Lord of the Mists

by Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi

  He had been in the grips of despair. All he wanted to do was train quietly, but then… Olivier had heard others say that Linley had become a Paragon.

  “I had already given up all hope. But… but I heard, Linley, that you have become a Paragon.” Olivier looked towards Linley.

  Olivier knew that Linley was very powerful, at the Seven Star Fiend level, but behind Bonin was the Lord Prefect of Skymount Prefecture. Thus, Olivier hadn’t told Linley about this, as he didn’t want Linley to get dragged into this.

  “Skymount Prefecture?”

  Linley nodded slightly.

  Olivier’s grief and misery caused Linley to feel quite moved. His wife had been taken, and one of his sons had been killed, yet he didn’t have the power to fight back or even take revenge.

  “Olivier, don’t worry. I will accompany you.” Linley nodded.

  “Thank you.” Olivier, upon hearing Linley’s response, couldn’t help but immediately thank him, then say, “Then Linley, when should we head out?”

  “This…” Linley hesitated.

  “How about we head out tomorrow?” Olivier couldn’t wait at all. His wife had been taken and his son had been killed. Hatred festered in Olivier’s heart, gnawing at his soul like locusts. Now that the flames of vengeance had been kindled within his heart once more, Olivier didn’t want to waste any more time.

  “Tomorrow?” Linley frowned.

  Tomorrow, Linley was planning to go to the Divine Light Plane!

  Actually, Linley felt a hint of nervousness about this trip to the Divine Light Plane, after what Gislason had said. He was afraid that the almighty Chief Sovereign of Light really would stoop to killing him. But he had no choice if he wanted to save his mother. He had only one option; to ask the Chief Sovereign of Light to release her!

  Thus, although it was dangerous, Linley was still going to go.

  Linley had originally planned to allow his divine earth clone to head to the Divine Light Plane.

  His divine earth clone was just one clone, but it too had a mutated soul, and it too was infused with his Will. Although the power of the Will wasn’t as great as that of Linley’s original body, the power of his divine earth clone was also comparable to the power of Paragons.

  Linley’s original body was more powerful in terms of power and Will than Paragons.

  As for his divine earth, wind, water and fire clones, the power of their Will was slightly weaker, and so they were slightly weaker than Paragons.

  For the sake of his mother, Linley was willing to send his divine earth clone over. Even if the Chief Sovereign of Light was so shameless as to kill him, Linley would at most lose a divine earth clone. Linley would still be a Paragon-level expert.

  But… with Olivier’s request, Linley was now put in a hard position.

  Indeed, Linley could allow his divine earth clone to go to the Divine Light Plane and his original body to accompany Olivier to the Skymount Prefecture.

  But… if both clones simultaneously revealed Paragon-level power in the Divine Light Plane and in the Infernal Realm, anyone with deductive reasoning abilities would immediately understand that Linley was a Soul Mutate!

  This was because Paragons generally had one element they specialized in. It was virtually impossible for a person to be a Paragon in one element, and then also become a Paragon with his other divine clones. It was already quite terrifying for someone to become a Paragon in one element; a person who had two divine clones at the Paragon level was something utterly inconceivable.

  If Linley revealed Paragon-level power in two different planes with two different bodies, of course others would find it bizarre and investigate!

  The secret of his soul mutation… for now, Linley didn’t want to reveal it!

  “Linley, you… you are busy?” Olivier asked.

  “I…” Linley hesitated.

  “If you have an important matter to attend to, then my matter can be delayed. There’s no need to rush it,” Olivier said hurriedly.

  But Linley understood that given Olivier’s son had been killed and his wife had been taken, Olivier was undoubtedly thinking about revenge every moment. He wanted to rescue his wife.

  “Boss, Boss, the Patriarch is coming,” the voice of Bebe, from outside.

  “Patriarch?” Linley turned his head and saw Gislason striding in, clearly in a hurry.

  “Patriarch.” Linley hurriedly rose to his feet to welcome him, and the nearby Olivier hurriedly dried his tears and rose as well.

