space isn’t bad either. Unfortunately, the difference between you and Reisgem is still quite great.” A gentle voice rang in Linley’s ear.

Linley was stunned. “Reisgem? Gem-Gem?” Linley thought back to that adorable juvenile amethyst beast in the Amethyst Mountains.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 31, Purgatory Commander

Linley remembered the name ‘Reisgem’ very, very clearly.

Back in the Amethyst Mountains when Linley had been testing out ‘Worldwalking’, he had fallen into the hands of that juvenile amethyst beast, who had announced his name and that he was a Purgatory Commander, wanting to overawe Linley. Unfortunately, Linley had no idea what Purgatory was and thus had no idea what it meant for a person to be a Purgatory Commander.

“Crackle.” Countless black energy strands surrounded Linley, and they were incomparably stiff, causing Linley to be completely unable to move. Even though Linley’s strength was massive and inexhaustible, the speed at which he destroyed the black energy bindings was slower than the speed by which they increased.

“Kid, don’t use your Sovereign’s Might. You’d be wasting it if you did.” The low, gentle voice continued.

Linley turned his head in astonishment. Fortunately, the black energy strands didn’t cover Linley’s head as well. Linley could clearly see that ancient armor, and that red-haired man standing in mid-air, holding that massive sledgehammer.

“What do you want to do?” Linley chuckled. “What, you want to dominate my soul?”

“You even know about this?” The master of Castle Hendsey was quite surprised.

While the two were chatting, the master of the castle had set up his Godrealm, completely blocking out their conversation, while those who were watching from afar couldn’t see a single thing.

“Come with me. Let’s have a nice chat.” The master of the castle actually flew downwards.

“Follow him?” Linley was stunned.

The master of the castle, seeing that Linley wasn’t moving, turned and glanced at him, then laughed calmly, “Given your soul strength as a God, you are far from being my match. Controlling you would be utterly effortless. There’s no need for me to play any tricks.”

“If there’s something you want to say, you can say it here.” Linley said.

The master of the castle glanced at him, amazed, then began to laugh and nod. “Fine. I’ll do as you say.” For so many years, nobody had ever dared to speak to him in such a way. And so, the master of the castle began to chat with Linley in the air above Castle Hendsey.”

“First, let me introduce myself. I am Mosi [Mo’si] Bagshaw! The master of this Castle Hendsey.” The master of the castle had a hint of a smile on his face.

The master of the castle was of the Bagshaw clan as well!

Linley had noticed that the ‘master of the castle’, so valiant in battle, actually spoke in a very soft, gentle voice, and his smile was quite friendly as well. He didn’t give off any aura of being a rude boor at all. Linley replied, “I am Linley.”

“Can you tell me what your relationship is with Reisgem, for you to actually convince him to make a soul-protecting divine artifact for you?” The master of the castle, Mosi, laughed calmly.

“Reisgem…made me a soul-protecting divine artifact?” Linley was astonished.

“Isn’t that the case?” Mosi laughed calmly. “I’ve heard of your combat prowess. You were able to kill so many Highgods, and also defeat ‘Boslo’. Your soul protection must be very strong. However, you were only a God. How powerful could your soul possibly be? The soul of a God, in terms of ‘quality’, is simply far too inferior compared to Highgod souls!”

“It is true that I have a soul-protecting artifact, but what of it?” No matter what, Linley wouldn’t dare say that he had a soul-protecting Sovereign artifact.

Otherwise, most likely this ‘Mosi’ in front of him would be unable to resist being greedy.

“There we go.” Mosi laughed. “It is exceedingly hard to create a soul-protecting artifact. You must understand, first of all, a person who wants to make this must have an exceedingly high level of accomplishment with regards to the soul. In the entire Infernal Realm, there are very few people capable of making a soul-protecting artifact. Reisgem, however, is one of them.”

“You are able to able to utilize his trademark special skill, the ‘Amethyst Space’; you definitely were taught by him. Thus, I said that your soul-protecting artifact must have come from him helping you make it as well.” Mosi said very confidently.

Linley shook his head. “My Gravitational Space did indeed originate from him, this is true. But the soul-protecting artifact wasn’t made by him.”

“Oh?” Mosi glanced at Linley in surprise, then laughed. “I must say, you are quite mysterious, kid. Your body is so incomparably tough; even amongst the Four Divine Beasts clan, this is exceedingly rare. And you also have a soul-protecting artifact, and have some sort of a relationship with Reisgem…”

Linley frowned.

This Mosi had talked with him for so long. Why? But it seemed as though the man didn’t have the intention to kill him.

Mosi, seeing the look on Linley’s face, couldn’t help but laugh, then said comfortingly, “Kid, don’t worry. Even if it were just for the sake of giving Reisgem face, I won’t kill you. Only, I feel you are quite curious, kid, so I want to chat with you a bit.”

Linley let out a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t expect that because of that juvenile amethyst beast, I dodged a catastrophe today.” Linley had great faith in this castle master Mosi, as the man’s power far outstripped his own. There was no need for Mosi to lie to him if he wanted to kill him.

“Why are you so certain that I am a God?” Linley asked.

“Haha…” Mosi immediately began to laugh. “Kid. Forget about the Infernal Realm; even if you were to search the entire Four Higher Planes and the Seven Divine Planes, you would at most find ten who are superior to me in terms of the soul! However, although they are slightly superior to me, there’s no way they could possibly completely conceal their strength in front of me.”

Linley was secretly shocked.

Four Higher Planes and Seven Divine Planes…in all those combined planes, there were no more than ten people who were superior to Mosi in terms of the ‘soul’?

Then that meant…

In the Infernal Realm, Mosi’s soul power should rank in the top three! The Infernal Realm had existed for countless years, and it contained experts beyond number, while many of the ‘Asuras’ had received their position after many of the original Asuras had retired and gone into seclusion.

Experts were as common as the clouds!

But this Mosi was actually able to rank in the top three as far as souls went? Terrifying!

“But of course, there’s another possibility.” Mosi laughed. “You might be a Sovereign! That’s the only way you could possibly deceive even me.” As he spoke, Mosi had a sudden thought, and the black energy strands retracted.

His freedom returned to him, Linley felt more kindly disposed towards Mosi. “Castle Master Mosi, dare I ask, what’s your relationship with Reisgem?”

“Him?” A hazy look flashed through Mosi’s eyes, as though he were thinking back to many things that had happened in the past. And then, his gaze firmed once more, and he sighed, “Reisgem and I are both Commanders of Purgatory.”

“As I thought!” Linley was now completely certain. The ‘Lord Commander’ which Ganmontin had spoken of was this Mosi!

“What is Purgatory? What does being a Purgatory Commander mean?” Linley asked, puzzled.

“What is Purgatory?” Mosi glanced at Linley in surprise. “You don’t even know this?” As Mosi saw it, given how many secrets Linley seemed to have, he should know about what Purgatory was.

But Mosi still answered. “Purgatory is a very special place in the Infernal Realm. In that place, experts are as common as the clouds. Many retired Asuras, reclusive experts, and others will enter Purgatory…in that place, there are simply too many experts!”

“And a Purgatory Commander?” Linley continued to ask.

“Purgatory has a total of 108 Commanders!” Mosi laughed.

“108 yet again?” Linley was astonished.

“Right. The Infernal Realm has 108 Asuras, and Purgatory also has 108 Commanders. The Asuras in the Infernal Realm all control a prefecture, while the Purgatory Commanders command an army!” Mosi explained.

“Oh. Then…which is more powerful? Asuras, or Purgatory Commanders?” Linley continued to ask.

Mosi glanced at Linley. “The Asuras of the Infernal Realm and the Commanders of Purgatory…you can’t quantify one as being superior to the other. This is because every person capable of becoming an Asura or a Purgatory Commander is close to the very peak of power possible for a Highgod, and all have their own special, ultimate attacks. There are quite a few Seven Star Fiends in the Infernal Realm, but the number of Asuras and Commanders is forever limited. In addition, they often engage in challenges, and upon losing, retire. The stronger will take the position!”

Linley couldn’t help but nod.

“However, comparatively speaking, the 108 Asuras of the Infernal Realm have it easier. They control an entire prefecture, and don’t face too many challenges. But Purgatory Commanders are different. Battles and slaughters are commonplace.” Mosi sighed.

Linley had to admit that having been in the Infernal Realm for so long, he had seen quite a few Seven Star Fiends, and here at Miluo Island had seen quite a few Seven Star Fiends.

Generally speaking, Highgods capable of fusing four profound mysteries could become Seven Star Fiends.

But in truth, there were some who had fused five or even nearly fused all six types.

But of course, there were those experts who had fused six types of profound mysteries and become Paragons.

There were some who were Soul Mutates, while others were divine beasts who had innate divine abilities. Some were of strange races that also had innate abilities, while other experts were in possession of Sovereign artifacts or Sovereign’s Might…

Only the most extraordinary of people were capable of becoming ‘Asuras of the Infernal Realm’ or ‘Commanders of Purgatory’.

“My Gravitational Space is already so powerful, but if utilized by the juvenile amethyst beast? In addition, that’s his innate ability. When using it, it’s definitely ten times or a hundred times more powerful than mine.” Linley still remembered how the entire Amethyst Mountains had an enormous ‘Gravitational Space’ that was hundreds of thousands of kilometers in circumference.

Over the course of this conversation, the relationship between Linley and Mosi grew significantly friendlier.

“Castle Master Mosi, there’s something I wish to beg of you.” Linley said sincerely.

Tarosse and Dylin were definitely under soul control. This sort of life, where they had lost their own will, was a life worse than death. Linley naturally wanted to be able to free Tarosse and Dylin and allow them to regain their own will.

“Oh, speak.” Mosi said.

“I have two friends who were both Arena victors. I believe they are under soul control. I hope you, Castle Master Mosi, can let them regain their freedom.”

Mosi paused for just a moment.

Linley was rather nervous. Soul control was one of the techniques this person specialized in. Linley could only hope that this person would give him face and release the two of them.

“Fine, then. Tell me their names.” In the end, Mosi nodded.

“One is a Highgod named Tarosse. The other is a God named Dylin.” Linley said hurriedly.

Mosi sighed. “Tarosse. I personally controlled him. He has quite some potential. As for Dylin, one of my subordinates should have controlled him.” Mosi paused momentarily. “Don’t worry. By the time you return to Miluo Island, you will have discovered that the two of them have regained their free will.”

“Castle Master Mosi, I’m incomparably grateful.” Linley truly was rather grateful. If this person didn’t want to give him face, there was nothing he could’ve done.

Mosi just laughed calmly. He controlled quite a few Seven Star Fiends. Naturally, he wouldn’t care too much about a mere Tarosse and Dylin.

“Let’s go. Now, you can go down with me, right?” Mosi said.

Linley laughed as well, then followed Castle Master Mosi down, back towards the castle. At this moment, those damaged parts of the castle were currently under repair by a large number of black armored warriors, who had brought black stones over and were working at high speed.

“Teacher (Master)!” Uriah and the others drew nearer respectfully.

Castle Master Mosi nodded in acknowledgment, then flew downwards with Linley.

“Who is this Linley?” Uriah and the others were puzzled. As they saw it, their teacher was one of the truly peak figures of the entire Infernal Realm, and yet he was actually so friendly towards Linley. This was truly inconceivable.

Linley and Castle Master Mosi flew downwards, but suddenly…

“Milord, milord!” A frantic voice rang out.

Linley turned to look. He couldn’t help but frown, as he saw Ganmontin flying over frantically while calling out, ‘Milord!’

“Oh, Ganmontin.” Castle Master Mosi immediately recognized Ganmontin, then was puzzled. “Ganmontin, your divine wind clone?” Ganmontin was one of his more senior subordinates.

Ganmontin immediately bowed respectfully, then said angrily, “Milord, he destroyed my divine wind clone!” As he spoke, he pointed at Linley.

“Eh?” Castle Master Mosi frowned.

“How did you and Linley end up in a fight?” Castle Master Mosi said.

Ganmontin said hurriedly, “Milord, I discovered a God-level Soul Mutate, so I immediately went to capture him to offer him to you, but who would have imagined that this person was Linley’s friend. Linley thus attacked and destroyed my divine wind clone.”

“A God-level Soul Mutate?” Castle Master Mosi’s eyes lit up.

The potential of a Soul Mutate was higher than that of even a divine beast.

“Castle Master Mosi, that God-level Soul Mutate is my brother.” This was all that Linley could say.

“Milord, you must get revenge for your subordinate.” Ganmontin said hurriedly.

Castle Master Mosi frowned and was momentarily silent. For a moment, neither Linley nor Ganmontin knew what Mosi was thinking.

“You can go now!” Castle Master Mosi said calmly.

Ganmontin was stunned. His face couldn’t help but turn ashen. He knew Castle Master Mosi’s temper very well, however, and so he immediately bowed respectfully. “Yes, milord.” Ganmontin didn’t dare to say a single word more. He immediately left.

Linley let out a secret sigh of relief.

Castle Master Mosi turned to look towards Linley. Laughing, he said, “Linley, want to go to my first secret room and take a look at the scryer recordings of experts doing battle? That place even has recordings of Sovereigns showing their might!”

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 32, The Might of a Sovereign

“There really are scryer recordings?” Linley couldn’t help but be interested.

Ever since he had found out that those so-called recordings of experts doing battle served as a trap, Linley had doubted whether or not Castle Hendsey had scryer recordings or not. But from Castle Master Mosi’s words, it seemed as though there really were such things.

