“Garvey,” Gislason suddenly said.
“Patriarch?” Garvey looked towards him, puzzled.
Gislason said hurriedly, “Have the communications teams been assigned to the borders of the mountains?”
“They have all been assigned.” Garvey laughed. “Patriarch, don’t worry. If Linley returns from the Netherworld, as soon as he reaches the borders of these mountains the news will quickly be communicated to you and the other three clan leaders. All of the arrangements for Linley’s return have been made as well, including the construction of his mansion.”
“Very good.” Gislason laughed and nodded. “Nothing can go amiss! Linley came from the Yulan Plane, and so he never had an extremely strong sense of belonging here in the clan. And then, all those things happened with Forhan and his son… although Linley still treats the clan quite well because of Baruch’s group, we still need to make up for the past!”
“I understand.” Garvey nodded. As far as Gislason and the Grand Elder were concerned, the current Paragon-level Linley was even more important to them than Beirut! Beirut was powerful, but he was still an outsider. If the clan were to face a crisis, Beirut might not necessarily intervene.
But Linley was one of their own! Although in the past, there were some misunderstandings, in the end he was still a member of the Azure Dragon clan. What needed to be done now… was to dispel the ill-will those misunderstandings might have generated and let Linley feel a true sense of belonging, here within the Four Divine Beasts clan.
INDIGO PREFECTURE. An enormous dragon-shaped metallic lifeform was flying at high speed in the air above the mountains and forests. Within the metallic lifeform was a rowdy scene of joy.
“Grandpa!”
“Great Grandpa!”
A group of youths surrounded Hogg, constantly chattering about various matters. Hogg looked at his grandchildren, his face wreathed in smiles.
“Big Bro, look at how happily Father has been smiling.” Wharton and Linley were at the edges of the central room of this metallic lifeform. The two brothers were chatting amongst each other.
Linley glanced at his father, who was beaming calmly while accompanying his descendants, then nodded. “In the past, when we were young, our Baruch clan had already sunk to a very low point. In Father’s entire life, the only thing he cared about aside from Mother and the two of us was the clan! Father cared deeply about the ability of the clan to thrive. Now that more generations have appeared in the clan… of course Father is happy.”
Right at this moment, three people walked over. “Third Bro!” Yale, George, and Reynolds walked over. Reynolds had hurried over from the Yulan continent as well.
“Boss Yale, Second Bro, Fourth Bro. Come, sit over here,” Linley laughed as he pointed. Yale and the other two all sat down. Reynolds chortled, glancing outside the window and sighing in praise. “The Infernal Realm, one of the Higher Realms. This is my first time here. Indeed… the density of the elemental aura here is very great. Only, it is filled with constant slaughter.”
From within the metallic lifeform, they were able to see the constant battles going on below.
“That’s what the Infernal Realm is like,” Linley said with a calm laugh.
“It is the same in the Undead Realm. Experts live, experts die. Fourth Bro, I’m impressive, aren’t I? I survived in the Undead Realm for so many years.” Yale raised a smug eyebrow. Seeing the look on Yale’s face, Reynolds, George, and Linley all felt very happy. This was the real Yale. After killing Odin, Yale no longer felt as heartsick as he previously had.
In the entire central room, there were more than a hundred people scattered about, idly chatting. Seeing this scene, Linley couldn’t help but smile slightly. He enjoyed this happy, content feeling.
“This world… in many cases, it is power which speaks loudest!” Linley looked at the warm scene, and he spoke softly to himself. “I worked hard to train. Only because my power reached a certain level is my father, my friends, and family able to reunite once more. I’m able to bring the entire clan over from the material plane!”
Linley finally felt as though the painstaking efforts he had put into his training over these years had been rewarded.
After flying for a period of time.
