“The Sovereign still hasn’t returned,” Bebe sent mentally, rather impatient. “What’s the Sovereign doing?”
“You and I can’t possibly understand a Sovereign’s mind.” Linley had waited for three hours, and he felt as though he were steaming with impatience as well. “Bebe, judging from what that silver serpent Yennaway said, her relationship with the Sovereign must be excellent. Tell me… will the Sovereign be unwilling to help us because of this?”
Bebe gave Linley a glance.
Bebe had very few memories of Linley looking nervous, but right now, Bebe could completely sense how nervous Linley was.
“Boss, the Sovereign will definitely help out. Definitely,” Bebe sent back.
Linley took a deep breath, feeling slightly calmer.
“Linley!” a voice suddenly rang out. Linley turned to look, and saw Arthurs flying over. As he looked at Linley, he couldn’t help but secretly shake his head while saying solemnly, “The Sovereign just mentally spoke to me and ordered me to bring you and Bailey to the Sovereign’s palace. The Sovereign should be returning soon.”
Linley’s eyes instantly lit up.
“The Sovereign’s back?” Linley felt as though heart was about to leap out of his chest.
“Follow me in.” Arthurs warned with a solemn expression, “You must remember, this Sovereign’s temper is very poor. If the Sovereign takes a liking towards you, you might be treated very well, but if the Sovereign takes a disliking to you… you might die in a heartbeat. Thus, you and Bebe must not be the slightest bit disrespectful.”
Linley hurriedly nodded. “Understood.”
“I won’t anger a Sovereign,” Bebe said hurriedly as well. Bebe knew very well that at this point, they couldn’t afford even the slightest mistake.
Linley could already tell from Arthurs words… that this Sovereign of Death should be the sort of person with an odd, unusual personality who might very well kill someone for no reason at all. It was very hard to deal with this sort of person. Sometimes… one might die without even knowing why.
Arthurs glanced at Linley and Bebe. He couldn’t help but sigh to himself.
Arthurs knew very well that the silver serpent, Yennaway, was on very close terms with the Sovereign. Once Yennaway complained and indicted Linley, it was very possible that the Sovereign would kill Linley and Bebe without even giving them a chance to speak.
“Let’s go.” Arthurs immediately flew in front, while Linley and Bebe followed from behind. Bailey was waiting in midair. The four gathered together, then began to fly towards the palace that was floating above the peak of the Abyssal Mountain. The gates of the palace were open, as the colossal golden snake and the nine-headed silver serpent and their children had already entered.
The palace was made out of a violet-black material, and a bone-piercing chill slowly emanated from the palace.
“Follow me. Don’t disobey in the slightest,” Arthurs said in a low voice.
“Understood,” Linley said.
“Don’t worry.” Bailey was clearly rather nervous as well. This was his first time meeting the Sovereign of Death as well.
Linley, Bebe, and Bailey immediately followed Arthurs, passing through the large front platform and entering the palace itself. Linley, Bebe, and Bailey didn’t even dare to raise their heads to look, for fear of angering that Sovereign of Death.
“Boss, the cold aura of this palace is really oppressing,” Bebe sent mentally.
At this moment, Arthurs knelt and said, “I pay my respects to the Sovereign!”
“I pay my respects to the Sovereign!” Linley, Bebe, and Bailey all knelt as well. After having entered the palace, the three of them didn’t even dare to raise their heads without the Sovereign’s permission. Or, to be more precise… to look directly at a Sovereign without permission was also quite presumptuous. Linley naturally didn’t dare to act in such a way right now.
Right at this moment…
“Sovereign!” a grief-filled voice rang out. “Tina died. It was that person called Bebe. He was the one who killed her. That Bebe wanted to kill me as well. If it hadn’t been for the Sovereign of Life interfering, most likely I would never have been able to see you again. You must avenge Tina, Sovereign!”
Hearing this, Linley felt his heart shake.
So the silver serpent was indeed complaining.
“Motherfucker, I really want to kill her!” Bebe sent mentally. “Boss, that nine-headed silver serpent really makes me feel disgusted.”
