by Zhuang Bifan
Stephen felt that his father was not actually blaming him for being rude, but rather had other plans in mind. Since Felic was a Legendary-mage, it wouldn't be hard for him to flee if they were to really get into a scuffle. Hence, he felt that his father had to be planning to lure Felic in before the three of them colluded to defeat him. He thought, Felic is just a minor Legendary-mage who has just entered the Legendary-realm. He probably won't even be able to keep up in battle and stay alive for a moment. By then, the Book of Eternity will belong to me and Father. It will be easy for me to enter the Legendary-realm then.
Regardless of Stephen's dreams, Borg led Lin Li and Cheyenne to the largest tent in the middle of the camp. When the subordinates outside the tent saw Borg, they quickly bowed to him respectfully before extending their hands to pull the curtains up.
There were already two people in the tent. They seemed to be waiting for Borg to come back. Sensing the energy fluctuations in the two's bodies, Lin Li guessed that they should be the other two Legendary leaders of the Dark Blade. From the appearance of the two of them, he could tell that one of them was a Warrior, while the other was a Bandit.
The person who was dressed like a Warrior had long curly blond hair and a thick beard like Borg. His appearance reminded Lin Li of the nickname Golden Lion. Looking at the Warrior's body, he realized that he was tall, burly, and clad in a simple half-body soft leather armor, which revealed his bronze-colored skin and toned muscles that were like copper cast iron that contained huge destructive power. Judging from the energy fluctuations in his body, Lin Li was reminded of the Sword Sage of the Storm from the Warriors Union in Alanna. Although he didn't know who the stronger one was, he could at least confirm that the Legendary Warrior in front of him was at least level-21.
The Legendary-mages were familiar with nomological power, and were masters of elemental Laws. thus allowing them to create Magical Domains that could be completely controlled by their minds. In the Legendary-realm, Warriors were known as Sword Sages, and were in the pursuit of the ultimate development of their own power and the exploration of their own mysteries to obtain more power. The strength of a particular individual was actually subjective—a matter of opinion. Wisdom or power alone couldn't be a standard for comparison between the strong and the weak. Although humans in Anril generally believed that Legendary-mages were stronger than Sword Sages and other professions of the same level, no one would really despise or belittle Sword Sages. Those who had had probably faced terrible consequences.
When the benefits were tempting enough, even brothers would turn against each other, let alone partners who had nothing to do with each other, and only decided to work together at the last minute. Lin Li did not doubt it at all. If he were to abandon Cheyenne from the Malfa Family and work alone with the Dark Blade, he would definitely be attacked by them in the end. Even if he owned all kinds of treasures, he would probably be at a loss in the face of the joint attack by the three Legendary leaders.
Not to mention, Lin Li shifted his attention onto the Bandit whom he felt he could not see through. It seemed that he was level-21, but Lin Li somehow felt that something was wrong about him. However, he could not put his finger on it. He could not tell if it was due to the fact that Bandits had special abilities or because of another reason. However, he could not help but feel uneasy about being unable to see through him, hence keeping his guard up.
Rumor had it that the founder of the Dark Blade was a powerful and mysterious Bandit. Lin Li reckoned that it had to be the person in front of him1. Among the three Legendary leaders of the Dark Blade, Borg was probably not the most terrifying. Instead, it could be the Bandit Lin Li could not see through. He might not be stronger than the other two, but Lin Li found him even more dangerous.
Based solely on appearance, the Legendary-realm Bandit looked more like a traditional aristocrat who was from a noble family with copious heritage. His dark brown hair was meticulously combed back, and his mustache seemed to have been trimmed too. His white shirt was combined with a well-cut jacket, which made it impossible for anyone to associate him with scheming bandits.
There weren't any more speculations about the Legendary Bandit, apart from the rumors of his formidable power. No one knew his origins, and his past was a mystery that couldn't be seen through. However, Lin Li knew that what he saw was the true image of the Bandit, devoid of any disguise.