“We are about to arrive at the Four Divine Beasts clan,” Bebe was within the main room inside the metallic lifeform, and he spoke out in a clear, laughing voice. “Everyone, make your preparations. Right, Uncle.” Bebe looked at Hogg. “The ancestors of your Baruch clan are there, Uncle. Baruch, Ryan, the others…”
“The ancestors of the Baruch clan…” Hogg stood up, rather excited. He walked to the sides of the windows, staring through the translucent metal ‘windows’ to the outside. He could already vaguely make out the Skyrite Mountains.
“The ancestors of the clan!” Taylor, Sasha, and the other members of the clan all began to chatter about this. Ever since they were young, they were always, repeatedly reminded that they were members of the ‘Baruch clan’. They were filled with great veneration towards the legendary figures of the clan, but didn’t actually feel much towards the Four Divine Beasts clan.
“It’s right up ahead,” Linley said with a calm laugh. The metallic lifeform instantly vanished, while Linley and more than a hundred people hovered there in midair, flying towards the Azure Dragon clan’s location within the Skyrite Mountains.
“What a vast carving. I can’t even see the end of it.” The sturdy Arnold sighed in praise.
Linley laughed. “That’s not a carving. That’s Dragon Avenue! It passes through almost a fourth of the Skyrite Mountains and is more than ten thousand kilometers long. It is the primary pathway into the mountains which the soldiers of the clan guard.”
Linley’s group of more than a hundred flew over. The soldiers below naturally saw them, and the communications personnel, prepared long ago for this eventuality, were overjoyed. “Elder Linley is returning!” These communications personnel had divine clones stationed elsewhere, and many of them instantly relied on their divine clones to provide this news to various locations within the Four Divine Beasts clan.
“Patriarch, Elder Linley has returned.”
“Oh, Linley returned?” Gislason instantly flew out. Not just Gislason; the other three clan leaders, along with many other Elders, who had received this news hurried over as well.
Linley and his group of more than a hundred flew over, and as they did, the warriors of the clan all saluted. “Elder Linley.” The warriors were very respectful.
Linley smiled and nodded, then led his group towards the Dragon Avenue of the Skyrite Mountains. At the same time, he introduced the place to Wharton and the others. “The rules of the clan are fairly strict. You have just arrived. In a bit, I’ll acquire identity badges for you all. Eh?” Linley suddenly frowned, staring into the distance.
“What’s going on?” Bebe glanced at him. Delia, Nisse, Yale, and the others all looked into the distance as well. From afar, a large, impressive group of people was flying, with the leader being Gislason, the Black Tortoise Patriarch, and the other two. Behind them was the Grand Elder and other important figures.
“Why are all the high-level, important members of the clan coming?” Linley was startled. “Even the Vermillion Bird Matriarch is coming. If they flew over from their residences, it should take quite a while. How were they so fast?”
The reaction time of the clan was simply too fast. As soon as he had arrived, and just as he had reached Dragon Avenue, this large group had arrived as well. Even when Beirut came, only the clan leaders and the Grand Elder would go welcome him.
“Haha, Linley!” Gislason laughed loudly as he flew over.
“Patriarch.” Although Linley was somewhat confused, he still went to greet him. Linley swept the group with his gaze. The Black Tortoise Patriarch, Vermillion Bird Matriarch, and others, including even the Grand Elder who held a grudge for him… their faces were all smiles. They seemed so warm and friendly.
“Altho
ugh we are in Indigo Prefecture, we’ve heard long ago of your exploits in the Planar Battlefield. Haha… our Four Divine Beasts clan has produced a Paragon. This is worth us organizing a banquet, to celebrate this joyous event.” Gislason seemed quite pleased and excited. “The banquet is already prepared. We’ve been waiting for you. Haha, Bebe… and oh, these must be Linley’s friends. Come, all of you! Haha.”
5
REFUSAL
Gislason’s words were very correct. Indeed, the entire clan rejoiced! Not just the high-level members of the clan; even many of the ordinary clan members located throughout the Skyrite Mountains gathered together in various places, drinking, chatting, and laughing gaily. For the clan to have produced such an expert was something that made even the ordinary clansmen feel proud!