  Upon entering the room, Gislason hurriedly said, “Linley, just now, I did what you asked me to do and sent someone to deliver a message to Lord Beirut. Lord Beirut’s response came immediately. He asked me to tell you… no matter what, don’t go to the Divine Light Plane!”

  Linley was stunned.

  “Divine Light Plane?” Olivier now understood as well. Most likely, the reason why Linley had hesitated earlier was because he had to go to the Divine Light Plane on business.

  “Why did Lord Beirut say this?” Linley was completely puzzled.

  “Lord Beirut said that when your divine fire clone was on the Yulan continent, you had discussed with him the matter of saving your father, friends, and mother. He thus made a trip to the Divine Light Realm and sought out the Chief Sovereign of Light to help you make the request. After all, there are no grudges between Lord Beirut and the Chief Sovereign of Light.”

  Linley couldn’t help but feel a surge of gratitude. His divine fire clone had merely mentioned this matter, but Beirut had actually made a personal visit to see the Chief Sovereign of Light.

  “But… the Chief Sovereign of Light didn’t agree!” Gislason said with a sigh. “Lord Beirut also asked the Bloodridge Sovereign, and the Bloodridge Sovereign responded… that it was impossible to force the Chief Sovereign of Light to restore an Angel’s freedom. Even if a Sovereign went and asked in person, the chances would be low. If you went… there would be no chance at all.”

  That look in his father’s eyes appeared in Linley’s mind.

  “Father… there’s nothing I can do.” Linley felt powerless.

  The Chief Sovereign of Death had said this as well; that even if she went in person, the chances would be low. Now, the Bloodridge Sovereign had said the same thing, and Beirut had actually gone in person.

  “Linley, when Lord Beirut was discussing this matter with the Chief Sovereign of Light, he also said that you were willing to be the Chief Sovereign’s Emissary, in exchange for your mother’s freedom. But the Chief Sovereign of Light still would not agree,” Gislason said.

  Even becoming a Sovereign’s Emissary was useless?

  Linley no longer had any cards left to play.

  “In addition, Lord Beirut told me that I had to stop you, that you absolutely could not be permitted to go to the Divine Light Plane. It’s fine if you don’t go, but if you were to come face to face with the Chief Sovereign of Light, it was very possible that the Chief Sovereign would immediately kill you. This isn’t just because of the issue between you and the Augusta clan; there’s another reason as well,” Gislason said in an urging manner.

  “Another reason?” Linley couldn’t think of anything he had done to offend the Chief Sovereign of Light.

  Was it because he had driven Magnus into chaotic space?

  But Magnus was a Paragon of Fate, and an emissary of the Chief Sovereign of Fate, not the Chief Sovereign of Light! The only reason he had chosen to help Montelo was because he had a long, close relationship with the Augusta Patriarch.

  “What is the reason?” Linley asked.

  “Lord Beirut said that for now, this reason could not be made public, which is why he didn’t tell the messenger,” Gislason said.

  Linley nodded. After so many years, Linley had developed great trust for Beirut.

  “Then for now, I’ll give up the notion of going to the Divine Light Plane…” Linley murmured to himself, and then turned to look at Olivier. “Olivier,
tomorrow, I will accompany you. We will head out and go to the Skymount Prefecture!”

  A look of surprise and joy appeared on Olivier’s face.

  The very next day. At the gates to Linley’s estate.

  “Boss, just let me go with you. I’m bored to death.” Bebe chortled. Linley wasn’t able to dissuade Bebe, and so Bebe tagged along as well. This trip to Skymount Prefecture, as far as Linley was concerned, held no dangers or challenges. Although, according to legends, the Lord Prefect of Skymount Prefecture was fairly powerful…

  Compared to a Paragon, he was still much weaker!

  This was a trip for Linley, Bebe, Olivier, and Deia. Deia was only a Saint. Although they hadn’t planned to bring him along, Deia himself had steadfastly insisted on going. His mother was at Skymount Prefecture, after all!

  And thus, Olivier had asked Linley his opinion on whether or not they should bring Deia along… and Linley, being completely confident, had nodded and permitted Olivier to bring Deia.