Although the special nature of the Bandit profession would often require them to change their appearance to hide their identity during missions like stealthy assassinations, the act of disguising had become insignificant for Legendary Bandits. It would be useless to rely on those tricks to deal with another Legendary figure of the same level, after all. Besides, there was no need they dealt with the targets below the Legendary-realm.
Therefore, the impeccably dressed aristocrat was presenting his true appearance as a Legendary Bandit. Of course, that also made Lin Li a little more curious about his origins. He wanted to know what made a traditional aristocrat turn into a Bandit and establish such a huge bandit organization like the Dark Blade.
While Lin Li was observing the two Legendary leaders of the Dark Blade, they, too, were in fact scrutinizing Lin Li, the young Legendary-mage. They were not surprised by the arrival of Lin Li, because it was no secret that the Malfa Family cooperated with the Tower of Dusk. It could be said that everything about Aminya City was known to the Dark Blade. Hence, it was logical for Borg to go to Cheyenne to discuss the cooperation and invite Lin Li for a visit too.
The Legendary figures knew very well about the hardsh.i.p.s of the journey, and they could hardly believe that a young man barely past 20 had within a short period of time already completed the journey that they had spent years to complete. Stephen said it was because of the Book of Eternity, but the three Legendary powerhouses knew that the book alone was not enough to take Lin Li to such heights, as much of it was a summary of Geresco's life experience.
If Legendary figures represented legends in the hearts of ordinary people, the young Master Felic of the Tower of Dusk could be considered the legend of all legends. It was not a gauge of how strong he was, but he was so powerful that he intimidated all three Legendary leaders. It was surprising enough that Lin Li had already made it to the Legendary-realm at such a young age even though he was only at the bottom.
"Cheyenne is an old friend of ours, so we can save the introductions. However, I must introduce Master Felic of the Tower of Dusk." Borg introduced Lin Li to two of his peers before saying to Lin Li, "The one with the mustache is Lansdale, while the one with the beard is Baldela. They're the other two leaders of the Dark Blade. Please come with me…"
Lansdale was the mustached Bandit, while Baldela was obviously the bearded Warrior who resembled Golden Lion.
They chatted and exchanged greetings cordially, after which Borg led Lin Li and Cheyenne to their seats. Five Legendary powerhouses gathered in a tent, an uncommon scene that could rarely be seen, especially since the Malfa Family and Dark Blade had an intense feud. None of them remembered ever having such a calm and harmonious conversation while being seated opposite each other.
Of course, they were not completely calm and harmonious. Well, at least Cheyenne was not as composed as he appeared to be on the surface, especially after seeing the map in the tent. Lin Li was not very clear about the map, because it was not the design sketch of Sky Castle. It was different from what he saw at the Malfa Family. However, Cheyenne obviously knew what it was because he was the one who'd ill.u.s.trated it according to the narrative of that High Elves Print, so no one knew every feature better than he did. Although the map was slightly different from the one he'd made, it was clearly also created based on the transliterated High Elves Print.
Noticing that Cheyenne had shifted his gaze onto the map, Borg smugly said, "What's wrong, Cheyenne? The things you mentioned are all here. I didn't lie to you, did I?" He then made eye contact with his peers smilingly.
When Borg had proposed the co
operation earlier on, he had said that he owned not only the treasure map, but also information that Cheyenne and Lin Li didn't have. The treasure map was now hanging in the tent, and Cheyenne was very clear about its authenticity. There were also some clues on the map which hinted at the existence of the information.
Cheyenne took a closer look at the hanging treasure map, and soon saw that there were plenty of details on the map that had been modified, including some of the areas he himself had felt vague at the time. Everything was clear on the map. After all, the Dark Blade was the owner of the area, and—to put it simply—understood the geography of the place better than Cheyenne did. The locations of the gullies and hills were also clearly annotated on the map.