“Bebe, listen to what the Sovereign says,” Linley continued to kneel there.
“Yen!” an icy cold voice rang out from above. “I will deal with this matter.”
Linley and Bebe, upon hearing this, were both stunned.
The Sovereign of Death was a woman?
“The three of you can lift up your heads,” the icy voice echoed in the palace. Only now did Linley, Bebe, and Bailey dare to lift their heads up. Only now did Linley discover that the interior of the palace was empty; not even pillars could be seen. Linley swept forward with his gaze, looking up until he saw the Sovereign of Death, seated on her throne!
A pitch-black throne.
Seated atop the throne was a woman dressed in long violet robes. The long violet robes were embroidered with branches and vines and a silver snake. This Sovereign of Death had long, blood-red hair, exquisite features, and a pair of eyes that seemed to flash with a bolt of lightning that struck into Linley’s heart.
As soon as Linley saw the Sovereign of Death’s face, he was stupefied.
Bebe was stupefied as well.
Bailey was stunned as well.
“You…” Bebe didn’t know what to say.
“What, very surprised?” an icy voice rang out.
Linley, Bailey, and Bebe were momentarily speechless. This Sovereign of Death… her facial features looked completely, absolutely identical to the red-haired beauty who was the boss of the Abyssal Inn at the base of the Abyssal Mountain! Even the look in her eyes was the same. Linley and the other two immediately recognized… that this Sovereign was the owner of the inn!
“The Sovereign of Death… is the boss of the Abyssal Inn?” Linley felt his head go numb.
A Sovereign would actually go run an inn?
“Haha…” The Sovereign of Death let out a peal of utterly delighted laughter. “Those looks on your faces really make me feel quite happy. Over the course of all these countless years, I’ve remained at the Abyssal Inn, watching you people go in, one by one, in search of the Abyssal Fruit. I’ve watched you all risk your lives and die, and it was indeed quite interesting. But what really makes me happy… is this moment! Right, that look on your faces! Haha!”
Linley and the other two were completely stupefied.
The Sovereign of Death… acted like this?
She intentionally concocted the story of the Abyssal Fruit to entice countless experts of the Netherworld to adventure here, while she herself, a Sovereign, opened an inn and became the boss of it, happily watching one person after another enter and perish.
“The Sovereign of Death… really has nothing better to do?” Linley said to himself.
But indeed; the Sovereign of Death possessed an eternal lifespan. The Abyssal Fruit matter most likely really was nothing more than a game to the Sovereign of Death. And, to the Sovereign of Death… when she sat there in her Sovereign’s palace and granted an audience to those who acquired the Abyssal Fruit and came to pay homage to her, when she saw the stupefied looks on the faces of those who saw her, she was indeed very happy and delighted!
The nearby Arthurs didn’t dare to make a single sound either.
That year, he had been the same. When he had lifted his head up and looked at the almighty Sovereign of Death and saw that it was the hotel owner, he too had been stupefied. All Arthurs could do was think to himself, “This is how this Sovereign of Death is… this is a hobby of her, despite her being so powerful as to be invincible.”
“Bailey! You wai
t over there for now.” The Sovereign of Death looked with curiosity towards Linley and Bebe. “It really is surprising. The two of you actually managed to make it past ‘Yen’ and ‘Gold’. Linley, for you to be able to take Gold’s attack head on was within my expectations. But Yen’s power is far greater than Gold’s. Bebe, for you to be able to endure Yen’s attack… I truly am astonished.”
Bebe, hearing this, was rather smug, but he didn’t dare to act too wildly, just revealing a hint of a smile instead.
“Don’t be smug. The reason you were able to endure it should have something to do with that Beirut.” The Sovereign of Death let out an emotional sigh. “I have to admit, that kid Beirut, to you, really is…”
Linley was secretly puzzled.
“Bebe?” Linley sent mentally.
“Boss, I don’t know either. I just relied on myself to endure it,” Bebe sent mentally.
“Linley, I hear that you have come on this trip for the sake of finding the souls of your family and friends, who have become undead. You wish for them to regain their memories, correct?” the Sovereign of Death said.