  “Let’s go. We will be able to reach Skymount Prefecture in under a year.” Linley smiled, and then, in midair, an enormous black sword-shaped metallic lifeform appeared.

  Linley’s group of four immediately entered the metallic lifeform.

  Under Linley’s control, the metallic lifeform slashed through the skies, transforming into a black blur as it disappeared into the horizons of the Skyrite Mountains and flew towards the east.

  9

  BONIN

  In the air above Skymount Prefecture. A black, sword-shaped metallic lifeform was hovering there.

  Linley, Olivier, and the other two were standing at the front cabin within the metallic lifeform, staring through the translucent metal to the mountains ahead of them.

  “Right. The Yustone Mountains are up ahead!” Olivier’s eyes were shining.

  While flying here, Olivier had been astonished at the speed of Linley’s metallic lifeform. Within one short year, they had actually arrived at Skymount Prefecture from Indigo Prefecture. What he didn’t understand… was that when Linley had gone from Tartarus of the Nether Sea to the Abyssal Mountain, a distance of tens of billions of kilometers, he had spent less than ten years travelling.

  “Describe Diana’s appearance to me,” Linley said.

  Olivier nodded. “Diana is slightly shorter than me, standing roughly up to my eyebrows. She has straight, shoulder-length hair which is a deep jade color, almost black. Within the castle inside the Yustone Mountains, she is the mistress. Finding her should be easy.”

  “Right.” Linley nodded.

  At the same time, the metallic lifeform disappeared, and Linley’s group of four stood there in midair, with Olivier holding his son, Deia, by the hand.

  “Wait momentarily.” Linley willed his divine sense to spread out, instantly encapsulating nearly half of the entire Yustone Mountains, which naturally included that castle.

  In the castle, there were 1556 individuals, mostly men, with a few women.

  As for someone like Olivier had described, a woman with shoulder-length hair that was deep green, there was only one!

  Within the castle. The balcony of a small room. A woman was staring into the distance, dressed in an ink-jade dress. She was the mistress of this castle… Diana!

  “Leya, my child… mother is so sorry,” Diana said softly, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

  Ever since that day more than ten years ago, when Olivier had attacked the castle and informed her of Leya’s death, Diana began to hate Bonin all the more! Originally, she hated Bonin for tearing her apart from her family, but now, she hated Bonin for not honoring his promise and for attacking her sons and husband, resulting in Leya’s death.

  “How could it have come to this? Why did all of this have to happen?” Diana shut her eyes, tears rolling down her face.

  Right at this moment…

  “Are you Olivier’s wife, Diana?” a voice rang out in Diana’s mind.

  Diana was startled, and she hurriedly opened her eyes.

  “Who is it?” Diana hurriedly looked around, but she was unable to see a single possible ‘suspect’. And then, that voice continued, “Don’t worry or be suspicious. I am Olivier’s friend. He invited me to take you out of here.”

  Diana continued to stare around herself, but wasn’t able to find the person who was sending her the message. She calmed down, then responded, “Right, I am Diana! But… I cannot leave.”

  “Cannot leave?”

  “Right. If I were to leave, then the lord of this castle, Bonin, would definitely kill Olivier and our son,” Diana said.

  “He doesn’t have that ability,” that calm, yet assured voice echoed in her mind.

  Diana wanted to say something else, but suddenly, a raucous series of noises could be heard from the distance. Diana couldn’t help but stare towards the distant disturbance, confused. She saw a group of guards fly out from the walls of the castle, with one shouting rebukingly, “This is Castle Yustone. If you want to enter the castle, wait for us to send a message first!”

  The shouts rang out repeatedly, and some people even pulled out divine artifacts as they flew over to block the newcomers.

  But the four blurs didn’t hesitate at all, flying straight past.

  “Olly… and Deia?” Diana opened her eyes wide, stunned.

  Linley’s group of four flew past in awe-inspiring fashion, completely ignoring the blocking guards. Most of those guards were Gods, and only a few were Highgods. A gust of earthen yellow energy rippled past them, and it seemed as though those guards were like pellets of sand, carried away by the waves of the sea. All of them were knocked flying.