From these details alone, it could be seen that the Dark Blade did not come to take advantage at the last minute, and instead had put in lots of effort. In fact, Cheyenne also knew that cooperating with them would be their best bet given the situation that they were currently in. The danger in the Haiga Mountain Range was far beyond what most people imagined; hence, it was necessary for them to have the Dark Blade guide them during the exploration. Of course, Cheyenne still felt rather uncomfortable at the thought of his own family member leaking the information and the treasure map.
Actually, everyone knew that cooperation was the only option for those who wanted to obtain the treasure of the Immortal King. The Dark Blade seemed to be powerful with three Legendary-realm leaders and more than 200 elites who were at or above level-15, but it would be impossible for them to make the treasure entirely their own. Putting aside the obstacles that they might face during the quest, the Dark Blade might not be able to take it if the Malfa Family were to relentlessly attack them, let alone with a young Legendary-mage.
The same was true for Lin Li. With the powerful support of the Dark Blade, at least their journey before finding the treasure would be easier, and their chances of finding the treasure of the Immortal King would also be higher. As for what problems the three parties would face during the distribution of the loot after they found it, that was not the focus of consideration for the time being. As long as it was guaranteed that Lin Li would obtain Thunderbolt and the treasure that sealed it, Lin Li couldn't be bothered with the rest.
Borg looked at the contemplative Cheyenne, and turned to look at Lin Li. He suddenly yelled out of his tent, "York, tell Stephen to come here immediately." More like the founder's descendant, I suppose, or maybe the most important of three leaders. Either that or the author suddenly forgot the Dark Blade existed for centuries lol.
Chapter 579 - The Whole Story
From Borg's perspective, Lin Li was still too young, and couldn't look at things rationally even though he was already a Legendary powerhouse. Although he was confident that Cheyenne would agree to collaborate with him despite the fact that the Dark Blade and the Malfa Family had been in conflict for so many years, he was worried that the young Master Felic would still have ill feelings because of what had happened earlier.
All the Legendary masters here, including Cheyenne, knew about the conflict between Lin Li and Stephen back in the Blackstone Mountains. Hence, they guessed what Borg wanted to do when he called Stephen in. Lin Li also knew what Borg's intentions were. Such things had happened to him so many times since coming to Anril.
"Master Felic, my son was too arrogant because of his tiny bit of talent. It's due to my incapability as a father to discipline him that he had offended you. Since everyone is preparing to collaborate, I hope that this passing matter won't be a hindrance to our collaboration," said Borg with a smile.
Borg had been a famous Legendary powerhouse for many years, and was also one of the leaders of the Dark Blade. It was already hard for him to say such words. However, Borg was obviously thinking too much. Although Lin Li wasn't a forgiving person, he knew what was important. How could Stephen match up to the piece of debris of the stars, Thunderbolt?
Unbothered, Lin Li smiled, and calmly replied, "Master Borg, you're thinking too much. What happened then was just normal competition. There's no right or wrong, and all depended on our own abilities." He also concluded in his heart that Stephen didn't ask Borg about going out.
Soon, Stephen's voice sounded from outside the tent. He sounded rather excited, maybe because he thought that his father and the two elders had already gotten what they wanted. After all, the Book of Eternity provided a straight path to becoming a god for a mage. Its temptation was something no mage could resist.
Upon hearing his father's call, Stephen raised the curtain of the tent, and began to walk in excitedly. However, his entire body froze before he could even take a step. The few people in the tent didn't seem to have fought. That bastard Felic was also shamelessly sitting there. It was still acceptable for Master Cheyenne from the Malfa Family to sit down there since even the Dark Blade couldn't underestimate the Malfa Family's abilities. However, what was the Tower of Dusk? It was just a faction established less than a year ago. Even if that Felic was lucky to become a Legendary-mage, what right did he have to sit next to the three Legendary-mages from the Dark Blade?
"Get in here now!" Borg yelled unpleasantly.
Stephen felt cold shivers running down his spine, and unwillingly shifted into the tent. He stood in front of his father, and said, "Father, may I know why you're calling me?"