“You’ll know once you go take a look, right?” Mosi said mysteriously.

Castle Hendsey. Underground. Within a mysterious, wide throne room. The two sides of the throne rooms had quite a few bookshelves, only the bookshelves didn’t have books on them. Instead, they had many fist-sized crystal balls.

Linley and Mosi were currently in the throne room.

“There are a total of 1628 crystals here, each one of which contains a scryer recording.” Mosi said leisurely. “In addition, the crystal balls all have introductions and explanations regarding the battle and the techniques used.”

Linley, staring at the many crystals balls stored on the bookshelves, couldn’t help but stare with shining eyes. These were all scryer recordings of ultimate experts doing battle.

“In this first room, most of the recordings are those of peak Seven Star Fiends doing battles. There are also recordings of Asuras and Purgatory Commanders doing battle. As for the scryer recording of a Sovereigns showing their might…” Mosi pointed to a corner of the room, where a rectangular pillar was located which had a glowing gemstone placed at the very top of the pillar. “The scryer recordings of Sovereigns are located there, within that pillar. The pillar is hollow. You can open it like a door.”

Linley couldn’t help but take a deep breath to calm himself down.

Good heavens. Recordings of Sovereigns showing their might? He had only heard legends of Sovereigns, but had never ever seen one. Everyone said that the might of a Sovereign was inviolable, but who knew exactly how powerful a Sovereign was?

“I’ll start from the Seven Star Fiend battles.” Linley walked over to the bookshelves.

After walking forward, Linley discovered that on the surface of every single crystal ball that was placed on a bookshelf had two names recorded down.

“This is to simplify the process of finding the recordings one wants to watch.” Mosi walked over and said with a laugh.

“Understood.” Linley swept the racks of bookshelves and the dozens of crystal balls, then suddenly his gaze fell upon a crystal ball which had several names atop it: ‘Bloodviolet Fiend’ dueling the ‘Ironleaf Fiend’!

“Bloodviolet Fiend?” Linley immediately drew closer.

This crystal ball contained scryer recordings within. One could use divine power to cause the scryer recordings within the crystal ball to emerge from it and appear in mid-air. That way, multiple people could watch at the same time. However, a person could also use his divine sense directly enter the crystal ball, which would make the watching process extremely fast.

Linley immediately filled the crystal ball with his divine sense…

In a desolate desert, thousands of people were battling everywhere, while in mid-air, two people were staring at each other. One of them was completely covered in black scale armor, with long black hair that glowed with a blue light.

The other person had a long violet robe, long violet hair, and a violet longsword in his hand. The familiar figure was one which Linley had seen long ago.

“It really is him. The Bloodviolet Fiend!” When Linley had first used his divine sense to enter Bloodviolet, he had seen many different images, and the primary subject of every single image was this person. But only now was Linley completely, 100% certain.

“That longsword is Bloodviolet!”

Only today was Linley completely convinced and certain that the original owner of his Bloodviolet sword was the legendary figure, the ‘Bloodviolet Fiend’.

There was no sound at all from the battle scene, only the images recorded down.

The Ironleaf Fiend and the Bloodviolet Fiend both specialized in speed. Linley just saw two experts instantly transform into two blurry shadows. Wherever the Ironleaf Fiend passed by, space itself began to emit a strange, rippling spatial vibration. When looking at all the vibrations at once, they actually formed a flower that was blooming.

A devilish violet light was repeatedly flashing.

“Whoosh!”

A ray of violet light filled the skies, and the spatial ripple flower transformed into two halves, and many spatial cracks appeared.

Only now did the Ironleaf Fiend’s body grow clearly visible, and he dropped down from the skies, while the Bloodviolet Fiend’s expression didn’t change at all.

“These two people were all terrifyingly fast. The Bloodviolet Fiend’s sword attacks are much more powerful than even Learmonth and Boslo. When he strikes, he shows no traces of his actions at all, and the power is tremendous. He doesn’t need to build up his power at all.” Linley could just barely understand the intricacies of this battle.

Just from the scryer recordings, he could tell that the Bloodviolet Fiend’s material attacks were tremendously powerful! Far greater than the material attacks of those other Seven Star Fiends which Linley had seen.

After the recording was completed, there was some information regarding this battle.

“This explanation is quite detailed.” Linley, after reading it, sighed in praise. This explanation actually gave a detailed explanation of the techniques used by both people. Only now did Linley understand: “So the Bloodviolet Fiend is actually most powerful in the Way of Destruction.”

Linley opened his eyes.

“How do you feel?” Mosi, seated on a distant chair, laughed as he looked at Linley. “There are many Seven Star Fiends, but the weakest of them have fused four profound mysteries. The most powerful are comparable to the Asuras of the Infernal Realm or the Commanders of Purgatory.”

“Very powerful.” After seeing the explanation of this battle, only now did Linley understand how frightening the Bloodviolet Fiend was.

If he were to encounter the Bloodviolet Fiend, he would most likely be finished.

“The Bloodviolet Fiend is extremely famous, and his power is more than enough to compete against most Asuras of the Infernal Realm or Commanders of Purgatory. His accomplishments in the Way of Destruction are at a very high level, and he is also a Soul Mutate. He truly is powerful.” Mosi shook his head and sighed. “Unfortunately, this astonishing, dazzling figure went to a material plane ten thousand years ago and was killed.”

In his heart, Linley knew that the Bloodviolet Fiend was killed in his own homeland.

“Could it be that Lord Beirut was the one to kill him?” Linley wondered to himself.

Linley didn’t over-think things. He seized the opportunity to immediately go watch the scryer recordings of other experts doing battle. They included the Bloodviolet Fiend, the Royalwing Fiend, the Bluejacket Fiend, the Silvermoon Fiend…

Aside from these, there were also scryer recordings of ultimate Deity-level experts from other Higher Planes engaging in battle.

Asuras of the Infernal Realm, Commanders of Purgatory…scryer recordings of figures at this level.

“There’s even a scryer recording of Reisgem engaging in battle.” Linley didn’t recognize virtually any of the figures who did battle, so when he saw Reisgem’s, he was naturally delighted.

The scryer recording had ‘Reisgem’ in a human form. He looked like a very handsome youth, quite similar with Bebe. Only, Reisgem’s entire body was covered in an amethyst armor, and in battle he relied on his hands and feet.

Clean and blunt. The Gravitational Space formed from violet light which Reisgem used was far more powerful than Linley’s.

“So powerful.” Linley stared, slack-jawed.

Another Purgatory Commander was fighting Reisgem, but the battle was one-sided.

Linley watched nearly a thousand scryer recordings, finally arriving at the pillar at the corner of the throne room. Pulling open the pillar ‘door’, he saw that inside, there were three memory crystals.

“You only need to see a single one of these three crystal balls.” Mosi finally stood up and walked over, laughing. “The three crystal balls are all recordings of a Sovereign dealing with a Highgod, and the technique they used in each is essentially the same.”

“Understood.” Linley took a deep breath, then sent his divine sense into the first crystal ball.

It was a vast, endless sea. In the air above, there was a black-robed middle-aged man. This person was currently laughing with his head raised towards the skies, but tears were streaming down his face. His lips were moving, as though he was saying something.

The strange thing was…

In the air above the sea, a blurry, enormous face appeared, which was completely formed from elemental essence.

The black-robed man immediately pointed angrily at the enormous face, his lips moving nonstop.

A hint of annoyance passed through that enormous face, and its lips moved slightly. The black-robed middle-aged figure’s body trembled, and then he fell down from the skies, while the enormous face vanished.

“That’s it?” Linley looked at the explanation for this scryer recording. “And that black-robed figure was an Asura of the Infernal Realm?”

Linley withdrew his divine sense from the crystal ball, his mind still numb.

“That enormous face was a Sovereign?” Linley turned to look at Mosi.

Mosi nodded. “Right.”

“All the Sovereign had to do to kill an Asura of the Infernal Realm was just move his lips?” Linley felt that this was simply too incredible.

Mosi sighed. “The Will of a Sovereign is inviolable. Even someone as powerful as an Asura, with but a thought by a Sovereign, will be easily killed. In front of a Sovereign, even the most powerful of Highgods will be unable to resist.”

Linley couldn’t help but be astonished.

Not being a Sovereign, Linley couldn’t understand how Sovereigns could be so powerful.

Kill an Asura with just a thought?

“The might of a Sovereign is irresistible.” Linley said to himself.

Compared to those countless Deities, Sovereigns were high and above them, capable of effortlessly killing any Highgod.

“Sovereigns are very remote and distant from us. As long as you do not anger Sovereigns, they won’t lower themselves to kill you.” Mosi laughed.

Linley nodded slightly. After having viewed so many scryer recordings, Linley was quite stunned. After calming himself, Linley said, “Lord Mosi, I’ve disturbed you for so long. I should return now. I truly am grateful to you.”

Mosi laughed and nodded.

Linley suddenly thought of something, and he couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly. “Lord Mosi, there’s one last thing.”

“Oh?” Mosi furrowed his forehead.

“During that battle at Miluo Island, I promised Bakwill to serve as a red-robed elder for a hundred years, and that I wouldn’t leave the island without his permission. But I truly long for my homeland and want to go back sooner…” Linley continued to explain.

The next day. The Bagshaw clan’s estate. Linley’s residence. Currently, Linley and Uriah were walking towards the gates of the estate.

“Elder.” Two guards at the side of the gate to the resident immediately bowed respectfully.

Linley instructed, “Go to the island guard’s residential area and have Tarosse, Dylin, and Dylin’s two children come over.” This guard had gone last time, so he knew exactly where Tarosse lived.

“Yes, elder.” The guard immediately left.

“Mr. Uriah, sorry to trouble you.” Linley turned and laughed.

“It’s no trouble.” Uriah was very courteous as well.

After Linley returned from the underwater Castle Hendsey to Miluo Island, he had brought Uriah with him. Uriah’s was on official orders from the master of Castle Hendsey to order Bakwill to permit Linley to leave.

“Linley, then I’ll go speak with clan leader Bakwill now.” Uriah immediately left.

Just as Linley entered his residence, he saw Bebe, Delia, Olivier, Cesar, and the others all come welcome him.

“Boss, did you just say we are about to leave?” Bebe was the first to run over.

Linley looked at Bebe, Delia, and his friends. Although he had only gone one or two days without seeing them, during the past two days, he had walked to and from the brink of death, and had learned many secrets in the process.

“Yes. We are about to leave.” Linley laughed as he rubbed Bebe’s head.

“Delia.” Linley turned to look at Delia.

“If it weren’t for the fact that the master of Castle Hendsey was giving face to that juvenile amethyst beast, I probably really would have been done for.” As he thought of this, he couldn’t help but tremble. Linley couldn’t help but immediately pull Delia into his arms, tightly holding her.

“Linley?” Delia asked softly. She could tell that Linley seemed to be in a strange mood.

“I missed you.” Linley said softly. Delia’s face couldn’t help but turn red, and she said softly, “Olivier and Cesar and them are all here.” Linley released Delia. Seeing her bashfulness, he couldn’t help but begin to laugh loudly.

Sequeira was walking alongside the road. When he arrived at the gate to Linley’s residence, he heard the loud laughter coming from within.

“Oh, that Linley’s back?” Sequeira recognized Linley’s voice, and then he chuckled. “He was so arrogant in front of me. But in the end, hasn’t he become just another dog for my Bagshaw clan?” Sequeira, as the young master of his clan, knew that those red-robed elders were all under soul control.

Sequeira immediately entered Linley’s resident.

The guards at the door didn’t dare to bar Sequeira’s path.

Linley was currently laughing and chatting with Delia, Bebe, Olivier, and the others.

“Linley.” A voice suddenly rang out. Linley turned to look. The newcomer was Sequeira.

Sequeira raised his jaw slightly, and with a cold laugh, flipped out his blood-red Miluo Insignia. “See this?”

Linley was puzzled.

“Blood-red colored Miluo Insignia. What of it?” Linley said, puzzled. This time, the master of Castle Hendsey had given him a great deal of face, and had satisfied every request he had made. Linley didn’t want to cause any more problems with this Sequeira.

“Come here!” Sequeira said coldly.

Frowning, Linley walked over.

“Kneel.” Sequeira shouted.

Linley’s face couldn’t help but turn dark.

“In the name of the blood-red colored Miluo Insignia, I order you to kneel.” Sequeira shouted with cold fierceness. “Hurry.” In the Bagshaw clan, the red-robed elders who had been controlled served, above all others, the master of the castle. After that, they would obey holders of the blood-red colored Miluo Insignia.

Currently, Sequeira just wanted to thoroughly humiliate Linley. As for killing Linley?

He wouldn’t do that. As he saw it, Linley was now an obedient dog for his clan. How could he bear to kill him?

“Sequeira, what are you doing?” Linley felt that this was absolutely ridiculous.

“You dare disobey?” Sequeira was enraged. Nobody whose soul had been controlled had ever dared to disobey the blood-red colored Miluo Insignia.

“You have brain damage.” Bebe immediately shouted angrily.

“Sequeira!” Suddenly, a furious shout rang out.

Sequeira turned his head and saw his father, ‘Bakwill’, currently walking over alongside Uriah. Sequeira immediately walked over and said angrily, “Father, that Linley actually dares to disobey my orders. He needs to be properly punished.”

“Shut your mouth!” Bakwill was so furious, his face was turning red.

