Chapter 5: Baruch
Linley felt a surge of relief when he heard the middle-aged man mention the 'Baruch Clan'. His ancestors of the Baruch Clan had indeed come to the Infernal Realm. And they were truly here. For a moment, Linley was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions.
"Yes. Yes, it's the Baruch Clan." Bebe was overjoyed. "Boss. We finally found them."
"Linley." Delia felt happy for Linley as well.
Beside them, Olivier, O'Brien, Tarossa, Dilin, and the others all had smiles on their faces. The Baruch Clan was incredibly famous on the Yulan Continent. But in the Infernal Realm, this was the first time they had heard it mentioned by someone else.
"Linley, congratulations." Dilin smiled.
"There's absolutely no mistake now." Hisset and the others also laughed.
Linley's heart was filled with joy. Having been taught about the clan since childhood, he knew the deeds of his ancestors inside and out. Now, he was finally about to meet those clan predecessors.
"Sir, I am from the Baruch Clan. Please, take me to meet my clan ancestors immediately." Linley couldn't help but say.
"How dare you!" Captain Isule snorted coldly.
Linley was stunned.
"What status does the lord have, to personally escort you?" Captain Isule was very dissatisfied with this 'newcomer's' lack of respect for hierarchy. "As for whether you are truly from the Yulan branch, that will be fully confirmed later. Don't get too excited too soon."
The middle-aged man chuckled. "Isule. Make the trip yourself." With that, he turned and flew away.
Isule glared coldly at Linley and his group. "Listen carefully, all of you. When we enter the Celestial Sacrifice Mountain Range shortly, do not fly around recklessly. Follow me! If you offend any high-ranking members of the clan and are punished, I won't be able to protect you."
"Understood," Linley replied.
But Linley could also feel the strict hierarchy within this Four Divine Beasts Clan.
"Follow me." Isule took the lead and flew up. Linley and his group immediately followed. The Celestial Sacrifice Mountain Range was vast, and the entire eastern region of the range was the residential area for the Azure Dragon clan members.
Linley and the others ascended the 'Dragon Path'.
The Dragon Path was a full fifty meters wide. Along its edges were rows of dragon scales. The tens of thousands of miles long Dragon Path wound and coiled through the undulating mountains. Countless mansions and castles were built along the Dragon Path, and figures could be seen within those mansions and castles.
"Boss, there are really a lot of people." Bebe's eyes darted around. "It seems to me, the population of this Azure Dragon clan is at least in the millions. Boss, I remember that your clan doesn't seem to have many children."
Linley smiled.
Indeed. The more powerful a race, the smaller its population.
"Maybe over time, the accumulated population has grown," Linley said casually.
Suppose every hundred years, a new generation is born.
Each clan member might have one child, or two. Over a long period, say a hundred million years later, how many members would the clan have? After all, once one reaches the Saint realm, they will not die of old age.
Unless they are killed.
"Being born is one thing; surviving is another," Captain Isule spoke from the front. "In the past, our Four Divine Beasts Clan was strong enough to shelter all its members. Naturally, the population grew. But now, it's not that simple."
Linley couldn't help but wonder.
What exactly was the reason for the Four Divine Beasts Clan's decline?
"That castle is beautifully built," Delia whispered in Linley's ear. Linley turned to look. The castle, entirely blue, with varying shades creating a special, dazzling effect, was indeed captivating.
"Remember, fly only on this Dragon Path. Don't go anywhere else," Isule reminded.
Bebe gave a low snort. Linley smiled and looked at Bebe. "Bebe, the clan management is a bit strict. It'll be better once we get to our residence." Linley was in a very good mood now.
"I know," Bebe transmitted telepathically.
As they spoke, under Isule's guidance, Linley and the others followed the Dragon Path to the entrance of a very ordinary two-story building built halfway up a mountain. At the entrance of this two-story building, a white-haired old man was lying on a chair with his eyes half-closed, looking very comfortable.
"Haniman," Isule called out with a smile.
The white-haired old man opened his eyes and stood up with a smile. "Oh, it's you, Isule. What brings you to my place today?"
"We just encountered a member with our clan's bloodline. Please help us by checking and recording it," Isule explained.
"Which one?" The white-haired old man turned his head to look at Linley and his group.
"It's him!" Isule pointed at Linley. Linley smiled at the white-haired old man and said, "Mr. Haniman, my name is Linley, from the Baruch Clan of the Yulan Continent material plane!"
"Oh, the Baruch Clan? The branch from the Yulan Continent. I know it." Haniman raised a white eyebrow and laughed. "Our Azure Dragon clan is also the Redding Clan. Almost all branches consider themselves the 'Redding Clan'. Only a few branches don't even know their own clan name and just make one up. Your Baruch Clan is one of them."
Linley could only smile.
His clan's founder, Baruch, didn't know about the Azure Dragon clan or that they were members of the Redding Clan. That was why he established the Baruch Clan.
"Since you can state the name of the Baruch Clan, I believe you should be a member of our clan," Haniman said, shaking his head helplessly. "But, the clan has rules. A strict verification is necessary. So... I need to go with you to meet your clan predecessors."
"Meet the clan predecessors?" Linley felt a surge of excitement.
"Yes, that's right. We need to confirm your origins through them." Haniman then looked at Isule. "Isule, your business here is done. Go on about your work. I'll accompany them."
Isule nodded and immediately withdrew.
"It's rare to encounter a clan member who was lost outside returning, maybe once in a thousand years," Haniman sighed. "Come on. Follow me to meet the predecessors of your branch."
Linley quickly followed. The group behind him began to talk amongst themselves.
"Baruch, the Dragonblood Warrior from back then. Haven't seen him for nearly six thousand years." A rare smile appeared on Hisset's face. "I wonder how those old fellows are doing now."