Linley raised his head to look at the Sovereign, saying with hope, “Yes, Sovereign. Please help me, Sovereign.”
“Based on the rules that I myself laid down, since the two of you charged all the way to this place from the base of the Abyssal Mountain, I should grant a request of yours,” the Sovereign of Death said. Linley and Bebe both stared at the Sovereign of Death, who continued, “However, you killed Tina. Logically speaking, I should also kill the two of you and avenge Tina!”
Linley and Bebe were stunned.
“I should reward you for making your way here. I should punish you for killing Tina! So then… the reward and the punishment cancel each other out. I will not agree to your request, but I won’t kill you either. The two of you, leave immediately. When I think of the look on your face just now, you really… haha…” The Sovereign of Death couldn’t help but begin to laugh again.
She refused?
“Sovereign!” Linley and Bebe immediately called out.
“Sovereign!” Yennaway also called out urgently.
Neither side was willing to accept this.
“What, you have an objection?” The formerly laughing Sovereign of Death suddenly turned cold as her face sank. She swept the three with her gaze. This sweep of her gaze alone caused Linley and Bebe to feel as though their souls had been shaken. As for Yennaway, she too was so frightened that she no longer dared to say a word. She knew very well what sort of temper the Sovereign of Death had.
Although she had been laughing happily, it was very possible that in the next instant, she would fiercely punish someone.
Yennaway didn’t dare to say a word, but how could Linley be willing to give up?
“Sovereign,” Linley hurriedly called out, while at the same time, he flipped out the medallion of the Bloodridge Sovereign. Linley once more knelt down and begged, “Sovereign, for the sake of the Bloodridge Sovereign, please give me a chance. Let me save my parents and my brothers. I just need a chance!”
“Laughable!” a cold voice rang out.
Linley raised his head to look.
The nearby Yennaway was snickering, “Linley, what’s the big deal about the Bloodridge Sovereign? Do you know… that my mistress is the most powerful Sovereign of the entire Netherworld. The Chief Sovereign of Death! In the countless planes of the universe, only the other three Chief Sovereigns of the other three Higher Planes are equals who are on par with my mistress! And you mention the Bloodridge Sovereign to her? Even if you mentioned that Redbud Sovereign of yours, it would be useless!”
32
THE NETHERWORLD HEART
Linley’s heart trembled.
Chief Sovereign of Death?
Linley knew that each Law or Edict had seven mighty Sovereigns, with one High Sovereign, two Intermediate Sovereigns, and four Lesser Sovereigns! Seven Elemental Laws and four great Edicts. In total, there were only eleven High Sovereigns, and these eleven High Sovereigns were also termed Chief Sovereigns! They were the supreme kings of their Laws and Edicts, chief-like figures!
They were the greatest of existences beneath the Overgod level.
As for the Overgods, they were the personifications of the Edicts. They had no human emotions, nor would they interfere in struggles and battles. They couldn’t be counted as people. Thus, the eleven Chief Gods could absolutely be considered the most supreme existences of the universe.
And, from what Yennaway was saying, it seemed as though the four Chief Sovereigns of the Four Higher Planes were the most powerful of the eleven Chief Sovereigns. One could completely imagine what sort of status this Sovereign of Death, seated on her throne, possessed! It was indeed laughable for Linley to mention the Bloodridge Sovereign to her!
“Sovereign,” the nearby Bebe said frantically as well, “My Boss, he…”
“Shut your mouth,” the Sovereign of Death, seated atop her throne, said calmly. Bebe instantly felt a tremendous pressure crush down on him, preventing him from speaking. “The decisions I have made are definitely irreversible. The reward and the punishment cancel each other out. I will not help you.”
Linley raised his head to look at the seated Sovereign of Death.
She was still dressed in that long violet robe, and her hair was still long and blood-red. This woman had that beautiful, graceful face… but the aura she naturally emanated caused Linley to feel powerless. This was one of the four Chief Sovereigns of the Four Higher Planes… the Chief Sovereign of the Netherworld! A powerful, supreme, invincible existence!
“Sovereign, then my brother and I will depart.” Linley rose to his feet, still bowing.