Sequeira was stunned.

Bakwill immediately turned to look at Linley, squeezing out a smile. “Mr. Linley, over the past few days in this place, I haven’t been a very good host. I’m truly sorry.” Hearing these words, Sequeira stared, slack-jawed.

“Father, why are you…” Sequeira didn’t understand.

Why the need to be so courteous to a completely devoted person whose soul had been dominated?

“Shut your damn mouth!” Bakwill shouted angrily.

After Uriah had conveyed the order, Bakwill and Uriah had chatted in detail. Bakwill now understood that Linley’s status was truly extraordinary. If Linley was simply a mere descendant of the Four Divine Beasts clan, his ancestor, Lord ‘Mosi’, definitely wouldn’t have stayed his hand.

“Father, I…” Sequeira was completely lost.

“WHAP!” Bakwill launched a vicious slap directly on Sequeira’s face. “I told you to shut your damn mouth!” This slap from Bakwill finally brought Sequeira to his senses. Sequeira immediately stood off to one side, not daring to make another sound.

“Mr. Bakwill, no need to be like this.” Linley now could guess that Sequeira had probably taken him for someone who had been spiritually controlled.

Bakwill forced out a smile. “Linley, my son sometimes is so arrogant as to consider everyone else beneath him. It’s only proper that he be disciplined on occasion. Linley, I’ve already learned everything from Uriah. Alas. You haven’t even stayed here at my place for more than a few days, but you are already going to leave. What a true pity.”

“There’s nothing I can do. I really do have something I must be doing.” Linley said.

“Fine, then. I won’t try to further dissuade you from leaving, Mr. Linley. Mr. Linley, you can leave whenever you wish…but of course, if you ever return to my place, my Miluo Island welcomes you at all times.” Bakwill said in a very friendly manner.

“Definitely, definitely.” Linley laughed.

Linley suddenly turned his head, and he saw that Tarosse, Dylin, and Dylin’s two sons were currently walking over. Tarosse and Dylin, upon seeing Linley, were overjoyed and embarrassed. Their emotions were extremely complicated right now.

They wanted to say something, but with Bakwill present, they didn’t know what to say for now.

“Haha, Dylin, Tarosse!” Linley immediately laughed and walked over. “No need to say too much. It is all over now!”

“Right. It’s all over now.” Tarosse and Dylin had unshed tears in their eyes. They had been under soul control, but now they had regained their freedom. This freedom which they had lost then regain would cause even the toughest of men to feel emotional. What’s more, they knew that the reason why they had regained their freedom was due to Linley.

“Haha, let’s go. It’s time to head out!”

Linley stared into the distant southeastern skies. “Indigo Prefecture…time to go back!”

End of Book 16

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 1, Training Speed

“Rumble…” The waves of the Starmist Sea struck against the shores of Miluo Island. The clan leader of the Bagshaw clan, Bakwill, watched alongside Uriah and the others as Linley’s group boarded their metallic lifeform, beginning their journey towards the Bloodridge Continent.

The metallic lifeform had once more transformed into a ship. On the front of the ship.

“We finally left.” O’Brien let out an emotional sigh.

“Right. We left.” Cesar repeated. “I’ll forget this place. Forever!” Linley glanced at Cesar. Previously, Cesar had asked him to help investigate what had happened to Cecily. Although Linley had discovered that the situation seemed off, and that it was uncertain whether or not Cecily was still alive…

He still told Cesar that Cecily was perfectly fine and still living in the clan estate.

“Perhaps this way, Cesar will feel a bit better.” Linley said to himself.

“We’re finally leaving. Father, we’re finally leaving.” The elder Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lion, ‘Cleo’, was extremely excited as well. In the past, he and his brother had no idea that their father had been under soul domination. Only now did they know.

They felt a surge of terror just thinking about it.

“Right. We’re leaving. We’ve escaped.” Dylin stared into the distant southeastern skies, not turning at all. He would most likely never return to Miluo Island ever again.

“Screeech!” An ear-piercing sound suddenly shook the heavens.

Linley turned to look. It was Tarosse. Tarosse’s head was raised, and he was emitting an ear-piercing screech, his entire body trembling. After a long time, he finally ceased his howling. Tarosse turned to look at Linley, his eyes slightly red. “Linley. I won’t say too much about this great kindness you have shown me. Thank you.”

Someone who had never been soul dominated would never understand how Tarosse and Dylin were currently feeling.

“Haha, let’s go. Let’s go to the Bloodridge Continent. Let’s go to the Indigo Prefecture.” Linley held Delia by the hand.

Their trip over the Starmist Sea was very calm. They occasionally met a few bandits, but given the power of Linley’s squad, the Highgods amongst them only had to show themselves and the bandits were immediately terrified and would flee.

This trip was an uneventful one.

Within the ship cabin.

Linley was seated in the meditative stance in a corner. His original body as well as his three divine clones were all in this state. After this last experience, Linley realized what his greatest weakness was. His soul!

It wasn’t that his profound mysteries in terms of soul defense was weak!

At present, he had fused the Throbbing Pulse of the World, Gravitational Space, and the Essence of the Earth. His soul defense, in terms of profound mysteries, wasn’t weak. The biggest problem was his foundation; in other words, the strength of his soul!

The power of a God’s soul, in quality, was far weaker than that of a Highgod’s soul. Although Linley, through using soul-related profound mysteries, had soul defense comparable to that of an ordinary Highgod, and also had that damaged soul-protecting Sovereign artifact…it was precisely because of that Sovereign artifact that Linley was able to roam the Starmist Sea, slay Ganmontin, and slay so many Highgods. If he didn’t have it, how could Linley, a mere God, possibly be so strong?

Sovereign divine artifacts were simply too powerful.

“Right now, my number one target must be to reach the Highgod stage as soon as possible.” Linley knew where he needed to develop himself. “Once I become a Highgod, I can once again refine a large amount of amethysts, and with amethysts as well as the natural Highgod boost, my soul power will increase tens of times over! Once that happens, as long as I only need to defend that flaw in the soul-protecting Sovereign artifact, I won’t need to be afraid of even a Seven Star Fiend skilled in soul attacks.”

Linley knew all of this very well.

It might perhaps be easier for someone at the God level to fuse profound mysteries, as upon reaching the Highgod level, the difficulty level would rise greatly.

But at the same time, fusing a large number of profound mysteries as a God also took an astonishing amount of time. For example, the ‘Worldwalking’ profound mystery of the Laws of the Earth, up till now, still hadn’t yet even begun to be fused with any of the other three profound mysteries, much less completely fused.

“I currently have three types of profound mysteries. If I need to fuse four of them, it seems that I would have to thank my lucky stars to be able to fuse them in even ten thousand years.”

“Right now, I’ve gained a basic understanding of the ‘Profound Mysteries of Strength’. I need to hurry up and master the ‘Profound Mysteries of Strength’, and then I’ll train in the final ‘Vitality’ mystery. Once all six are completed, I will be a Highgod. By then, my power will grow dramatically! In terms of material defense or soul defense, I won’t have any glaring weaknesses. I’ll be able to deal against most Seven Star Fiends.”

Linley knew that upon becoming a Highgod, it was still possible to fuse profound mysteries. Only, the difficulty level would rise exponentially.

“Once I become a Highgod, I can continue to slowly fuse them.”

As long as one became a Highgod on one’s own, there was still hope for fusing.

“I need to thank Mosi. If it hadn’t been for his sledgehammer blow, who knows how long it would have been before I would have gained basic insight into the Profound Mysteries of Strength?” Linley quieted his mind, allowing his original body as well as his divine earth clone to whole-heartedly delve into training in the ‘Profound Mysteries of Strength’.

Right now, Linley was favoring the Laws of the Earth.

As for the Elemental Laws of the Wind, Linley had only begun to train in five profound mysteries. He had four more that he needed to train in, and the amount of time that took was astonishing as well.

As for the Elemental Laws of Fire, Linley’s divine fire clone, till now, was still not even at the God level.

“Training in the Elemental Laws of Fire is simply too slow.” Linley now had an even greater appreciation for the importance of talent.

If one was talented, then one would train faster, such as Linley with the Laws of the Earth and the Laws of the Wind. In less than a thousand years, Linley had reached the level of learning five of the Laws of the Earth.

But if one’s talent was poor…

Although there was no bottleneck yet, Linley still had yet to even master a second profound mystery of the Elemental Laws of Fire.

Breaking through bottlenecks required insights, luck, and comprehension ability.

However, normal training was reliant on talent.

Linley’s elemental affinity for ‘earth’ and ‘wind’, based on the test that had been done when he was young, was ‘exceptional’! As for ‘fire’, it was only ‘average’. As for the others, his affinity was very low.

Clearly, Linley had the greatest chance of becoming a Highgod soon through his divine earth clone. His divine earth clone’s power was clearly more powerful, and so naturally, with even his original body training in the Laws of the Earth, his training speed became even faster.

The Starmist Sea. Endless and boundless. Occasionally, an island would be seen.

“Rumble…” The metallic lifeform continuously advanced through the waves.

Linley and Delia were currently shoulder-to-shoulder, staring towards the southeast. Next to them was Olivier, Bebe, O’Brien, Dylin, Tarosse, Cesar, and others. They all had smiles on their faces.

From afar, they saw a hint of a line that was extremely, extremely long. The line was a shore.

“The Bloodridge Continent. We finally arrived!” Linley was incomparably excited.

After heading out from Miluo Island, they had travelled for twenty three years, and now, they were finally at the Bloodridge Continent.

“We’re at the Bloodridge Continent now. The Indigo Prefecture won’t be far away.” Bebe’s eyes were shining. “Boss, I remember that on that map, it seemed as though the Indigo Prefecture wasn’t too far away from the sea shore. Ohoho, after nearly seven hundred years, we are almost there, finally.”

Linley and Delia held each other’s hands tightly, staring towards the shore.

“Linley, once we arrive at the Bloodridge Continent, shall we head directly for the Indigo Prefecture, or to accept another escort mission headed towards the Indigo Prefecture?” Olivier looked at Linley. After all, this was what Linley had done in the past.

“No need.”

Linley shook his head. “In the past, I was weak and was afraid of trouble. Now, we’ll head straight for Indigo Prefecture. No need to fear anything on the way over.” Linley was now extremely confident in himself, and his squad had quite a few Highgods.

In addition, Tarosse was an expert on the level of a Six Star Fiend as well.

The metallic lifeform moved forward at a very fast pace. Soon, it reached the continental shelf. Immediately, the ‘ship’ shaped metallic lifeform transformed into a panther-shape, flying in the air above the Bloodridge Continent.

The Bloodridge Continent was similar to the Redbud Continent.

Various tribes were scattered everywhere, and bandits were scattered everywhere as well. Battles could occur at any moment. But of course, no bandit squad would dare offend Linley’s squad.

“Linley, how is your training progressing?” Tarosse laughed.

On the way over, Tarosse and Dylin had finally learned that Linley was only a God. As for how a God could release such astonishing power, Linley just gave a fairly general explanation.

However, Tarosse and Dylin could tell that this all had to do with the Amethyst Mountains.

“Not bad. I’ve reached the later stages of the Profound Mysteries of Strength.” Linley revealed a hint of a smile on his face. “Unfortunately, I still haven’t even gotten a basic understanding of the Profound Mysteries of Vitality.” This was what frustrated Linley the most. ‘Vitality’.

Based on the book which had given him a general description of the various profound mysteries, the ‘Vitality’ mystery was one of the unique profound mysteries of the Laws of the Earth, and was exceedingly hard to gain insight into.

For each profound mystery, getting basic insights as well as breaking through the final bottleneck to mastery was the two hardest steps. If one was slow, one could be stuck for a million years, and that would be considered normal.

“No rush. Perhaps you’ll gain a sudden insight soon.” Tarosse laughed.

Linley laughed and nodded as well. It was true. For example, he had suddenly gained an insight into the ‘Profound Mysteries of Strength’, and so he had gained a basic understanding.

“Your training speed is already very impressive. You’ve trained for less than a thousand years, and yet you’ve gained insights into five of the six profound mysteries of the Laws of the Earth. And, more importantly…you’ve fused three of them.” Tarosse was quite admiring of Linley.

Tarosse himself had only fused two profound mysteries, and had relied on his innate divine ability, along with those two profound mysteries, to reach the power level of a Six Star Fiend.

“Hey, Tarosse, that goes without saying. My Boss has always been awesome.” Bebe walked over as well and said arrogantly, “Look at you. You’ve been training for I don’t even know how many years, but you’ve only fused two profound mysteries. Hmph.”

Tarosse couldn’t help but laugh. “Bebe, don’t be so smug. You train in the Laws of Darkness, right? I want to ask you, of the six profound mysteries of the Laws of Darkness, how many have you trained in, and how many have you fused? As I recall, you’ve been training with Linley for about the same length of time.”

“Haha…” The nearby O’Brien and Cesar both began to laugh.

Linley couldn’t help but begin to laugh towards Bebe as well.

Everyone knew that Bebe didn’t have any patience for training. At most, he’d be able to calm his mind and train for a year or so, after which he’d begin to get restless. With an attitude like that…no matter how talented he was, if he didn’t work hard, how could he improve?

“Tarosse, you know that’s just how Bebe is, and yet you ask him this question?” Dylin said.

Bebe was so angry, even his nose was trembling. “Right. I haven’t even fused a single profound mystery!”