O'Brien also nodded.
"Old fellows?" Haniman, walking ahead, turned back with a frown. "The oldest one in this Yulan Continent branch is only a little over six thousand years old, and you call him an old fellow? In our clan, there are countless members who have cultivated for over a hundred million years. The Yulan Continent branch is the youngest branch in my Redding Clan."
"The youngest branch?"
Linley and the others exchanged glances.
On the Yulan Continent, a history of several thousand years was absolutely ancient. But in the Infernal Realm, several thousand years was considered 'the youngest'. Compared to other branches that measured time in units of a hundred million years, it was indeed very young.
"Old sir," Bebe called out. "There are countless castles and mansions everywhere in these mountains. With so many people, old sir, can you really remember where the Yulan Continent branch lives?"
"How could I not remember!"
Haniman glared. "I, Haniman, am the most knowledgeable about all the major branches and the residences of the top experts in our Redding Clan. I could find anyone's residence with my eyes closed."
"We've been flying on this Dragon Path for a long time. Why haven't we arrived yet?" Bebe muttered.
Haniman frowned and looked at Bebe. "Little fellow in the straw hat. It seems you talk the most among this group."
"Bebe," Linley said in a low voice.
"Hmph." Bebe gave a low snort and fell silent.
Only then did Haniman say, "The Yulan branch is a very weak branch. These weak branches live deep in the periphery, so we have to fly quite far. We haven't even covered one-tenth of the journey yet."
After flying for a long time, having seen over a hundred thousand patrolling soldiers alone, Linley and the others finally reached their destination.
"We're here." Haniman flew directly off the Dragon Path. "Follow me."
Linley and the others spotted a large canyon not far from the Dragon Path. Haniman flew straight into it, and Linley and his group followed. A hazy mist filled the canyon.
As they descended, through the mist, they could vaguely see rows of small buildings.
"This canyon houses your Yulan branch, along with some other minor branches," Haniman said. "The total number of people living in this canyon exceeds ten thousand."
"Baruch!" Haniman suddenly shouted loudly.
"Baruch!" "Baruch!" "Baruch!"... The shout echoed throughout the entire canyon. Linley and his group were all startled by Haniman's outburst.
They landed on the flat ground of the canyon.
In the distance, dozens of figures flew over at top speed. The one in the lead wore a sleeveless shirt, highlighting his strong chest muscles. His brownish-black hair was disheveled, and a sharp light flowed in his eyes.
"Haha, if it isn't Mr. Haniman." The burly man with the disheveled brownish-black hair laughed heartily.
Behind him followed a group of people, most of whom also had brownish-black hair, with a few having golden or blue hair.
Linley stared at this man.
"Is this Baruch? The founder of my Baruch Clan?" Linley felt as if a giant hammer was pounding his heart. Of the dozens of people flying over now, most were male, with a few females.
Seeing them, a sense of familiarity welled up in Linley's heart.
"Baruch." Haniman laughed. "I came today because there is a clan member who claims to be from the Yulan Continent and says he is from the Baruch Clan."
Linley's eyes lit up.
Indeed, the man before him was Baruch! The founder of the Dragonblood Warrior clan!
"From the Yulan Continent?" Baruch was stunned for a moment, then a look of ecstasy appeared on his face.
"Someone came from the Yulan Continent? Claiming to be from our Baruch Clan?" A robust, handsome youth beside Baruch also quickly spoke, his gaze sweeping over the group behind Haniman.
As if sensing something, his eyes landed on Linley!
It was a resonance of bloodlines.
But Baruch's gaze fell on someone else – Hisset!
"Hisset! Is it you?" Baruch exclaimed in surprise.
"Haha, Baruch, I never thought you old fellow would vanish without a trace and end up in the Infernal Realm." Hisset also laughed.
"O'Brien?" Baruch also looked at the War God 'O'Brien'.
"Baruch, long time no see." O'Brien also greeted him.
Haniman deliberately feigned dissatisfaction: "Hmph? I came today to confirm whether this person is a member of your clan. Baruch, cooperate a bit and help verify it."
"Oh." Baruch snapped back to reality.
"His name is Linley." Haniman smiled. "He says he is from the Baruch Clan." As he spoke, he pointed his finger at Linley.
Immediately, Baruch and the group behind him all fixed their gazes on Linley. The eyes of these clan predecessors were now blazing with intensity. Having not returned home for several thousand years, they were naturally excited to see a younger generation from the clan.
In truth, upon seeing Hisset and O'Brien, Baruch was already certain that this young man named 'Linley' was indeed a descendant of their clan.
"Please help confirm it," Haniman said.
Baruch nodded and looked at Linley. "Linley, right? If you are from my Baruch Clan, you should know... the records of our successive ancestors in the clan's ancestral hall."
Linley began to speak: "Baruch. The first Dragonblood Warrior on the Yulan Continent. In Yulan Calendar year 4560, Baruch fought an Ice Dragon and a Black Dragon beneath the walls of 'Linnan City', ultimately killing them both and becoming famous throughout the land. In Yulan Calendar year 4579, Baruch battled the Nine-Headed Hydra on the northern coast of the continent. That day, tsunamis raged and cities crumbled. After a fierce battle lasting a day and a night, Baruch finally slew the Nine-Headed Hydra... and eventually established the Baruch Clan. Baruch was the first Patriarch!"
"Ryan Baruch..."
"Hazard Baruch..."
Linley recounted the deeds of three successive ancestors. Baruch and the group behind him were so moved that their eyes grew moist.
"Yes, yes." Baruch quickly said.
Baruch stepped forward and directly pulled Linley into a tight embrace. "Child, welcome home."