Chapter 12: Desri’s Decision
A gentle temperament, with a smile often on his face—this was the impression Desri left in Linley’s mind. But at this moment, Desri’s hair was disheveled, and his entire body exuded a violent, oppressive aura. Even when Desri noticed Linley enter, he still showed no restraint.
“You’re here,” Desri said coldly.
Linley sighed inwardly. The destruction of his divine clone had dealt Desri an unprecedented blow.
“Desri, your divine clone is gone. Regretting it is useless. Right now, you should focus on quiet cultivation and figure out your path forward. But the way you are now, you won’t even talk to your family and friends, keeping everything bottled up inside. It’s making them worried too,” Linley advised.
Desri was silent for a moment.
“When I came back, my mind was in chaos. I didn’t want to talk to them,” Desri finally spoke.
Linley nodded slightly. He and Desri were different. Desri had spent over five thousand years striving to become a god, and having the fruits of five millennia destroyed in an instant, no one could accept it calmly.
“Desri, what do you plan to do now?” Linley asked with a sigh. “Are you going to cultivate another elemental law and become a god on your own, or find a demigod divine spark and refine it to ascend?” At this point, Desri had no other options.
Desri let out a scornful laugh.
“Cultivate another elemental law?” Desri looked at Linley. “Linley, I spent so long on the Light Elemental Law, which I’m best at, just to become a god. If I switch to another elemental law now, even if I spend ten thousand years, do you think I could still become a god on my own?”
Linley fell silent for a time.
He knew that everyone had their strengths in cultivation. For example, if Linley were forced to cultivate the Dark Elemental Law, he would be completely clueless. He might spend ten or a hundred times the effort he put into the Wind Elemental Law, yet his achievements in the Dark Elemental Law would never match those in the Wind Elemental Law.
The difference between getting twice the result with half the effort and half the result with twice the effort was enormous.
“Desri, I know you’re best at the Light Elemental Law…” Linley said solemnly. “That divine spark of yours was taken by a silver-robed man under Lord Augus. Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to get that divine spark back.”
If Desri’s original body refined his own former divine spark, he could succeed in a very short time. But Linley was also aware that whether that silver-robed man would show up again was unknown.
“If I can’t find your divine spark, I’ll also find a way to obtain another one from the Light Elemental Law,” Linley said.
In Linley’s view… when Augus had attacked, Desri had stayed by his side and not retreated, which ultimately led to the destruction of Desri’s divine clone. Originally, Desri had a bright future, but now he could only choose to refine a divine spark to become a god. He had to do something.
“No need,” Desri said firmly, cutting him off.
Linley was taken aback.
What exactly did Desri intend to do? Was he, with his Saint-level peak strength, going to seize a divine spark?
“I don’t want to cultivate the Light Elemental Law anymore,” Desri said, looking at Linley with a sigh. “Linley, after several battles, I’ve realized that focusing on soul-based attacks puts me at a disadvantage in combat. I want to train in close-combat profound mysteries.”
“Close combat?” Linley was somewhat surprised.
He hadn’t expected Desri to decide to change his cultivation direction. It made sense, though. After becoming a god, Desri had fought two major battles—one against Poment and one against the silver-robed man under Augus. Desri had come to understand that relying solely on soul attacks was very disadvantageous in battle.
While soul attacks were important, close combat and physical attacks were the most effective.
“If that’s the case…” Linley’s mind stirred. He flipped his hand, and a black divine spark appeared in his palm, radiating an aura of death.
Desri couldn’t help but look at the divine spark. “Linley, this is?” Desri recognized it.
Linley nodded slightly. “Yes, this divine spark came from when we killed Poment. I obtained it. It belongs to the Death Rules. Among the cultivation paths, besides the seven elemental laws, there are also four edicts. In the Death Rules, both close combat and soul attacks have advantages. If you refine it and study it carefully, you should achieve something.”
Desri hesitated for a moment.
In truth, Desri very much wanted this divine spark, but it was too precious. Poment had been killed by Linley, so the divine spark naturally belonged to him.
“Take it,” Linley said, seeing through Desri’s thoughts. He tossed the divine spark directly to Desri. Desri couldn’t help but reach out and catch the death-attribute divine spark. As he held it, his eyes lit up.
With a divine spark, becoming a god was within reach.
“Thank you,” Desri said, only two words to Linley.
Linley smiled slightly. “Desri, I think it’s best if you come cultivate at Dragonblood Castle. Tarosa and Dilin are there too. It’s safer there… As for here, I’m worried that a god-level expert might discover you refining the divine spark. If that happens, they’d likely come to take it from you.”
Desri nodded in agreement.
Nowadays, the Yulan Continent had many god-level experts. Even if he cultivated deep within a mountain, a god-level expert’s divine sense could still detect him. Desri wouldn’t be able to hide. Killing a Saint-level peak like Desri to seize a divine spark was something most god-level experts would do.
When Desri came out, Belsiren and Leinuo were relieved. This time, Desri explained everything to Belsiren and the others in detail. Only then did Belsiren learn that her husband had even lost his divine spark. No wonder he had been like this.