“Bebe, enough. Don’t be angry.” Linley laughed as he patted Bebe on the shoulder, but Bebe raised his head proudly. “But of the six profound mysteries of the Laws of Darkness, I, Bebe, have gained insights into four of them!”

Everyone within the cabin immediately fell silent.

Linley wondered if he was hearing things. He couldn’t help but look at Bebe. “Bebe, what’d you say?” Linley remembered quite clearly that Bebe hadn’t spent much time training. Normally, he would just mess around, and only occasionally would he train.

“Bebe, say it again. I suspect I misheard.” Tarosse said, and even Dylin and Olivier were looking at Bebe.

Neither Dylin nor Olivier had, as of yet, successfully mastered four profound mysteries.

“Listen up, and listen clearly.” Bebe raised his eyebrows smugly, then said loudly, “I, Bebe, despite not having fused a single profound mystery, have already mastered four of the six profound mysteries of the Laws of Darkness, and am currently training in a fifth!”

Linley himself had only mastered four of the profound mysteries of the Laws of the Earth, and was currently working on the fifth.

“Bebe, it’s fine if you are slow in training, but you can’t just make things up.” Cesar said.

“Make things up?” Bebe was so angry, his eyes bulged out.

Bebe flipped his hand, and darkness-type elemental essence swirled around, forming a black serpent which wrapped around Bebe’s arm. It even emitted a hissing sound, as though it were real.

“This is the Essence of Darkness.” Bebe said smugly. “See it?”

“You knew that one all along.” Olivier laughed.

Bebe’s body flickered, and instantly, dozens of doppelgangers of Bebe appeared within the cabin. Everyone remained calm; they all knew that Bebe was in possession of the Shadowshape Doppelganger technique.

“Hmph.”

Bebe suddenly let out a cold snort.

Very bizarrely, one black tentacle after another emerged from Bebe’s body. Instantly, Bebe had become like an octopus, with the area around his body being filled by dozens of long, icy cold tentacles. The black, misty aura they emanated was exceedingly bizarre.

Linley was surprised, and everyone else was stunned.

Laws of Darkness – The Profound Mysteries of ‘Evil’.

“That was the third. This is the fourth.” Bebe’s body flickered, and those evil tentacles disappeared. Bebe reached out with his right hand, and from within it, a vortex appeared which seemed to be devouring everything around it, swallowing up even light itself. The area of darkness grew larger and larger.

Laws of Darkness – The Profound Mysteries of ‘Devour’.

Everyone in the cabin was speechless. Olivier, up till now, had only mastered two profound mysteries of the Laws of Darkness, and was currently researching a third. As for Dylin, he had only mastered three and was currently training in a fourth.

But Bebe had actually been faster than them.

“How is this possible?”

“Hmph. You actually didn’t believe me. Bebe! Let me tell you, it’s possible that tomorrow, I’ll have mastered the fifth one.” Bebe smugly adjusted his straw hat, his head raised proudly.

“Bebe, what’s this all about?” Linley was utterly puzzled.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 2, Travelling to Indigo Prefecture

From going from the Yulan continent to the Infernal Realm, Bebe had always been by Linley’s side. Linley knew very clearly how hard (or not) Bebe had trained. Logically speaking, it should be impossible for Bebe to have mastered four profound mysteries.

However, Bebe had succeeded.

This was a reality! Everyone had seen this.

“Bebe, how did you train?” Dylin was in disbelief as well.

“How could you be so fast?” Olivier, no matter how calm he normally was, had been stunned. They all stared at Bebe. Clearly, all of them wanted to know why Bebe was able to train so quickly, so as to see if they could also learn from this method.

Bebe just laughed smugly.

“I told you so, but you guys didn’t believe, earlier.” Bebe said forcefully.

“We believe you now, but how did you do this?” Tarosse asked as well. Even the greatest of geniuses had a process by which they trained. Linley had seized every moment to train, and his talent had been on full display in the Yulan continent. Everyone had watched him improve, step by step.

But Bebe? Nobody had dared to believe that his training speed could catch up to Linley’s.

“I’m Bebe!” Bebe stared at the surrounding people. He said smugly, “You didn’t believe me. All I’ll say is…it has to do with my Grandpa Beirut. I won’t say anything else.”

“Lord Beirut?” Tarosse and Dylin were mystified.

Training was a personal matter. No matter how powerful Beirut was, he wasn’t by Bebe’s side. How could he help Bebe?

“Those smug looks on your faces just now…hmph. I won’t tell you. Slowly ponder it on your own. I’ll only tell my Boss.” Bebe turned to glance at Linley, then chortled and said through the soul, “Boss, are you surprised?”

“I am indeed surprised.” Linley couldn’t understand either how Bebe had trained so quickly.

Bebe smiled mysteriously, then said through his divine sense, “Boss, do you still remember how Grandpa Beirut had said that to help me train faster, he had paid a very heavy price and obtained many treasures to help me breakthrough faster? He said that I was very slow to have taken twenty years before mastering the Essence of Darkness and reaching the God level, and that if it had been you, most likely a single year would have been enough.”

Linley immediately recalled this.

Beirut had indeed said such a thing.

Back then, Linley hadn’t yet entered the Infernal Realm, and so he didn’t clearly understand how powerful Beirut was. After arriving in the Infernal Realm, however, Linley finally realized how mighty Beirut was. Beirut had created that godspark weapon for Bebe, then infused it with that pearl.

The power of that attack had actually destroyed the divine artifact of Elquin, a Seven Star Fiend!

“If it had been Lord Beirut himself, he most likely would have easily killed that Seven Star Fiend.” Linley still remembered how the master of Castle Hendsey, ‘Mosi’, had said that there were very few people in the Infernal Realm capable of creating soul-protecting divine artifacts.

“But Lord Beirut had made a soul-protecting divine artifact for Bebe.”

Linley mused to himself, “Godspark weapons are priceless items in the Infernal Realm as well. They are exceedingly costly. Even if all he did was sell off a few godspark weapons, Lord Beirut would be a person of astonishing wealth. In addition, he is a Sovereign’s Emissary!”

Despite having been in the Infernal Realm for so long, Linley had yet to hear of someone else who was a Sovereign’s Emissary!

To be selected by a Sovereign…naturally, only absolute topmost Highgods would be selected.

“Lord Beirut said that he had spent an enormous price to acquire some treasures. Given Lord Beirut’s power, for even him to say that the price was enormous…what treasure could it have been?” Linley understood that even a trillion inkstones, to Lord Beirut, was nothing.

A single godspark weapon, in and of itself, was worth far more!

What sort of treasure could possibly cause Lord Beirut to say that it had cost him an ‘enormous price’?

He hadn’t realized this earlier, but now that Linley thought of this, he became all the more curious.

“Bebe, what sort of treasure is it? For even your Grandpa Beirut to say it cost an enormous price, and for it to be capable of helping you train so quickly…” Linley hurriedly asked through their spiritual bond.

Bebe laughed. “Boss, that treasure is…soul fragment strips!”

“Soul fragment strips?” Linley didn’t understand.

“Right. Grandpa Beirut knew that I didn’t have the temperament to slowly train, so he came up with this idea. Grandpa Beirut went to the Infernal Realm and spent an enormous price to invite a major figure to gather the souls of countless Prime Saints and fragment them into strips! He completely peeled out all of the fragments containing ‘Profound Mysteries of the Laws’ in the souls of those Saints.”

Linley was stunned.

Peeling off strips from the soul?

When Linley had been in the Yulan continent, he had seen the then Grand Magus Necromancer, ‘Zassler’, execute a ‘Soulscour’ on a soul. Only, that just removed a portion of a soul’s memories; there was no one to clearly sense the insights within a person’s soul.

“Grandpa Beirut said that peeling off soul fragment strips is very hard! In addition, a Deity’s soul is fused with his divine spark, and so it’s impossible to carve out soul fragment strips from them. The only choice for doing this is with Saints!” Bebe continued to chat through divine sense. “To completely peel off the portion of a soul with insights into the profound mysteries of a Law is something which only a very few people in the Infernal Realm can do. Grandpa Beirut said that he himself couldn’t do it either, so he had to pay an enormous price to invite an expert to help out.”

Linley was secretly surprised.

In places such as the Blacksand Castle and the Redbud Castle, Linley had never heard of ‘soul fragment strips’ being available for purchase. These things were simply priceless. Most likely, only major personages like Beirut were capable of acquiring them.

“When I became an adult, I naturally became a Deity, and so gained insight into the ‘Shadowshape Doppelganger’ mystery. Grandpa asked some of his friends to help out and acquire four pieces of ‘soul fragment strips’ for me, which contained four of the six profound mysteries of the Laws of Darkness.”

Bebe sent resignedly, “Grandpa Beirut said that most Prime Saints had only gained insights into very ordinary profound mysteries, such as the ‘Essence of Darkness’. Very few have insights into ‘Devour’ or ‘Evil’.”

“Grandpa’s friends also were forced to spend an enormous amount of effort and to very carefully peel off those soul fragments. It is extremely difficult to completely peel off the part of the soul with the insights into a profound mystery. In the end, he managed to acquire four, which he gave to me for fusing.” Bebe sent mentally.

Linley was completely stunned.

Souls were very unique things, and even soul attacks were hard to develop.

To completely peel off the part of a soul which contained insights into the profound mysteries of a Law…one could imagine how hard it was just thinking about it.

“To reach this level, how deep must one’s mastery with regards to the soul be?” Linley felt this was almost unbelievable.

Beirut himself was capable of making soul-protecting divine artifacts, which meant that Beirut had already reached a very high level of accomplishment with regards to the soul. But even Beirut was not capable of this, and had to pay a huge price to invite others to do it for him.

One could imagine how hard peeling off soul fragments was.

“Lord Beirut’s friends are truly amazing.” Linley sighed to himself.

There was no way one could peel any fragments from the soul of a Deity, so it had to be done to Prime Saints instead.

“Who knows how many Prime Saints were killed for these soul fragments to be acquired.” Linley sighed to himself, but he also understood that in the Infernal Realm, the mighty were respected. In the Infernal Realm, many tribes raised Saint-level magical beasts, then butchered them and retrieved their body parts for sale to restaurants.

In the Infernal Realm, Saints were treated as humans treated wild rabbits in the material realms. They could be killed at leisure.

“Alas. Prime Saints are all people who have gained some insights into a single profound mystery and have reached a bottleneck and are just one step away from completion.” Bebe sighed. “Thus, with regards to these four profound mysteries, I’ve gained insights all the way through to the bottleneck. For breaking through the bottleneck, though, I still have to rely on myself!”

“In the Yulan continent, it only took me twenty years to break through in the Essence of Darkness.”

“In the Infernal Realm, it’s been seven hundred years. I’ve occasionally gained some insights, and broke through to obtain mastery in the ‘Devour’ and ‘Evil’ profound mysteries. Right now, I’ve completely mastered four types, while I’m at a bottleneck for the fifth. As for the sixth…I’m completely blind and have no idea as to what it is about.”

Linley completely understood.

Bebe was a divine beast. As soon as he reached adulthood, he would naturally master one type of profound mystery and become a Deity! This was the first profound mystery, ‘Shadowshape Doppelganger’.

Afterwards, Lord Beirut, knowing that Bebe had no patience, didn’t want Bebe to become a Highgod through fusing with a divine spark. Thus, he had paid an enormous price to procure those four strips of soul fragments to have Bebe fuse them, and thus naturally reach the ‘bottleneck’ stage in those four profound mysteries.

As soon as he gained an insight into one of them, he would reach mastery.

He didn’t need to train at all.

“No wonder. No wonder.” Linley let out two sighs.

Sometimes, one could be angered to death when looking at others. Linley had spent every day and every night training, but Bebe had spent all his time fooling around. When, for some reason, he gained a sudden insight, he would achieve mastery. This was simply too easy.

However, in Linley’s mind, he was still very happy for Bebe.

“Lord Beirut truly has taken exceedingly good care of Bebe.” Linley sighed.

Beirut had a very high status, while Bebe was the second Godeater Rat in his lineage. Beirut naturally viewed Bebe as a treasure and doted upon him to an unbelievable extent. For Bebe’s sake, he had been willing to exhaust himself and run throughout the Infernal Realm to ask friends to help out.

From this alone, Linley could tell how powerful and vast Lord Beirut’s connections were.

“Peeling off soul strips…that’s hard work and careful work. For that powerful figure to actually be willing to do this for the sake of Lord Beirut…” Linley understood now how influential Beirut himself was.

The metallic lifeform continued to speed towards Indigo Prefecture. As for the secret regarding why Bebe had trained so quickly, in the end, Bebe only told Linley and Delia. The others didn’t know. Clearly, in Bebe’s heart, Linley and Delia were closer to him.

After they had reached the Bloodridge Continent, the metallic lifeform had flown on for three years.

“Boss, look. Stonesword Mountain!” Bebe pointed through the translucent window towards the east.

Linley looked carefully. In the distance to the east, there was an exceedingly tall mountain, its peak seeming to pierce through the heavens. The upper part of the peak was shaped like a heavy sword, and at the peak of this sword-shaped mountain, the clouds swirled about.

“Stonesword Mountain. We finally reached the Indigo Prefecture!” Delia said with excitement.

Stonesword Mountain was one of the important landmarks in the maps of Indigo Prefecture.

Linley felt the blood surging throughout his body. “Finally here. We’re finally here! Indigo Prefecture!”

The place which his dreams and his very soul had been focused on.

