Chapter 38: Wanting a Divine Spark?
The Tenth Level of the Divine Graveyard.
"Beibei, how is Linley?" Desri asked in a low voice.
"Boss is still alive and well." Beibei's injuries had mostly healed naturally, but he was completely focused on sensing Linley's presence, terrified that Linley might die.
Tulei, Rosalie, and the other experts could only wait quietly nearby. Only through Beibei could they know if Linley was still alive.
Tulei felt the oppressive atmosphere among the experts and, to lighten the mood, said, "Olivia, that last sword strike of yours on the Eleventh Level was truly formidable. It killed four Abyssal Blade Demons in one blow."
"I remember that strike too," the Black-Armored Giant Scorpion added.
"None of the rest of us could probably have done that," Tulei said.
Back then, when the experts were trying to flee into the Tenth Level, Olivia had unleashed his strongest sword strike in desperation. That black-and-white illusory longsword had cleaved through and directly killed four Abyssal Blade Demons.
These Abyssal Blade Demons were made entirely of metal, and while their defense wasn't as terrifying as their offense, killing four Abyssal Demons with a single sword strike was incredibly difficult. Even Linley had to use the 'Profound Truths of the Earth' or 'Rhythm of the Wind' to kill just one Abyssal Demon. An ordinary sword strike couldn't possibly split an Abyssal Blade Demon in half.
Of course, after comprehending 'Dimensional Slash', Linley could also kill five or six Abyssal Demons with a single sword strike.
But Olivia, killing four Abyssal Blade Demons with one strike—everyone still found it shocking when they recalled it, especially since Tulei and the others couldn't do it.
"That move is also my life-risking trump card. After using it, my spiritual energy was almost completely depleted," Olivia said.
"Even so, it's still impressive. Even if I risked my life, my attack wouldn't be that strong," Tulei said with a self-deprecating laugh.
The experts present were also amazed by Olivia's progress. When he first entered the Divine Graveyard, Olivia was only in the second tier, but over the past ten years, his strength had soared, and his attack power had reached this level.
Olivia didn't say much more.
Achieving his current level was something he had only obtained by walking the edge of life and death.
"Back when we encountered that Eye of the Evil God, we knew you were a bit different from us," Desri also sighed.
Their chatter lightened the atmosphere on the Tenth Level a little. None of them noticed that Beibei, who had been hanging his head, suddenly lifted it and looked toward a distant stone pillar with surprise.
"Boss!" A delighted voice rang out.
"Whoosh!" A black blur shot directly into the distance.
"What?" Desri, Tulei, Olivia, and the other experts all turned their heads in surprise toward the passage leading to the Eleventh Level. They saw a young man in a sky-blue robe laughing and playing with a black Shadowmouse.
Linley was back!
"Boss."
"Beibei." Linley was now holding Beibei up. Man and beast looked at each other and smiled.
"Great, Boss, I missed you so much. I was afraid you wouldn't come back," Beibei said, his small, glossy black eyes still misty. Those three or four hours had been a real torment for Beibei. His greatest fear was that Linley had truly died.
At that moment, Desri, Fain, Olivia, Rosalie, Tulei, the two Six-Eyed Golden Lions, Krio and his brother, and the Black-Armored Giant Scorpion all hurried over. They were both surprised and delighted that Linley had managed to return to the Tenth Level.
"Linley, you escaped?" Fain said in surprise.
"I really didn't expect you to make it back to the Tenth Level while being chased by a million Abyssal Blade Demons," Desri said, his face full of joy. "I thought you would have to waste time with those Abyssal Blade Demons underground until the ten-year period was up."
"Don't you know who my boss is?" Beibei was getting cocky again. He stood upright on Linley's shoulder, his little paws crossed over his chest, speaking proudly.
Linley smiled and said, "Did you think I didn't want to waste time with them underground? But those Abyssal Blade Demons are too clever. They were spread out in large numbers across fixed areas underground. Once they found me, a huge number of them would immediately surround me. I held out for three hours, but I couldn't last any longer."
"Then how did you get back, Linley?" Fain and the others looked at him curiously.
At least Fain and this group of experts couldn't imagine how Linley had escaped back to the Tenth Level while being chased by a million Abyssal Blade Demons.
"Fortunately, at the very last critical moment, I had an insight. My speed improved dramatically, allowing me to easily shake off the Abyssal Blade Demons. After killing a few of them, I took the divine spark from the Eleventh Level and returned safely." Linley said it very calmly.
But everyone, including Beibei, was stunned.
"You took the divine spark?" Fain, Desri, Rosalie, and Tulei's eyes went wide. Even Olivia, who had been silent at the back, couldn't hide his shock as he looked at Linley.
A divine spark...
The treasure that Fain and the others had dreamed of. With this Lesser God divine spark, they could become gods.
The Saint realm and the God realm were as different as heaven and earth.
"Linley, congratulations," Desri was the first to come to his senses. He could only offer his congratulations.
The other experts also forced smiles and congratulated Linley. At that moment, Desri and the others felt a pang of unbearable jealousy! After all, they had worked so hard for so long for a divine spark. Now that Linley had obtained one, and he had risked his life to do it, they had nothing to say.
But still, a trace of jealousy lingered in their hearts.
This jealousy even made them involuntarily entertain the thought of 'killing Linley and taking the divine spark'. Of course, as soon as the thought appeared, they immediately dismissed it.
After all, they weren't that kind of petty person.
Among this group of experts, besides Beibei, only one person felt no jealousy: Olivia.