When the four ancestors had been alive, the clan had been in such a flourishing, vigorous state! After they died, the clan had decayed to the point of being loudly insulted by the eight great clans at the borders of the Skyrite Mountains. This was a humiliation! This caused the members of the clan, who had experienced those glory days, to feel very lost in their hearts!
Linley’s sudden rise to prominence allowed these clansmen to once more feel proud of themselves.
It was a very wild celebration. Even the patrolling soldiers drank wine and celebrated. With a Highgod Paragon in the clan, the patrolling soldiers weren’t concerned; no one would dare to come and make trouble for the Four Divine Beasts clan.
Late night. The Violet Moon hung high in the skies.
The Skyrite Mountains. Within a mountain controlled by the Azure Dragon clan. There was a large estate that stretched over an enormous amount of land built here. In terms of size, it was even larger than the residence of the Patriarch’s. It seemed quite simple and plain from the distance, but if one took a close look… one would see that even the walls were covered with intricate, minute carvings. Given Linley’s vision, he could instantly tell that these carvings were only accomplishable by someone who was at least at the grandmaster level in sculpting.
And right now…
In front of this mansion stood only two figures; Linley and Gislason.
Linley couldn’t help but look towards the nearby Gislason. He mused to himself, “The Patriarch truly has prepared quite a few things for me.”
“Patriarch, I’m going to live here?” Linley asked.
“Linley.” Gislason laughed. “You are now the number one expert of our Four Divine Beasts clan! When people in the outside world discuss the Four Divine Beasts clan, the first person they will think about is you. Your residence has to match your stature. In addition, this place is large enough to accommodate your many family and friends. It is enough.”
Linley couldn’t help but nod. The size of this estate was similar to the ‘Dragonblood Castle’ of the Yulan continent. Even a thousand people could fit inside, much less a hundred.
“Then I will accept it.” Linley was quite straightforward.
Gislason laughed and nodded. "Tomorrow, you can move your family and friends over here.” Wharton and the others were currently staying within the large gorge already. Hogg went to go visit his ancestors in the Baruch clan. To Hogg and Wharton, seeing the ancestors of the clan was what mattered the most.
“No rush,” Linley said. “My family members will want to spend some time with the Yulan branch and their ancestors.”
“Fair enough.” Gislason laughed and nodded. “Linley… look.” As he spoke, Gislason produced a little jade bottle in his hands. This jade bottle had a small opening. It was generally used for keeping items like already-refined Golden Soul Pearls or other small pills.
“This is…?” Linley frowned. “Sovereign’s Might?”
“Right. Earth-type Sovereign’s Might.” Gislason laughed. “Linley, I know that you primarily train in the Laws of the Earth. Thus, it is better for you to use earth-type Sovereign’s Might. That is why we prepared this for you! You are the number one expert of our clan; naturally, you have to use the most suitable type of Sovereign’s Might.”
Although this little jade bottle of Sovereign’s Might was far from being comparable to the flask Reisgem had given Linley, it still had to have at least a thousand drops in it.
“Patriarch.” Linley didn’t accept, instead shaking his head. “This jade bottle has far too much Sovereign’s Might. Ever since the four ancestors of our clan perished, our Four Divine Beasts clan lost our source for more Sovereign’s Might. Each drop we use is a drop lost forever. It is best if you keep them and let the other Elders of the clan use them.”
Linley knew that given his own power, even if he used Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might he had nothing to fear from Paragons. In Dragonform, he even held a slight advantage.
“Haha…”
Gislason laughed. “Linley, you are worrying too much. In the past, our clan had to be stingy in using Sovereign’s Might, partially because we no longer had a source for it, but partially because we were being put under great pressure by the eight great clans. We used up Sovereign’s Might too quickly; each battle represented the loss of a drop of Sovereign’s Might, and generally we would engage in tens of battles before being able to kill an enemy Elder. Because they were being used up too quickly, the clan didn’t dare to hand them out freely. After all, at that time, we had no idea what the future would hold for the clan… and so we had to be a bit more thrifty.”