When in the Yulan continent, Linley had learned of Indigo Prefecture. He knew that his ancestors, the elders of the Baruch clan had all come to Indigo Prefecture. Linley thus had embarked on this one-way trip to the Infernal Realm!

From the Redbud Continent all the way over to here, they had encountered countless tribulations. The battle at the castle of sand. The volcano range. The breakthrough in the Amethyst Mountains. The shocking danger of Miluo Island…and now finally, after passing through the Starmist Sea, they had arrived at the Bloodridge Continent, arrived at Indigo Prefecture!

“Indigo Prefecture!”

Linley took a deep breath. Currently, he was unbearably eager to go meet the ancestors of his Baruch clan.

“Boss, we don’t know the exact location of the Four Divine Beasts clan.” Bebe said.

“It’s simple.” Linley was all smiles. “Let’s first go to the nearest city, Fansi City. The Four Divine Beasts clan should be extremely famous in the Indigo Prefecture. To find the place where the Four Divine Beasts clan live should be quite simple.”

The metallic lifeform sped directly for Fansi City. Fansi City was the first city which Linley’s group would be entering upon reaching the Indigo Prefecture.

After flying for many days.

Linley and everyone else was drinking wine and chatting idly in the living room of the metallic lifeform. As they were about to reach his ancestral clan, Linley was very happy. In this final stage of the journey, Linley was, for once, not training.

“Boom!” Suddenly, a powerful vibration shook out from the skies, shaking Linley’s metallic lifeform.

The metallic lifeform trembled.

“What a powerful wave.”

“Hey, what’s going on?” Linley and the others stood up, looking out through the window.

The metallic lifeform flew very fast, and soon, Linley’s group saw something which utterly stunned them…

In the distant skies, nearly a hundred Highgods were fleeing in panic. They were currently being slaughtered by three white-robed men!

“Haha, you won’t be able to flee!” A white-robed figure laughed loudly.

The three white-robed men all had long golden hair, golden eyebrows, and were as handsome as any fairies which Linley had ever seen. The three white-robed men flashed about at high speed, and the Highgods on the other side all fell down from the skies.

Those Highgods were terror-struck!

“Flee!” With a furious shout, those dozens of lucky survivors immediately dispersed in every direction.

“You won’t be able to!” A calm voice rang out.

One of the white-robed men whose long hair fluttered in the air suddenly had a pair of golden wings that were ten meters long grow out of his back. This enormous set of golden wings was covered with a hazy golden light, and holy energy spread out in every direction.

The golden-winged man, his entire body wrapped up in golden light, seemed so holy and beautiful.

“I sentence you…to death!”

The white-robed man said softly.

A translucent golden ripple spread out in every direction, and those dozens of fleeing Highgods, no matter how fast they had been fleeing, were unable to move faster than this ripple.

Immediately, those dozens of Highgods who had been fleeing in every direction fell down from the skies. Only the original leader of those hundred Highgods remained, and he stared in terror and rage at the three white-robed men in front of him.

“So strong.” Linley, Tarosse, and the others were all stunned.

“He trains in the Edicts of Fate.” Tarosse said in a low voice. “Judging from his power, that white-robed man, if not a Seven Star Fiend, must at least be a Six Star Fiend.”

“Edicts of Fate?”

In the Infernal Realm, Linley rarely encountered experts who trained in the Edicts of Fate, because most of them had gone to the ‘Celestial Realm’ of the Four Higher Planes. The few he had actually seen weren’t very powerful.

“A Highgod that trains in the Edicts of Fate.” Linley was secretly startled.

From mid-air, a bellow rang out.

“Why. We have never offended your Boleyn [Bo’lin] clan. Why must you be so ruthless, to kill us all and spare not a single one of us?” The lucky survivor, the leader, couldn’t help but bellow out in rage.

Those three white-robed men all faintly glowed with golden light.

“Why? Aren’t you on assignment for the Four Divine Beasts clan?” One of the white-robed men laughed coldly.

“Four Divine Beasts clan?” The surviving leader said, stunned.

“All who serve the Four Divine Beasts clan will die!” The white-robed man who had the pair of golden wings said, then he pointed out with his right hand and a ray of golden light shot out.

The leader wasn’t able to dodge in time. The golden light struck into his body, and he fell down from mid-air.

The white-robed man with the golden wings cast a sideways glance at Linley’s distant metallic lifeform, then let out a disdainful snort. “Let’s go.” The three white-robed figures transformed into three rays of light, disappearing into the horizon.

“All those who serve the Four Divine Beasts shall die?” Within the metallic lifeform, Linley murmured to himself, momentarily speechless.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 3, Azure Dragon Clan

According to what Linley had learned on the way, as well as what he had heard from Beirut, as Linley saw it, the Four Divine Beasts clan was extremely powerful. At Miluo Island, after seeing the many scryer recordings, he had mentioned to Castle Master Mosi the fact that he was headed for Indigo Prefecture, and Mosi had discussed the Four Divine Beasts clan.

From what Mosi had said, it seemed as though the Four Divine Beasts clan had fallen on hard times.

But even despite that, it should still be almost comparable to the Bagshaw clan.

“The Bagshaw clan, at Miluo Island, is in complete control. No one dares offend them! Despite countless years having passed, Miluo Island’s fame remains widespread. There’s no way something like this could happen at Miluo Island, where those who serve the Bagshaw clan will be killed!”

Linley really couldn’t believe it.

The Indigo Prefecture could be said to be the main headquarters for the Four Divine Beasts clan. How could something like this happen within the borders of the mighty Four Divine Beasts clan? How could a truly powerful clan allow something like this to happen?

Anyone who thought about it for even a moment would understand.

If a truly powerful clan encountered something like this, they would definitely eradicate the entire ‘Boleyn clan’, killing them as a warning sign to frighten others!

“The situation doesn’t make sense.” Linley narrowed his eyes. The joy he had felt upon arriving at his clan’s territory instantly evaporated, and Linley began to worry. It seemed as the situation the Four Divine Beasts clan was in wasn’t what he had thought it would be.

In the metallic lifeform, Tarosse, Bebe, Delia, and the others were all mystified by what they had just seen.

Tarosse said with a solemn look, “Linley, it seems as though the Four Divine Beasts clan doesn’t have much power within Indigo Prefecture.” When Linley had invited Tarosse and the others to Indigo Prefecture, he had said that that within the Indigo Prefecture, given the strength and influence of the Four Divine Beasts clan, they shouldn’t encounter any more dangers.

But now, it seemed…

“I don’t understand either.” Linley’s face was solemn.

After all, he had never gone to the Four Divine Beasts clan before. All he knew, he gained from outside sources of information.

“I’m sorry. It seems as though I’ve caused everyone to enter a dangerous situation.” Linley couldn’t help but say towards Olivier, Tarosse, and the others. When he had invited them to come with him, he had wanted for all of them from the Yulan continent to be together and that there wouldn’t be much danger.

As he saw it, there shouldn’t be any dangers in the main lair for his clan.

But it seemed he was wrong!

Dylin laughed. “Linley, don’t worry about it. No matter what happens, my life can be considered to belong to you. What have I to fear?”

“Let’s go. Even if someone wants to kill us, first they have to have enough power to do so!” Tarosse said.

Linley nodded. If the Four Divine Beasts clan was comparable to the Bagshaw clan, then, as an incredibly powerful force, there was no way they would simply be destroyed. As the saying goes, a camel which died of starvation is still larger than a horse.

Mosi’s words implied that the weakened Four Divine Beasts clan was still comparable to the Bagshaw clan.

But before its downfall?

How could such an originally incomparably powerful clan possibly be completely destroyed?

“Let’s go to Fansi City first.”

Fansi City was a city in the eastern part of Indigo Prefecture, and was the first city which Linley’s group was heading towards in Indigo Prefecture. Fansi City was just like every other city in the Infernal Realm; it was very bustling!

The streets were rowdy and filled with people everywhere.

“Boss, where shall we go to find the location of the Four Divine Beasts clan?” Bebe asked, puzzled.

The War God, O’Brien, laughed. “Any place works. For example, the Fiend Castle. We can just ask some people there. There are definitely people here in the Indigo Prefecture who know quite a bit regarding the exceedingly famous Four Divine Beasts clan.”

Asking around at the Fiend Castle was indeed an excellent idea.

“No rush. Let’s go to the Bloodridge Castle first!” Linley said.

The Redbud Continent had Redbud Castles, while the Bloodridge Continent had Bloodridge Castles. The two were the same; they both purchased and sold large quantities of items.

“Why are we going to the Bloodridge Castle?” Dylin asked.

“Bebe, do you still remember how we had gone shopping for books that time in the Redbud Castle?” Linley turned to look at Bebe, who hurriedly nodded. “I remember. That time, we went to buy some books regarding the geography of the Infernal Realm.”

“Right. Last time, we only went to investigate the general geography of the Infernal Realm, which is why in the books we bought, the information regarding each of the 108 Prefectures was very brief. But that time, however, we did see quite a few books which discussed each prefecture in detail.”

There had been five or six centimeter thick books that discussed each prefecture.

Those detailed books each focused on one prefecture, and naturally would discuss and point out some of the unique areas in a prefecture, as well as provide some very detailed information on some of the most powerful clans. Most likely, even some ultimate experts would be described within.

Delia’s eyes lit up, and she nodded in agreement. “Buy one which goes into detail regarding the ‘Indigo Prefecture’. The Four Divine Beasts clan is very famous in Indigo Prefecture. It will definitely be described in detail, and the location will be clearly mentioned as well.”

Linley laughed and nodded.

If they asked others, others might point them to a specific place which they didn’t even know was located where.

After all, they had never had a detailed map of the Indigo Prefecture. They only knew the rough geography of the place. By buying a detailed book regarding the Indigo Prefecture, they would even get a clear understanding of the geographical information in the Indigo Prefecture.

“Buying books? I’ve never gone book shopping in the Infernal Realm.” Tarosse laughed.

“You normally lived on Miluo Island. Why would you need to buy books? You’d only go buy them when you needed them.” Linley said, then headed towards the Bloodridge Castle.

The three castles in every single city were bustling with activity. Following the flow of people, Linley’s group quickly reached the Bloodridge Castle. At the gate to the Bloodridge Castle, there were Bloodridge Army soldiers standing guard.

“Heh heh, I must say, the uniform of the Bloodridge Army is quite stylish. It’s much better than that of the Redbud Army and the Starmist Army.” Bebe said softly as he looked at the Bloodridge Army soldiers at the gates.

Linley glanced at them. “The baleful aura it emanates is rather heavier than that of the Redbud Army and the Starmist Army.”

“Let’s go.” As he spoke, Linley led the group into the first floor of the Bloodridge Castle. The way the Bloodridge Castle was organized was quite similar to the Redbud Castle. Linley’s group easily found the room which specialized in selling a large number of books.

In the room, there were only three people, one of whom was the staff member.

“What do you want to buy?” Seeing Linley’s group walk in, and that most were Highgods, the staff member immediately came to welcome them.

“Which book has information regarding the location of the Four Divine Beasts clan?” Bebe was the first to say.

But Linley said, “This place should have a detailed description of the entire Indigo Prefecture, right? Give me that book.”

“We do.” The female staff member withdrew an enormous, black covered book that was two fingers thick, then walked over and handed it to Linley. “This one should be the book with the most complete introduction to the Indigo Prefecture.”

Linley immediately accepted it and began to flip through it.

This book, in its table of contents, was divided into ‘geography’, ‘dangerous areas’, ‘famous people’, ‘clans’…and so on and so forth. From the table of contents, Linley easily found the top ranked ‘Four Divine Beasts clan’.

“Page 158!” Linley couldn’t help but grow excited.

The first thing which drew Linley’s attention was…

The Four Divine Beasts clan was actually the general term for four mighty clans of divine beasts.

They were:

The Azure Dragon clan: The Redding [Lei’ding] clan!

The Vermilion Bird clan: The Nimo [Ne’mo] clan!

The White Tiger clan: The Laius [Li’e’si] clan!

The Black Tortoise clan: The Bowen [Bo’wen] clan!

The Four Divine Beasts clan was led by the Azure Dragon clan, the Redding clan. The four great clans were joined together into one, and were spread throughout the Four Higher Planes…

While reading the detailed information regarding the Four Divine Beasts clan, Linley couldn’t help but begin to sweat. The history of the Four Divine Beasts clan simply astonished Linley. So originally, the Four Divine Beasts clan wasn’t just limited to the Infernal Realm!

“Divine Water Plane, Divine Earth Plane, Divine Fire Plane, Divine Wind Plane, and the Four Higher Planes of the Celestial Realm, Netherworld, Infernal Realm, Life Realm…they all have branches of the Four Divine Beasts clan!”

Linley was completely thunderstruck.

Based on the description within the book, the Four Divine Beasts clan was considered an extremely, terrifyingly powerful clan throughout the Four Higher Planes as well as the Seven Divine Planes. They were spread everywhere, but of course, in the Infernal Realm, Indigo Prefecture was a headquarters for the Four Divine Beasts clan.

“They are so powerful?” Linley found it hard to believe.

“Boss, lemme see.” Bebe, seeing the look on Linley’s face, couldn’t help but snatch the book over from Linley and begin to read it carefully as well. As he read, Bebe’s eyes began to grow round. “Wow, Boss, the Four Divine Beasts clan is really badass.”

Delia leaned over to look as well.

“They really are quite formidable.” Delia was stunned as well.