"Linley, you'll probably be the sixth god-level expert on the Yulan continent," Olivia said with a faint smile on his face. "Linley, you're stronger than me now. But... in a few years, I'll challenge you too."
Olivia had confidence in himself.
He was weaker than Linley, but that was only for now!
"?" Linley looked at Olivia and nodded with a smile. "Alright, anytime."
...
After Linley returned to the Tenth Level, the group of experts waited peacefully for the ten-year period to end. They scattered and rested on the grass. Linley, of course, stayed with Beibei.
"Boss, tell me, how many divine sparks were there on the Eleventh Level? I bet there was more than one," Beibei said in a low voice.
Linley smiled faintly. "Three."
Beibei's small eyes went wide, and then he grinned, showing his little teeth. "Wow, great! Three divine sparks! Boss, what attributes are they?" Beibei pressed on. "I hope they match yours. Don't let all three be fire attribute, lightning attribute, or something."
"One earth attribute, one wind attribute, and one destruction attribute." Linley looked up meaningfully. "They match me perfectly!"
Beibei was also surprised. "How is that such a coincidence?"
"How would I know?" Linley smiled, then shook his head and sighed. "It's a pity I'm too weak. I don't have the strength to go up again, to the Twelfth Level or even higher."
"Huh?" Beibei looked at his boss in confusion. "Boss, why would you want to go higher? The Twelfth Level is something only god-level experts can challenge. If we go, we'd be walking to our deaths." Beibei knew that from the Twelfth Level onward, the guardians were all god-level.
Without god-level strength, entering would mean certain death.
"Beibei, before we stepped onto the Eleventh Level, I told you that something in this Divine Graveyard was calling to me," Linley said with a sigh. Beibei nodded his little head beside him.
"Ever since I entered this Divine Graveyard, I've felt that... the thing calling me is above. When I stepped onto the Tenth Level, I still felt that the thing calling me was above. I thought then that maybe it would be on the Eleventh Level."
Linley shook his head. "But when I stepped onto the Eleventh Level, I realized I was wrong. The 'presence' calling me was still above, maybe on the Twelfth Level, maybe on the Thirteenth... or even the highest, the Eighteenth. Who knows? After all, I don't have the strength to go up."
Beibei nodded slightly.
...
About a month after Linley had been on the Tenth Level, Desri came over to him. He hesitated, unable to speak for a long time.
"Desri, is something the matter?" Linley asked curiously.
Desri looked a bit embarrassed. He gave a dry laugh, took a deep breath, and then asked in a low voice, "Linley, I'd like to know... how many divine sparks did you get on the Eleventh Level?"
Linley's heart stirred. This Desri seemed to have some designs on the divine sparks. But Linley could understand.
"Three." Linley didn't hide it.
Desri's eyes lit up. "What attributes are they?"
"Desri, why are you asking about that?" Beibei said angrily from the side. "Those divine sparks were only obtained by my boss risking his life. Don't forget, if it weren't for Boss using 'Dimensional Edge' to clear the way and then holding off a huge number of Abyssal Blade Demons, none of you would have survived."
Desri looked a bit embarrassed.
Linley glanced at Beibei, then smiled at Desri. "There's no harm in telling you. They are earth attribute, wind attribute, and destruction attribute."
"Oh?" Desri nodded.
"Linley, there's something I need to tell you," Desri said, looking at Linley. "First of all, refining a divine spark doesn't necessarily require one of the same attribute as yourself. For example, you could completely refine a fire attribute divine spark. Of course... the refining speed would be very slow. The only requirement for refining a divine spark is to have reached the Saint realm, meaning your soul has the ability to refine it."
Linley nodded slightly.
"Also, a Saint-level expert can only refine one divine spark," Desri explained.
"I know that," Linley nodded.
Desri hesitated for a moment, then forced a smile and said, "Linley, you only need to use one divine spark for yourself. If, I mean if it's possible, could you part with one of them..." He couldn't finish the sentence.
Ask Linley to sell it?
What did he, Desri, have to buy a divine spark with?
Ask Linley to give it to him?
Desri couldn't bring himself to say that either. The only reason he had the nerve to come and talk to Linley was his overwhelming desire to 'become a god'. Even if the attribute didn't match, and the refining efficiency would be very low, and the path to comprehending the laws would be difficult, he didn't care.
...
"Aside from Olivia and the two Six-Eyed Golden Lions, all the other experts have the same idea," Linley thought to himself.
Over the past few months, most of the experts had secretly come to talk to him.
A divine spark was something Linley valued highly, even if he didn't need it for himself. After all, one divine spark equaled one Lesser God! He could give the three divine sparks to Gates and the others, or to his little brother, and let them become gods!
"I'll just stall for now," Linley thought to himself.
Those experts could only hint at their intentions. After all, their lives had been saved by Linley, and the divine sparks were something he had obtained only after facing life-and-death danger.
...
"Rumble~~"
Suddenly, the entire Divine Graveyard began to tremble.
"What's happening?" Linley and Beibei immediately looked up and around.
In the distance, a passage shrouded in black light appeared out of thin air. A figure walked out of the black passage. He had long black hair, a black beard, and wore a black robe. It was the number one expert of the Yulan continent, Beirut.
Linley, Desri, Tulei... all the experts stood up.
Beirut swept his gaze over the experts and said, "The ten-year period is up. Everyone can leave the Divine Graveyard." Then his gaze stopped on Linley, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Haha... Linley, I must congratulate you."