"Disappointing lad!" Borg glared at Stephen angrily, and said in a stern voice, "Master Felic will be collaborating with us for this trip to the Haiga Mountain Range. Master Felic has forgiven you for your offense earlier, but you need to apologize for your mistake."
"But, Father… I…" Stephen got anxious at hearing this. He was the heir of the Dark Blade! Out of all those factions in the Breezy Plains, none of them was worthy of him apologizing.
"Have you heard what I said? Did I ask for your opinion? Go apologize. Now!" Borg snapped at Stephen, leaving no room for negotiation.
Stephen was stunned for a moment. Although he was very unhappy internally, he didn't dare to disobey his father, and turned towards Lin Li. Staring resentfully at Lin Li, who was sitting at ease, Stephen suppressed his discontentment, and said, "S-sorry…"
"Louder! Be responsible for what you've done! Don't apologize like a girl! Don't you find yourself not embarrassing enough?" yelled Borg angrily.
Stephen was angry too. He thought, Why? Why do I have to apologize? If I had not been lucky, I would have died in the Abyss of Tharlen because of this lad. Why am I the one to apologize? If not for Felic's cunning schemes, Geresco's treasures would have been mine, and I would've been a Legendary-mage now! I should be the youngest Legendary-mage, rare genius, and successor of Geresco, not that Felic!
Stephen clenched his fists under his magic robe. His body trembled uncontrollably because of his anger. However, he couldn't, and didn't, dare to disobey his father. Hence, he took a deep breath, and barely suppressed his resentment. He loudly said, "Sorry, Master Felic, please forgive me for being rude to you before."
Actually, Lin Li wasn't bothered about this at all. He didn't stop Borg, because he had the same thought in mind as the latter. His receiving the apology would make the Dark Blade more at ease. After all, Lin Li also didn't want to carry old grudges over into this collaboration. As for Stephen's discontentment, how would Lin Li not notice that? He waved his hand and smiled, unbothered. "Good. Let's forget about what happened before since we will be collaborating soon."
Stephen was flaming with anger. He thought that he would let Lin Li off this time. Once they found the Immortal King's treasure, he would settle everything with Lin Li. No matter how genius Lin Li was, he still had to give the Book of Eternity to Stephen obediently at that time.
"Get out now, don't embarrass me further!" Borg also knew his own son's personality. After all, this apology was just to show his sincerity for the collaboration.
Stephen felt a great sense of relief, and greeted the few masters seated in the tent. Without daring to look at Lin Li, he turned and left. After he came out, he finall
y dared to heave a long sigh of relief. He turned to look at the tent behind him, and thought, I will get back at you someday! It won't be as easy as apologizing to me by then!
After Stephen had left, Cheyenne and Lin Li both expressed that they had no objections to collaborating, so the five Legendary masters started to discuss the cooperation officially. Everyone didn't mention the share of benefits due to tacit understanding. Though the Dark Blade seemed to invest the most, everyone wanted to get more for themselves. Thus, it was better to discuss this last rather than cause some trouble now because of this. After all, no one knew what exactly was included in the Immortal King's treasure.
"Since we've already come to consensus about the collaboration, we will share with you some information we've obtained regarding the Immortal King's treasure to show our sincerity."
After the Dark Blade had gotten the treasure map from the Malfa Family, they had not only gone to many places to do research, but also analyzed a large amount of relevant data. After all, even Legendary powerhouses didn't dare to enter into the Haiga Mountain Range, and only dared to explore the outskirts to confirm which direction the Immortal King's treasure was in. For more detailed information, they could only refer to the information from the Dark Age, compare different sources, and roughly extrapolate the location of the treasure.
During this process, the Dark Blade had gotten some interesting information that Cheyenne and Lin Li certainly didn't know. After all, the Darkness Shrine, which was as ancient as the Brilliance Shrine, stood behind the Dark Blade. In addition, the Darkness Shrine and Brilliance Shrine both originated from the even more ancient Eternal Shrine.