“We can leave now. I now know where the Four Divine Beasts clan is located.” Linley couldn’t help but smile. The Four Divine Beasts clan was the root and foundation of his own Baruch clan, which could only be considered one of the many branches.

Naturally, Linley was delighted at how powerful the main clan was.

“Wait.” Linley suddenly frowned.

If the Four Divine Beasts clan truly was so powerful, then why was it that when he came, he saw that member of the Boleyn clan, the one who could grow golden wings, be so arrogant and unbridled?

“You are looking for the location of the Four Divine Beasts clan?” Suddenly, a clear voice rang out.

Linley’s group turned to look. The speaker was that female staff member.

The female staff member laughed and said, “If you want to just follow the information in the book to look for them, there’s no way you’ll find the Four Divine Beasts clan.”

“Eh?” Linley was stunned.

“Why not? Is the book fake?” Bebe immediately asked.

The female staff member shook her head. “No, the descriptions in the book are real.”

“If they are real, then why can’t we find them?” Bebe said.

The female staff member laughed. “This book is in general circulation and for sale in every single city in the Infernal Realm. Because the Infernal Realm is too vast, just sending it out to each location will most likely take a thousand years.”

Linley nodded. To send it throughout the Infernal Realm, it would indeed take upwards of a thousand years.

“Because the shipping process alone takes so much time, the geographical information in the book will be re-evaluated and updated once every million years. This book is several hundred thousand years old, and it described what the situation was like for the Four Divine Beasts clan hundreds of thousands of years ago.” The female staff said.

The Infernal Realm was vast and endless. A million years, in the ancient history of the Infernal Realm, really wasn’t much.

“Are you saying…?” Linley began to understand.

“Right.” The female staff member laughed. “If you asked others, they might not know, but since I’ve always lived in Indigo Prefecture, I’m quite familiar with the Four Divine Beasts clan. The Four Divine Beasts clan, roughly ten thousand years ago, underwent a huge change. The branches that had been located in the Divine Planes or the other Higher Planes all returned and regrouped here in the Indigo Prefecture of the Infernal Realm.”

Linley now understood.

Lord Beirut had not deceived him. The current Four Divine Beasts clan really was in Indigo Prefecture.

Delia asked, puzzled, “What caused the Four Divine Beasts clan to summon and concentrate all of their branches here in the Indigo Prefecture?” Delia didn’t understand.

“I’m not sure.” The female staff member said with a laugh. “That year, a large number of experts of the Four Divine Beasts clan returned, but when they did so, they shook the entire Indigo Prefecture, because when they returned, they brought countless battles with them!”

“Countless battles?” Linley was stunned.

“Right.” The female staff member nodded, then laughed. “But of course, I’m just a minor figure, and what I know is limited. All I know is that back then, the battles were quite fierce. Afterwards, the Four Divine Beasts clans that had been scattered throughout Indigo Prefecture all came together at one location.”

“One location?” Linley still clearly remembered what that book he had read had said.

As that book had described it, in the Four Divine Beasts clan, each of the four clans was located in one of four locations.

“Right. The Four Divine Beasts clans are living quite close to each other now. The place they live is known as the Skyrite Mountains!” The female staff member said.

Hearing this, Linley immediately thought back to when he had first read the book giving a general introduction to the geographical features of the Infernal Realm, and the information it had regarding the Skyrite Mountains. The Skyrite Mountains were a very famous area within the Indigo Prefecture.

It could, in fact, be described as the mountain range which symbolized the Indigo Prefecture.

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 4, Seize Them

After leaving the city of Fansi, Linley’s group immediately rode on their metallic lifeform to head towards the Skyrite Mountains.

“The Skyrite Mountains are located within the northern borders of Indigo Prefecture. From Fansi City, there is a distance of nearly two hundred million kilometers. To fly there will take half a year.” Linley felt rather relaxed.

After knowing where the Four Divine Beasts clan was, Linley also understood: “Most likely, this place is too far away from the Skyrite Mountains, which is why the Boleyn clan dared to be so arrogant.” This was Linley’s guess.

“Another half year to go.” Bebe stretched lazily, letting out a long sigh, then looked at Linley. “Heh heh, Boss, let’s have a contest and see who will be the first to master a fifth profound mystery. What do you say?”

Linley had already reached the late stages in training in the Profound Truths of Strength.

As for Bebe, he had already reached a peak with regards to this fifth profound mystery of Darkness, and as soon as he gained an insight, he would break through. But ‘insights’ were something that one could hope for but not count on. Who knew how long Bebe would take?

Linley immediately calmed down and began training.

While training, time passed extremely quickly. Linley was only awakened from his training on three occasions. By the fourth time he opened his eyes, they were only a few hundred thousand kilometers away from the Skyrite Mountains and were about to arrive.

The metallic lifeform’s front became transparent, and Linley’s group could completely see through the metallic lifeform to the front.

“Skyrite Mountains! The Four Divine Beasts clan!” Linley felt that his breathing was growing ragged. The blood in his body was beginning to boil. He had come all the way over here from the Yulan continent. Finally, he was returning to his own clan.

“I can see it. The Skyrite Mountains are up ahead.” Delia said in delight.

Linley’s eyes were shining.

One massive mountain peak after another could be seen piercing through the clouds and the sky, each of them astonishingly high. The reason why this area was known as the ‘Skyrite’ Mountains was precisely because so many mountain peaks here were so tall.

“That is…”

Linley’s eyes couldn’t help but light up. He saw an enormous bird of almost the same size as a mountain peak that looked as though it was about to take flight, its entire body surrounded by flames. Its feathers were fiery red, and it had green plumage on its forehead. Linley and the others could all feel the dominating aura which emanated forth from it.

“What an enormous sculpture.” Linley couldn’t help but be amazed. “It has to be at least a hundred kilometers tall.” The tallest mountain peaks of the Skyrite Mountains reached upwards of tens of thousands of meters.

This enormous sculpture was comparable in height to the tallest of mountain peaks.

From the book he had read half a year ago, Linley had gained a better understanding of the Four Divine Beasts clan and had learned that the ‘Four Divine Beasts’ referred to the ‘Azure Dragon’, the ‘White Tiger’, the ‘Vermilion Bird’, and the ‘Black Tortoise.’ Just from the names ‘Azure Dragon’ and ‘White Tiger’, Linley was able to understand what the creatures represented.

But Linley had never heard of a ‘Vermilion Bird’ or a ‘Black Tortoise’.

After carefully reading through the book as well as reviewing some of the pictures in the book, Linley learned that a ‘Vermilion Bird’ was a fire-type divine beast that was similar to a ‘Fire Phoenix’, but which was far more powerful. As for the ‘Black Tortoise’, it was an earth-type divine beast that seemed quite similar in appearance to the ‘Dragon-Turtles’ which Linley had seen before.

Even the divine beast ‘Azure Dragon’ was not like those enormous winged dragons that he had seen on the Yulan continent, nor was it like the Tyrant Wyrms. It was a dominating, noble, and utterly perfect, true divine beast.

The most powerful water-type divine beast – the Azure Dragon.

“The southern parts of the Skyrite Mountains should be where the Vermilion Bird clan resides.” Linley immediately controlled the metallic lifeform, ordering it to fly towards the northeast.

Indeed, the eastern part of the Skyrite Mountains was where the Azure Dragon clan lived.

“This…”

In mid-air, staring afar at the distant sight of the Azure Dragon’s ‘Redding’ clan, Linley was stupefied. Even Delia, Bebe, Olivier, Tarosse, and the others were so shocked, they couldn’t speak.

An enormous, coiling dragon that was over tens of thousands kilometers long was within the mountain range.

Of course, it wasn’t a real dragon.

This enormous coiling dragon covered an area of tens of thousands of kilometers, and carved atop of its massive body were giant draconic scales. At the same time, it was also, in and of itself, a long passageway in the mountains, and the entire passageway emitted an azure light. From afar, it truly looked like an enormous, terrifying Azure Dragon!

“To build an enormous edifice of tens of thousands of kilometers long in the Infernal Realm is…unbelievable.” Tarosse sighed in shock.

“Look carefully. The entire body of this Azure Dragon is actually one long passageway, with many castles and residences around that passageway.” Dylin said loudly.

Linley was completely lost in the awe-inspiring sight before him. A ‘dragon passageway’ that was tens of thousands of kilometers long and which coiled through the mountains, with castles and estates surrounding its perimeter and which formed a perfect whole with it.

In front of the dragon’s head was an enormous golden castle, which looked like a dragon pearl.

“The aura and majesty alone far surpasses any clan that I’ve ever seen.” Linley was truly stunned.

The Four Divine Beasts clan had originally dominated the Four Higher Planes and Seven Divine Planes. Even after their fall, they wouldn’t forget the former glory of their clan. Naturally, they cared deeply about the construction of their clan’s headquarters.

Although they had seen it from afar, Linley’s group had to fly for quite a while before arriving at the base of the Skyrite Mountains.

Standing at the base of the mountains, Linley’s group stared afar through the ‘dragon passageway’, staring at the many patrolling soldiers dressed in azure armor. For a moment, they felt their hearts clench. At a glance, the warriors here were more than ten thousand in number.

But Linley’s group could tell that every single one of them was a Highgod!

“So many experts!” Tarosse sighed in amazement. “The Four Divine Beasts clan really lives up to its name. At least in the number of Highgod warriors, it isn’t the slightest bit inferior to the Bagshaw clan.”

“This is a true, powerful, great clan.” Dylin sighed in amazement as well.

Salomon’s ‘Boyd’ clan had been decent, but these clans, when compared to the Bagshaw clan or the Four Divine Beasts clan, were nothing at all. Look at the Bagshaw clan or the Four Divine Beasts clan; every single soldier in their clan army was a Highgod.

“This is the Azure Dragon clan!” Linley felt his blood pumping. “My roots, the roots of my Baruch clan!”

This seemingly endless dragon passageway gave Linley such a familiar feeling, one which made the blood in his veins thunder. It was a feeling akin to when the prodigal son returned home. The sense of belonging was extremely strong.

“Linley.” Delia held Linley’s hand.

Linley turned to glance at Delia. The two, looking at each other, couldn’t help but laugh. They had experienced nearly seven centuries of turbulence. When they had first come to the Infernal Realm, Linley was just a Demigod. But now, he could effortless kill ordinary Highgods.

They had made their way over. And now, finally, they had reached their destination.

The root and foundation of the Four Supreme Warriors!

The legendary Four Divine Beasts clan’s gathering point: The Indigo Prefecture’s ‘Skyrite Mountains’!

“Who goes there!” A loud shout from up above.

From the wide dragon passageway, ten soldiers who had previously been on patrol flew over, and the captain of the squad barked, “This is an important area of my Azure Dragon clan. You need to leave immediately.”

Laughing, Linley replied, “Gentlemen, I myself am a branch member of the Azure Dragon clan. I have been in the Infernal Realm for a very long time, but I’ve finally made it here.”

“Hurry up and welcome us.” Bebe said loudly. “It’s been so long, and we’ve really been exhausted.”

“You belong to a branch of my Redding clan?” The captain looked at Linley dubiously. “Kid, the members of my clan returned a long, long time ago.” The other members of the patrol didn’t quite believe it either.

“You should know that our Azure Dragon clan is capable of Dragonforming.” One of the patrolling soldiers said.

Linley laughed.

“Crackle…” Immediately, azure-golden draconic scales sprouted from everywhere on Linley’s body, and a spike emerged from his forehead. Linley’s dark golden eyes stared at the captain. “Now, do you believe me?”

Those patrolling soldiers all began to laugh as well.

The captain was also all smiles. “Indeed! And judging from your body’s aura, it seems as though you come from a fairly pure lineage. But how come you have those spikes on your back? Still, there’s no mistaking that aura.”

Dragonforming was a very simple way by which one could tell if one was a member of the Azure Dragon clan or not.

The Draconians of the ‘beastmen’ race were completely different from the Dragonform of the Azure Dragon clan. In terms of both power as well as aura, the difference was tremendous. They just looked a bit similar.

“Haha, brother, you’ve had an arduous trip.” The captain immediately laughed and went to welcome them, saying in a sincere voice, “When our clan retreated from the various planes, we really were in too much of a rush. Most likely, at that time, you weren’t able to come back with everyone else at the time.”

The captain let out a long sigh.

“At that time, our main army returned as well, but it was disastrous. That year, my brother died in battle.” Tears glimmered at the corner of the captain’s eyes. “Let’s go. Let’s go home! At home, you’ll be safe.”

The two words, “go home”, caused Linley to tremble with emotion.

“These friends of mine came alongside me.” Linley said.

“Them?” The captain frowned.

“What is it?” Linley was puzzled.

The captain said with a frown. “These are your friends, and you plan to live with them?”

“Right.” Linley nodded. “They risked life and death to travel with me. It would be good if we can live together. What, is that forbidden?”

“It’s not that it cannot be done.” The captain reflected for a moment, then said, “The administrative rules of our clan are quite strict. If it was just you by yourself, you would receive a superb welcome, but if you want to bring them in, you’ll have to live in a fairly distant, remote part of the Skyrite Mountains.”

“Remote is fine with me.” Linley shook his head.

“That’s fine then.” The captain nodded, then laughed. “Come, go with me to register yourself. We’ll investigate what branch you belong to. Hey, you guys can come along as well.” The captain addressed Tarosse and Bebe and the others.