“Mm.” The Sovereign of Death acknowledged calmly.
Bebe couldn’t help but turn to stare at Linley, transmitting mentally with franticness, “Boss, are we leaving now?”
“Right, we’re leaving right now! The Sovereign’s decision is irrevocable. What we need to do is seize every moment and hurry to find the other Netherworld Sovereigns,” Linley sent mentally. He had begged the Sovereign of Death repeatedly, but hadn’t been able to move her in the slightest. “This Sovereign of Death isn’t willing to help us, but I refuse to believe the other six will be the same!”
There was no way Linley would give up!
When he thought of how his father, Yale, George, and the others were in a life-and-death danger, Linley felt panicked! They had died in the Yulan continent, but that wasn’t a true death, as their souls had survived. But dying in the Netherworld meant their souls would disperse, just like his Grandpa Doehring, never to come to life ever again!
Linley wasn’t willing to stand by and watch their souls disperse!
Even if he risked his life, he would have to rescue them!
Linley glanced at the Sovereign of Death, seated on high. “Right. Let’s go.”
Linley and Bebe still bowed very courteously towards the Chief Sovereign of Death, then turned and strode outwards towards the outer palace. As for the gold snake and the silver serpent, as well as Arthurs, Bailey, and the others, they watched as Linley and Bebe left, the expressions on their faces varied. The gold snake and the silver serpent, husband and wife, just laughed coldly.
“Wait a moment,” a cold voice suddenly rang out.
Linley and Bebe, who had already reached the doorway of the palace, suddenly came to a halt. Linley turned his head to look towards the Chief Sovereign of Death with surprise and joy in his eyes. Linley’s eyes were blazing. “The Sovereign called out to me… can it be that she changed her mind? Why would the Sovereign change her mind? But then again, the Sovereign was once an ordinary person. Perhaps she might really change her mind. There’s still a chance!”
Linley grew tense.
Bebe raised his head to look at the Chief Sovereign of Death as well, both puzzled and expectant.
“Linley, let me warn you that you do not need to go find the other Sovereigns of the Netherworld. You can go
directly back to the Infernal Realm,” the Chief Sovereign of Death said calmly, but her eyes continued to look with interest at the expression on Linley’s face.
“Why?” Linley’s heart trembled. He had a bad feeling.
“When ordinary people die, their souls will enter the Netherworld and form into an undead. This is part of the natural Laws, while control over the management of this Law was transformed into a treasure, the supreme treasure of my Netherworld, the ‘Netherworld Heart’. If one wishes to find out which undead your father and friends transformed into, this Netherworld Heart must be used. And this Netherworld Heart… is under my control,” the Chief Sovereign of Death said coldly.
Linley couldn’t help but stare at the Chief Sovereign of Death.
Netherworld Heart?
So it was the Netherworld Heart that controlled everything. This supreme treasure was under the control of the Chief Sovereign of Death. This was indeed reasonable.
The Chief Sovereign of Death stared down towards Linley, her lips curving upwards slightly. “I told you. As punishment, I will not save your father and your friends. Thus… forget about saving them. Even if you go beg other Netherworld Sovereigns, I will not permit them to use the Netherworld Heart. I imagine… they wouldn’t have the gall to disobey me. And you aren’t qualified to make them wish to disobey me!”
“Thus, you can go straight back to the Infernal Realm,” the Chief Sovereign of Death said calmly.
“BANG!”
Linley felt as though an explosion had gone off inside his brain. ‘Netherworld Heart’. ‘Father’. ‘Boss Yale’. ‘George’. All sorts of things chaotically jumbled together within his mind. Linley’s mind had completely lost all logical thought. He was completely stunned. It seemed a long time passed… Linley felt as though he were in a dream, as though his mind was in a stupor!
And suddenly, he awoke!
“No!” Linley suddenly raised his head, staring at the Chief Sovereign of Death. “Sovereign, you cannot do this, you cannot do this! Sovereign, if you aren’t willing to save them, I, Linley, won’t say a single word of complaint. But you cannot stop the other Sovereigns. You cannot. You cannot!” Linley had already sunk into despair.
The Planar Wars Page 26