For safety’s sake, Belsiren and her family decided to move to Dragonblood Castle with Desri.
Dragonblood Castle was enormous, capable of housing thousands without any issue. Linley was very happy because Leinuo would also live there, and the two brothers could often drink and chat together.
After Augus’s forces were driven out of the Baruch Empire by Tarosa, the god-level experts who had been hiding in the Yulan Continent, seeing even a mid-level god like Augus expelled, few dared to try to occupy the Baruch Empire again.
The Baruch Empire gradually returned to stability.
Linley and the others cultivated peacefully in Dragonblood Castle. But Augus’s expelled forces couldn’t find peace.
In a remote border town of the O’Brien Empire, the mid-level god Augus was temporarily hiding. The O’Brien Empire was now Lord Adkins’s territory. No matter how bold Augus was, he wouldn’t dare to seize Adkins’s domain.
“The lord has been moody lately.”
“Kingsley died, so it’s no wonder the lord is like this.”
A silver-robed man and a black-robed man talked among themselves. Recently, no one dared to disturb Augus unless he ordered them to do something.
Augus sat at a table, drinking cup after cup of wine, his gaze unfocused. It was clear his mind was occupied.
“Olivia…”
Augus thought, naturally radiating a murderous aura. He desperately wanted to kill Olivia!
“If I don’t kill Olivia, I’ll never find peace,” Augus raged inwardly. “But that Tarosa’s strength is astonishing. Even if I fought him with all my might, I’d probably still be at a disadvantage. He and Dilin are both at Dragonblood Castle now. How can I kill Olivia?”
Augus was an ambitious man.
He could endure and refused to be subordinate to others. During the long years in the Gebados Planar Prison, Augus pursued only two things: greater power and protecting his son.
He didn’t easily offend others and had built good relationships with many powerful figures in the planar prison. He had a considerable reputation in Greenfire City, always striving to become a high-level god!
A high-level god was far stronger than a mid-level god.
With his son dead, Augus’s heart held both the desire for revenge and the goal of becoming a high-level god.
“Revenge first,” Augus said, looking southwest. “But relying on myself alone, under Tarosa and Dilin’s protection, to kill Olivia at Dragonblood Castle is impossible. It seems I have no choice but to take this path.”
Augus didn’t like submitting to others.
But now, he decided to do it.
“Olsopp has some grudges against me. If I go to Lord Adkins, at least his subordinate Hambrit is on good terms with me. I can quickly establish a foothold there. With Lord Adkins’s power, revenge shouldn’t be a problem.”
Augus’s gaze turned cold, sharp as a blade.
“Olivia, I will kill you! Kill you! Make your soul scatter!” Augus ground his teeth.
In the imperial capital of the O’Brien Empire, within the palace.
The original royal family had long been slaughtered. Now, this was Lord Adkins’s residence. Adkins had a few hobbies: he loved wearing luxurious, dazzling clothes, savoring rare delicacies, and watching beautiful women dance…
His pale, woman-like right hand held a wine glass as he sipped fine wine, smiling faintly as he watched the many beauties dancing among the flowers.
Outside the rear garden, a silver-haired young man was leading Augus.
“Don’t rush. Lord Adkins is enjoying himself. He hates being disturbed at times like this,” the silver-haired young man explained.
Augus nodded with a smile. “I’ve heard that even in Greenfire City, Lord Adkins loved pleasure. Only someone as noble as Lord Adkins could enjoy such luxury in the Gebados Planar Prison.”
The silver-haired young man also smiled.
Others suffered in the planar prison, but someone as powerful as Adkins could indulge there.
“Come in,” a voice echoed in their minds.
The silver-haired young man immediately led Augus into the rear garden. When they reached Adkins, Augus knelt respectfully on one knee. “Greetings to the great and revered Lord Adkins!” Augus lowered his head.
Adkins sat on a chair, looking down at him.
“Augus? Hmm, I heard you were in the Baruch Empire recently,” Adkins said with a smile.
“My strength was insufficient, so I withdrew from the Baruch Empire,” Augus replied, still not daring to raise his head.
Though he had now joined Adkins’s side, Augus didn’t dare ask for help. He knew that to a high-level god, whether he gained one more mid-level god follower made little difference.
“Rise,” Adkins said calmly. “From today, you may also stay in this palace. If there’s anything, I’ll instruct you.”
“Yes, Lord Adkins.”
Augus felt a wave of relief.
He knew that under Adkins, at least Adkins would protect him.
“Adkins, you may withdraw,” Adkins said.
“Yes, my lord.” Augus respectfully retreated.
Adkins glanced at the silver-haired young man beside him. “Hambrit, as I recall, the group that set out for the Necropolis of the Gods has returned. That Beirut should be back in the Dark Forest as well. So… send a subordinate to the Dark Forest. You know what to do without me spelling it out?”
“Yes, my lord,” the silver-haired young man ‘Hambrit’ said respectfully.
Adkins looked toward the northeast, then smiled, draining his glass in one gulp.