Linley’s group immediately flew in along with the ten patrol soldiers.

“Brother, my name is Yeer [Yi’er]. I came back from the Divine Fire Plane. Which plane are you from? How could your lineage be so pure?” While walking, the captain asked in a warm, friendly manner.

“Right, which plane are you from?” The other patrolling soldiers laughed as well.

“I, I’m from the Yulan Plane.” Linley laughed.

The captain’s expression instantly hardened, and the same thing happened with the other soldiers.

“Seize them!” Captain Yeer shouted icily, and immediately, the other nine patrolling soldiers moved aside as fast as lightning, immediately surrounding Linley’s group of people. From higher up the ‘dragon passageway’, many patrolling soldiers who saw these going-on’s immediately flew over as well.

Linley’s group was stupefied.

“Hey, what’s this all about?” Bebe immediately shouted.

Linley just looked at the captain. “Captain Yeer, what’s going on? Why are you suddenly seizing me?”

Captain Yeer said calmly, “Sorry, brother! The Azure Dragon ‘Redding’ clan, although spread out across many planes, is only spread out across the Higher Planes and the Divine Planes. I’ve never heard of a Yulan Plane.”

“Aren’t I a member of the Azure Dragon clan?” Linley asked.

“You are. I’m certain of this.” Yeer nodded.

“However, if we can’t be completely certain of your history and which lineage you belong to, then you can’t be completely trusted either.” The captain said emotionlessly. “Some members were scattered across the multiverse when they were young, and were raised by other clans, who trained them and then sent them back to be spies! This has happened more than once.”

In the past ten thousand years, the Azure Dragon clan had become exceedingly cautious. Because…they had suffered too much previously when they weren’t.

“You suspect me of being a spy?” Linley found it hard to believe.

“Captain Yeer, if I were a spy, I wouldn’t say I’m from the Yulan Plane. I would make up a perfect identity and status.” Linley said urgently.

Delia spoke out as well. “Captain Yeer, you might not have heard of the Yulan Plane lineage, but that doesn’t mean others in your clan haven’t heard of it either. Please go investigate first.”

“Hmph. Which lineage am I unaware of?” Captain Yeer was extremely confident.

“What’s going on here?” A bark rang out from above, and a middle-aged man dressed in light gray robes flew over.

Captain Yeer, upon seeing this person, immediately said with respect, “Milord, there is a person here who claims to be a member of our Azure Dragon clan, and indeed, he has the lineage of the Azure Dragon clan. However, he claims he is from the Yulan Plane lineage. I have never heard that our clan has a branch in a ‘Yulan Plane’.”

“Oh?” The middle-aged man looked towards Linley’s group in astonishment.

“The Yulan Plane branch?” The middle-aged man looked towards them. “Who?”

“Me.” Linley stood up.

The middle-aged man laughed. “Right, our Azure Dragon clan does in fact have a branch on the Yulan Plane.”

Captain Yeer and the other soldiers were all surprised.

“This was something from six thousand years ago. Not many people know this.” The middle-aged man said with a calm laugh. “Their branch called themselves the ‘Baruch’ clan. Quite peculiar. Nobody knows which elder ended up starting up this branch.”

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 5, Baruch

When Linley heard them mention the ‘Baruch clan’, his heart relaxed. His ancestors in the Baruch clan were in the Infernal Realm after all, and they really were here. For a moment, a hundred emotions mixed in Linley’s heart.

“Right, right. The Baruch clan.” Bebe was unspeakably delighted. “Boss, we finally found them.”

“Linley.” Delia felt happy for Linley as well.

The nearby Olivier, O’Brien, Tarosse, and Dylin were all smiles as well. The Baruch clan, in the Yulan continent, was so very famous, but this was the first time they had heard others speak of it in the Infernal Realm.

“Linley, congratulations.” Dylin laughed.

“There’s no mistaking it this time.” Cesar and the others laughed as well.

Linley was jubilant. He had been guided by the teachings of his clan since he was young, and Linley clearly knew what the ancestors of the clan had done. And now, today, he was finally going to meet with the ancestors of his clan.

“Milord, I belong to the Baruch clan. Please hurry and take me to see the ancestors of my clan.” Linley couldn’t help but say.

“Impudence!” Captain Yeer let out a cold snort.

Linley was startled.

“Do you know what status his lordship has? Him, personally take you there?” Captain Yeer was very unhappy that this person in front of him didn’t understand the differences in status between them. “As for whether or not you belong to the Yulan branch, everything will be made clear soon. Don’t be too happy too early.”

The middle-aged man chuckled. “Yeer, you can make the trip yourself.” After speaking, the middle-aged man turned and flew away.

Yeer looked coldly at Linley’s group. “All of you, listen up. Later, when we enter the inner reaches of the Skyrite Mountains, don’t fly around randomly. Follow me! If you bump into or disturb the high level members of our clan, when they look for someone to blame, I won’t be able to protect you.”

“Understood.”

But Linley could sense how strict ranks were within the Four Divine Beasts clan.

“Follow me.” Yeer flew up ahead, while Linley’s group immediately followed. The Skyrite Mountains were exceedingly vast, and the eastern part of them was the place where the Azure Dragon clan’s clansmen lived.

Linley and the others travelled through the ‘dragon passageway’.

The dragon passageway was fifty meters wide, while the edges of it were carved draconic scales. This tens of thousands of kilometers long, coiling dragon passageway, rose and fell as it winded through the mountains. Countless estates and castles were erected by the side of this dragon passageway, with human figures visible within all of them.

“Boss, there’s so many people here.” Bebe’s eyes rolled in their sockets. “As I see it, the Azure Dragon clan has to have at least a million people in it. Boss, as I recall, your clan seems to be unable to produce many children.”

Linley chuckled.

Indeed. The more powerful a race or clan was, the smaller their population was.

“But as time goes on, the accumulated population will still be a large figure.” Linley said casually.

Hypothetically, a new generation might be born every hundred years.

Each member might have one or two children. As time went on, especially as hundreds of millions of years passed, how many clan members would a clan have? After all, upon reaching the Saint level, one wouldn’t die of old age.

Only by being killed.

“After being born, we still have to survive.” Captain Yeer said from up ahead. “In the past, our Four Divine Beasts clan was very powerful and was capable of protecting all of our descendants. Naturally, our population grew greater and greater. But now, it isn’t so simple.”

Linley couldn’t help but grow puzzled.

What exactly had caused the Four Divine Beasts clan to fall?

“That castle is so beautiful.” Delia said gently into Linley’s ears. Linley turned and saw a completely blue castle, with only variations in the deepness or lightness of the coloration, creating a very unique, beautiful appearance that was indeed quite mesmerizing.

“Remember, just fly on Dragon Avenue and don’t fly elsewhere.” Yeer warned.

Bebe snorted, and Linley couldn’t help but look towards Bebe and laugh. “Bebe, our clan’s rules are a bit strict. When we are back to our own residence, things will be better.” Linley was currently in a very good mood.

“I know.” Bebe sent back through divine sense.

While chatting, Linley, under the guidance of Yeer, arrived through Dragon Avenue at a very ordinary two-story building created halfway up a mountain. This two story building had a white-haired elder slouching over a chair with half-lidded eyes, seemingly quite relaxed.

“Hanuman [Ha’ne’man].” Yeer laughed.

The white-haired elder opened his eyes, then laughed and stood up. “Oh, Yeer, it’s you. Why’d you come to my place today?”

“We just met a member of our clan who has our lineage. Please help out by going with us for an investigation and a registration.” Yeer explained.

“Which one?” The white-haired elder turned to look at Linley’s group.

“Him!” Yeer pointed at Linley, who laughed and said to the white-haired elder, ‘Mr. Hanuman, I am Linley. I come from the Baruch clan of the Yulan Plane!”

“Oh, Baruch clan? The branch from the Yulan continent. I know.” Hanuman’s eyebrows danced, and he began to laugh. “Our Azure Dragon clan is also known as the Redding clan. Virtually all of our branches refer to ourselves as the ‘Redding clan’, and only a very few branches who don’t know the real name will casually choose a name for themselves. Your Baruch clan is one of them.”

Linley could only grin.

The first generation of his clan, Baruch, didn’t know of the Azure Dragon clan, nor that they were members of the Redding clan. Thus, he had founded his Baruch clan.

“For you to be able to report that you are a member of the Baruch clan…I trust that you are a member of our clan.” Hanuman shook his head helplessly. “However, the clan has rules. We must undergo a strict test, therefore…I need you to go meet with your ancestors.”

“Meet with my ancestors?” Linley was beginning to grow excited.

“Right. You have to meet them in order to completely ascertain your identity.” Hanuman then looked towards Yeer. “Yeer, your role is done. You go take care of your business. I’ll accompany them.”

Yeer nodded, then left.

“It’s rare to encounter a lost clan member who returns to us, even in a thousand year span.” Hanuman sighed. “Let’s go. Follow me. Let’s go meet the ancestors of your branch.”

Linley hurriedly followed him, while the group behind Linley began to chat amongst themselves.

“The Four Supreme Warriors of the past…the Dragonblood Warrior, ‘Baruch’. It’s been nearly six thousand years since I’ve seen him.” Cesar had a rare smile on his face. “I wonder how those old fellows are doing these days.”

O’Brien nodded as well.

“Old fellows?” Hanuman, walking up ahead, turned and frowned. “The oldest member of the Yulan continent branch is just six thousand years old. And you call him an ‘old fellow’? In our clan, I don’t even know how many members have trained for hundreds of millions of years. The Yulan continent branch, in our Redding clan, is a very young branch.”

“Very young branch?”

Linley’s group looked at each other.

In the Yulan continent, thousands of years of history definitely could be considered a very long history. But in the Infernal Realm, thousands of years was just ‘very young’. Compared to the other branches, which were hundreds of millions old, they were indeed very young.

“Old sir,” Bebe called out, “We see many castles and estates everywhere throughout the mountain ranges, with so many people. Old sir, do you clearly remember where the Yulan continent’s branch lives?”

“How could I not!”

Hanuman stared. “Even with my eyes closed, I, Hanuman, can easily find the residences of any of our Redding clan’s various branches or of our ultimate experts.”

“But we’ve been flying on this Dragon Avenue for so long. How come we aren’t there yet?” Bebe muttered.

Hanuman couldn’t help but frown at Bebe. “Kid with the straw hat, in this group, it seems you are the most talkative.”

“Bebe.” Linley said softly.

“Hmph.” Bebe let out a low snort, not daring to say another word.

Only now did Hanuman say, “The Yulan continent branch is a very weak branch. These weak, small branches are located deep in the border areas. That’s why it takes some time to fly there. We haven’t even flown a tenth of the way there.”

After flying for a long time, and after having seen more than a hundred thousand patrolling soldiers, Linley’s group finally reached their destination.

“Here we are.” Hanuman immediately flew out of the Dragon Avenue. “Follow me.”

Linley’s group had also discovered that not too far away, there was a large gorge. Hanuman was flying straight for that gorge, and so Linley’s group followed him in as well. The gorge had fog and mist within.

While descending through it, they passed through the foggy mist and could vaguely see some small buildings up ahead.

“This place contains your Yulan branch, as well as some other branches.” Hanuman said. “This gorge has in total more than ten thousand people.”

“Baruch!” Hanuman suddenly shouted loudly.

“Baruch!” “Baruch!” “Baruch!” The entire gorge reverberated with this shout, and Linley’s group was badly startled by Hanuman’s sudden shout.

They landed on the flat ground in the gorge.

From afar, dozens of figures flew over at high speed, the leader being a muscular man with powerful, protruding chest muscles and a sleeveless shirt. His brown hair was rather mussed, and his eyes flowed with wisdom.

“Haha, so it is Mr. Hanuman.” The muscular, brown-haired man laughed in a loud voice.

A group of people followed him from behind. Most of them had long brown hair, with a few having golden hair or blue hair.

Linley stared at this group of people.

“He is Baruch? The founder of my Baruch clan?” Linley’s heart felt as though it had been struck by a massive hammer. The dozens of people who had flown over were mostly men, with a few women as well.

Linley, seeing them, had a familiar feeling appear in his heart.

“Baruch.” Hanuman laughed. “Today, I’ve come because a member of our clan says that he is from the Yulan continent and that he is from your Baruch clan.”

Linley’s eyes were shining.

Indeed, the man in front was Baruch! The founder of the Dragonblood Warrior clan!

“From the Yulan continent?” Baruch was stunned, and then wild joy appeared in his eyes.

“Someone came from the Yulan continent? And says that he is of our Baruch clan?” A muscular, handsome youth by Baruch’s side hurriedly spoke out as well, while at the same time, he swept the group of people behind Hanuman with his gaze.

As though he sensed something, his gaze fell on Linley!

This was the call of blood ties.

But Baruch’s gaze fell on another person – Cesar!

“Cesar! It’s you!” Baruch was amazed and delighted.

“Haha, Baruch, I didn’t expect that after you suddenly disappeared, you old fellow, you actually had run off to the Infernal Realm.” Cesar laughed as well.

“O’Brien?” Baruch then looked at the War God, ‘O’Brien’.

“Baruch, long time no see.” O’Brien greeted him as well.

Hanuman intentionally said in an unhappy manner, “Hey? I’m here today to verify this person’s status and see if he is a member of your clan. Baruch, give me a hand and help me confirm his identity.”

“Oh.” Only now did Baruch come to himself.