  “Eh?” Diana couldn’t help but feel surprised.

  The other guards of Yustone Castle were all stunned as well.

  “Milord, those four are too powerful. We aren’t able to stop them,” those guards hurriedly reported to a black-robed man.

  The black-robed man’s face changed. “Olivier!” Last time, Olivier had secretly snuck in, and then battled with Bonin. Many of the people at Yustone Castle thus recognized Olivier. The black-robed man ordered, “Hurry up and find the master of the castle. He is elsewhere in the Yustone Mountains. Hurry and find him.”

  “Yes, milord.”

  Immediately, twenty nearby guards flew out of Yustone Castle in search of Bonin.

  “The four of you, please halt,” the black-robed man called out in a clear voice.

  At the same time, many of the guards gathered together behind the black-robed man as he flew towards Linley’s group of four. In addition, a large amount of guards continued to fly out from places throughout the castle, wishing to block Linley’s advance.

  “Rumble…”

  Linley’s group of four flew forward, and it was like a mountain was sweeping through. All of the guards who wanted to block them were knocked flying backwards by waves of earthen yellow energy. Linley’s group of four… was completely unstoppable!

  Seeing this, the black-robed man’s face became exceedingly ugly to behold. He could tell… that the enemies were powerful indeed.

  “Unless you want to die, stay away,” Bebe called out smugly in a loud voice.

  “The four of you, if you advance any further, then I will attack,” the black-robed man said in a clear voice. Although he spoke quite boldly, after having seen Linley’s power… the black-robed man knew very well that if these enemies wanted to kill them, it would be simplicity itself. After all, killing Highgods was very easy, but to do what Linley had done, to knock them backwards without injuring them… that was quite difficult.

  Linley’s group of four flew directly for Diana.

  Diana stared as these four flew over, the castle guards completely unable to stop them. She couldn’t help but feel stunned.

  “Mother.” Deia was the first to call out as he flew towards Diana. Olivier flew over alongside him as well.

  “Deia.” Diana’s eyes instantly turned red. She hurriedly w
ent over and tightly hugged her son. Although her son was already an adult now, that familiar spiritual aura… Diana instantly recognized him.

  “Diana,” Olivier said softly.

  Diana turned to look at Olivier. She couldn’t help but throw herself into Olivier’s arms. These two, husband and wife, felt both excited and heartsick.

  Linley stood there in midair. Bebe, seeing this, couldn’t help but smile.

  “Olly, why did you come back?” Diana raised her head, looking at Olivier. She said frantically, “Last time, when you came, it was because you didn’t know how powerful Bonin was. And Bonin is very tyrannical… you were lucky to be able to escape last time. This time, you… alas!” Diana was very worried.

  Bonin was extremely powerful, after all. And behind him was the Lord Prefect of Skymount Prefecture.

  “Don’t worry.” Olivier revealed a smile.

  “Mother, don’t worry. We have Uncle Linley,” Deia urged as well. That cold, emotionless youth, upon seeing his mother, seemed to have become a child again.

  “Linley?” Diana raised her head, looking at the distant Linley and Bebe in confusion. “You mean them?”

  “Right.” Olivier smiled and nodded.

  “But Bonin has his father, who is terrifying. He isn’t just the Lord Prefect of the Skymount Prefecture, he is also a Sovereign’s Emissary with a Sovereign artifact. He is extremely powerful,” Diana said hurriedly. The Infernal Realm had 108 Lord Prefects, but not all of them have a Sovereign artifact.

  Olivier couldn’t help but laugh as he reflected on Linley’s power.

  A Sovereign artifact?

  Even an expert with three Sovereign artifacts, much less one, was no match for a Paragon. The Paragon might not be able to kill such a person, but would still be able to drive that person into chaotic space.

  “Uncle Linley is a Paragon,” Deia said hurriedly.

  “Pa, Paragon?” Diana blinked, stunned. She was completely stunned by this word, ‘Paragon’. Paragon… these were legendary figures who represented invincibility amongst Deities!

  “Diana, where is that bastard, Bonin?” Olivier’s eyes had a savage light in them as he spoke.