“But now, Linley, you are a Paragon. Who would dare come offend our Four Divine Beasts clan?” Gislason’s laughter was very happy.
Linley, hearing this, was somewhat persuaded by Gislason. Indeed, given his level of power, there would be few people who would be so blind as to come irritate his clan. There would no longer be that many situations where the clan would use up much Sovereign’s Might.
“Take it, Linley,” Gislason urged.
Linley hesitated slightly, then flipped his hand. “Let’s do this, then!” Linley instantly controlled his divine earth power to draw in earth elemental essence from the surrounding area, which formed into the shape of a little black flask in Linley’s hands. Linley pointed with one finger, and immediately, a stream of black water appeared out of nowhere in Linley’s palms, flowing towards the black flask.
This black ‘water’ was actually Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might. He truly had a very large amount of Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might. Moments later, the flask was completely filled with it. This flask was roughly 10% of the canteen in volume.
“What are you…?” Gislason stared.
“Patriarch, let’s swap this flask of Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might of mine, for that flask of earth-type Sovereign’s Might of yours. It is indeed true that if I have earth-type Sovereign’s Might, I will be more effective.” Laughing, Linley offered the little black flask.
If the clan had a tremendous amount of Sovereign’s Might, Linley would have accepted it. But the clan didn’t actually have that much; most likely, that little flask represented a large fraction of the clan’s reserve of Sovereign’s Might.
“Linley,” Gislason said hurriedly. “This isn’t acceptable. You…”
“Take it, or else I won’t take yours.” Linley shook his head.
Gislason could only laugh helplessly, then nod. “Fine.” He accepted the flask of Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might, while Linley accepted the flask of earth-type Sovereign’s Might. As far as Linley was concerned, he had a large amount of Destruction-type Sovereign’s Might, but given his power there were very few situations in which he would have to use it. To trade some for earth-type Sovereign’s Might was beneficial for him.
TIME FLOWED ONWARDS, and in the blink of an eye, more than ten years had passed since Linley’s return to the clan.
Linley could sense that the attitude of his clansmen, including the clan leaders, had changed. Linley understood that after having become a Paragon, he had already become the spiritual leader of the entire Four Divine Beasts clan. His position was now akin to what the War God
had held in the O’Brien Empire or the High Priest had held in the Yulan Empire.
The estate Linley resided in had become a holy ground for the clan.
Within the vast, grassy plains of the estate’s courtyard, there was a large group of people gathered. Linley, Reynolds, Yale, and George were seated in a circle, drinking wine and chatting idly about various things. But of course… it was Linley’s divine water clone that was chatting with them. The other clones, including his original body, were all training.
It was still Linley’s original body that trained the fastest, after all.
“Elder Linley.” A gate guard ran over and bowed.
“Hm?” Linley looked at him.
“Elder Linley, the Patriarch has sent word that a Lord Prefect from the Jadefloat Continent wishes to meet you, Elder,” the guard bowed as he spoke.
Linley laughed and nodded calmly, then swept out with his divine sense, instantly encompassing the entire Skyrite Mountains within it. Naturally, this included Gislason and that Lord Prefect. Linley sent mentally. “Patriarch, just tell this Lord Prefect that I am currently training and unable to meet with any guests. Unless something important happens, please help me cope with them.”
Gislason was startled. He actually hadn’t detected Linley’s divine sense at all. He couldn’t help but sigh. “Paragons really are incredible. The strength of their spiritual energy vastly surpasses mine.” Gislason understood Linley’s temperament as well; Linley couldn’t be bothered to engage in meetings like this, which were solely for the purpose of people trying to curry favor with him.
“Alright, I’ll help you deal with them,” Gislason replied. “Then, in the future, unless there is an important matter, you won’t meet with any figures like these?”
“Right,” Linley sent mentally. “Aside from people I am familiar with, such as Reisgem. If I’m not familiar with them and have no connection to them, unless there is an important matter, I won’t meet with any of them.”
Lord of the Mists: Book 8 of the Coiling Dragon Saga Page 4