“He is Linley.” Hanuman laughed. “He says he is of the Baruch clan.” As he spoke, he pointed towards Linley.

Immediately, the group of people behind Baruch all turned their gazes towards Linley. These elders had gazes filled with incomparable ardor. They hadn’t been back for thousands of years. The return of a descendant of their clan naturally made them excited.

Actually, upon seeing Cesar and O’Brien, Baruch was already certain that this ‘Linley’ should definitely be a descendant of his clan.

“Please help verify him.” Hanuman said.

Baruch nodded, then looked at Linley. “Linley, right? If you are a member of my Baruch clan, then you should know…that in our clan’s ancestral hall, there are recordings regarding the generations of ancestors of the clan.”

Linley opened his mouth and began to speak.

“Baruch, the very first Dragonblood Warrior of the Yulan continent. In the year 4560 of the Yulan calendar, outside the walls of the city of Linnan, Baruch did battle against a Black Dragon and a Titanic Frost Wyrm. In the end, he slew both the Titanic Frost Wyrm and the Black Dragon, causing his fame to be spread across the world. In the year 4579 of the Yulan calendar, along the coastline of the northern sea of the continent, Baruch did battle against a Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor. On that day, the waves crashed unceasingly and nearby cities crumbled, but after a vicious fight lasting a full day and night, Baruch finally executed the Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor….finally, Baruch founded the Baruch clan, and became the first leader of the Baruch clan!”

“Ryan Baruch…”

“Hazard Baruch…”

Linley described the affairs of three ancestors in succession. Baruch and the group of people behind him were all so excited that their eyes turned moist.

“Right. Right.” Baruch said hurriedly.

Baruch strode forward and immediately enfolded Linley into his arms. “Child, welcome home.”

[AnimeFan9001]

Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 6, The Weakest, Smallest Branch

“Welcome home!” These words caused a hot feeling to gush forth from Linley’s chest.

Feeling the caring gaze of the Baruch clansmen on him, Linley suddenly realized that the difficulties he had endured through the nearly seven hundred years he had spent in the Redbud Continent, traversing the Starmist Sea, and hurrying through the Bloodridge Continent was all worth it!

After wandering in the Infernal Realm for so many years, he had finally returned home!

Baruch released Linley, then looked at Linley, his fierce face hiding unshed tears. “Linley, you must’ve had a rough time of it.”

“Mr. Hanuman, thank you.” Baruch looked towards Hanuman. “This Linley is indeed of my Yulan continent branch.”

“Haha, Baruch, congratulations. Here is the emblem of our clan. Let Linley bind it with blood.” Hanuman handed out an emblem, then laughed and said, “I won’t disturb you further.” As he spoke, Hanuman flew away and departed.

Baruch gave the emblem to Linley.

“Bind it with blood?” Linley studied the emblem.

“This shows your status as a clansman. All members of the clan have it.” Baruch explained, and Linley immediately bound it with blood. In the instant that he did, Linley found out to his astonishment…

That he could actually sense the emblems which others carried.

“Indeed, by relying on this, one can easily differentiate whether or not someone is a member of the clan.”

“Linley.” Behind Baruch, that handsome youth was all smiles. “Do you know who I am?”

Linley couldn’t help but be startled. He had never before met any of the ancestors of his clan. How could he know their name or identities?

“My name is Ryan.” The handsome youth said. “You were talking about my affairs, just now.”

Only now did Linley understand, and he laughed, “Our first Golden Dragonrider Saint of the Baruch clan!”

“Haha, Golden Dragonrider Saint. Right, right.” Ryan began to laugh loudly. “Just now, you mentioned myself and Hazard. Hazard, come here.” Behind Ryan was a muscular man with light golden hair.

“Linley, hello.” Hazard said.

Linley opened his mouth, but Linley suddenly realized that he had no idea how he should address them.

Hazard was his great great great…grandpa?

Whether it was Baruch or Ryan or Hazard, all of them were many generations senior to Linley.

Seeing the look on Linley’s face, Baruch was able to guess what Linley was thinking. He laughed, “Linley, in material planes, people’s lifespan are not very long, so generational questions matter. In the Infernal Realm, however, there are many who have lived for over a hundred million years. Caring about generations is no longer meaningful.”

“Look, in our Azure Dragon clan, which has existed for countless billions of years, there might be a gap hundred million generations between an elder and a junior. Tell me, what’s the point?”

Once things got to a certain level, it became pointless.

For example, in the Yulan continent and the O’Brien Empire.

The War God had many descendants. After five thousand years, his descendants were simply too many, and so O’Brien himself didn’t care much about them. Of the disciples he had accepted, the eldest were almost as old as him, while the youngest were comparable to Linley. There could be a gap of five thousand years.

But despite such a huge gap, they still simply viewed themselves as fellow apprentices.

“The Azure Dragon clan has set its roots and scattered its leaves in very many places. It’s possible that two people who were born at the exact same time might be technically separated by countless ‘generations’ in the family hierarchy.” Baruch laughed. “Thus, not just in our own family, in the entire Infernal Realm, which ‘generation’ one is in doesn’t matter much.”

Linley nodded in agreement as well.

“Boss, Grandpa Beirut and I are separated by I don’t even know how many generations, but I still just call him Grandpa.” Bebe said. “Also, Beirut’s three sons. I just call them by their names.”

Bebe was a member of Beirut’s clan, after all. Technically speaking, he could be considered a descendant of Harry and his brothers.

But because the difference between them in the generational hierarchy was simply too great, Bebe just addressed them by their names.

“Haha.” Ryan laughed. “Linley, at first, we had headaches as well over this matter, but now we are all accustomed to it. All members of the Azure Dragon clan just address each other casually. The only thing that matters for status is one’s power!”

If one was powerful, one would be at a higher level in the clan. Even if one was very senior in terms of the hierarchy but had remained a God despite training for trillions of years while another had trained for just ten thousand years to become a Highgod, one had to bow respectfully when seeing that Highgod.

“You can just address me as clan leader. As for the others, you can call them by their names.” Baruch laughed.

“Call them by their names?” Linley felt that it was awkward.

“Of course.” Hazard laughed. “You’ve reached the God level, but most likely were born within the past thousand years. Dozens of years ago, I had another daughter. She is much younger than you. Are you supposed to address her as ‘ancestor’?”

Linley could only laugh.

To these people who had unlimited lifespan, generational hierarchies really did become meaningless.

“Anyone who isn’t directly within three generations of you can simply be addressed by name.” Hazard said.

“Everyone, stop standing there. Come to the main hall.” Baruch laughed, and Linley followed them deeper in, chatting with everyone while walking. Linley also introduced Delia and Bebe.

“Clan leader.” Linley asked, “How many people does our Yulan branch have?”

“A few hundred people.” Baruch laughed as he looked around. “However, in this gorge, there’re a few other branches as well. Our Yulan branch is a very small branch.” But there was something which Baruch had not said…

That his branch was the weakest, smallest branch.

“Baruch, you seem to be in a good mood?” A teasing voice rang out.

The faces of Baruch and the others immediately became rather unpleasant. Linley turned to look at the source of the voice. From not too far away, a few people walked over, the leader a youth with long green hair. The youth had a rather mocking smile on his face. “What happy affair has happened? Tell us and let us hear it.”

“Ignore them. Let’s go!” Baruch said in a low voice.

Linley noticed as well that the other clansmen didn’t look at that green haired youth at all, continuing towards their residence.

“Baruch, I’m talking to you. Why the ugly face?” The green-haired youth shouted with a frown.

The youths behind the green-haired youth seemed to be quite dissatisfied with Baruch as well, one of them snorting, “Baruch, what, are you going to be so arrogant, just because you have someone supporting you? You aren’t going to even pay attention to us when we speak with you?”

The faces of Baruch, Ryan, and the others were exceedingly ugly to behold.

In the Azure Dragon clan, the Yulan branch was the weakest one. When they had been brought over, they had all been Saints. After undergoing the Ancestral Baptism and hard training, although they had made great improvements, the amount of time they had lived was simply too short, just a few thousand years.

Even the strongest member of the Yulan branch was just at the God level!

God?

In the Infernal Realm, especially in an ancient clan like the Four Divine Beasts clan, if even the strongest person in a branch was still just a ‘God’, then it was all but guaranteed that this branch would be viewed in contempt, be mocked, be satire!

The other branches all had many Highgods.

But yours only had Gods? How could you compete against them? It’d be strange if you aren’t mocked, for that matter!

Although everyone in the gorge belonged to a fairly weak branch, at least the other branches had one Highgod!

“Motherf*cker, what’s with all your bullshit?” Bebe shouted angrily.

Tarosse’s face had turned grim as well, and he icily swept these people. “Where have you lot come from, and why are you saying so much bullshit in our place?”

“You…” Those people were stunned, and then infuriated. They had never imagined that in the weakest Yulan branch, the branch which they often mocked and insulted, there would be someone who dared to be so arrogant towards them!

The leading youth began to laugh from rage. “Baruch, your people are quite bold. They dare to insult me, Asru [A’si’lu]!”

Asru himself was a Highgod!

In the Four Divine Beasts clan, being a Highgod didn’t mean much. On the way over through the Dragon Avenue, Linley had seen more than a hundred thousand patrol soldiers, all of whom were Highgods. One could thus imagine how common Highgods were, here!

But…

The Yulan branch didn’t have a single Highgod!

Thus, Asru, as a Highgod, could be arrogant and unbridled in front of the Yulan branch. As for Baruch and the others, they had to just endure it.

“Asru, don’t go too far.” Baruch said in a low voice. “Today, we have guests.”

“I, go too far?” Asru stared.

“Baruch, you’re quite bold. You dare insult Lord Asru?” The people behind Asru called out.

By now, Tarosse and Bebe were unbelievably angry. Tarosse had never viewed an ordinary Highgod with any consideration. “Kid…”

“Shut your mouth!” Asru pointed angrily at Tarosse.

Tarosse was enraged.

Asru laughed coldly, “I know that you others are Highgods. But you don’t seem to be members of our Azure Dragon clan. You are permitted to stay here, where our Azure Dragon clan lives, which is already something you need to feel thankful for. But if you are to fight…the soldiers of the clan will be the first to exterminate you!”

Asru had noticed long ago that Tarosse, Cesar, and the others were Highgods.

But he wasn’t afraid, because this was the territory of the Azure Dragon clan. Through the clan emblem, he had noticed long ago that these were outsiders.

“Cesar, you all, no matter what, cannot fight.” Baruch shook his head and sent mentally, “The reason you can live here is partially due to Linley’s status, and partially because our clan is located in a remote region. But if you were to fight…regardless of whether you were in the right or in the wrong, the clan soldiers will always favor our clansmen. Once you start a fight, they’ll kill you. Linley, look after your people.”

Tarosse, Cesar, and O’Brien were all stunned.

“Don’t worry, clan leader.” Linley replied.

Linley then turned to look at that Asru. Asru was a Highgod? But what was an ordinary Highgod to him? While in the Miluo Island, when he had used the Blackstone Prison, he had committed wanton slaughter when surrounded by tens of thousands of Highgods.

He didn’t even fear tens of thousands of Highgods.

How could he care about this Asru?

“Kid, what are you looking at?” Asru shouted. Asru was in a very bad mood today. This weakest Yulan branch normally was shouted at and mocked by him as he pleased, without saying anything in response. But today, it seemed as though they were being rather arrogant.

“Asru, right?” Linley laughed.

“Right.” Asru raised his chin slightly.

“Linley, don’t cause trouble.” Baruch was rather worried, and he hurriedly sent through divine sense, “The strongest member of our Baruch clan is just a God. Our branch is too weak. We can’t fight with them.”

“Clan leader, I’m a member of the clan. If I were to act against them, the army soldiers wouldn’t favor them, right?” Linley sent through divine sense.

Baruch said, “They won’t favor them, but you are only a Go-…”

Linley immediately turned to look towards Asru. “Asru, I advise you that in the future, after today, you had best not come annoy our Yulan branch.”

“What did you say?” Asru was flabbergasted.

“In the future, don’t annoy us.” Linley said grimly.

Asru stared at Linley, speechless, then raised his head and laughed loudly. “Haha…” Even those youths behind Asru began to laugh loudly.

The Yulan branch was the weakest one in the gorge. They were always picked on and mocked by the other branches. But they were too weak. They couldn’t resist at all.

“Kid, listen up…” Asru pointed at Linley, about to say something. But suddenly…rays of hazy earthen yellow light suddenly sprang up, enveloping Asru and the others.

Blackstone Space – Supergravity!

Asru’s body hunched over and he immediately fell to his knees. The powerful gravity caused his entire body to shudder. The people behind him were even worse; they immediately collapsed at first before then just barely standing up.

“I told you. In the future, don’t annoy my Yulan branch!” Linley’s face sank, and instantly, the earthen yellow light trembled.

The downwards gravitational force transformed into a repulsive force!

“BOOM!” Asru and the others were thrown far away by that repulsive force. From far away, they stared at astonishment and fear towards Linley. Linley hadn’t even moved, but he had been able to easily toy with them.

The difference was too great.

Linley couldn’t be bothered to spare a single extra glance for Asru’s group. He turned towards Baruch and said, “Clan leader, let’s go back.” In Miluo Island, Linley had slaughtered a path through tens of thousands of Highgods. How could he care about a single ordinary Highgod?

“Linley…”

Baruch’s group was completely stunned.

They had yet to understand that from today onwards…the Yulan branch would never be mocked or humiliated again.