Chapter 17: Authority
In the Valley of Death, everyone fell silent. The aura emanating from the clan leader, Gaisleysen, oppressed all present.
"Such formidable power." Linley's right hand went numb, trembling slightly. He was like a chick caught by an eagle, unable to resist. Even the wrist where the clan leader had grabbed him ached faintly. This clan leader's strength was immense!
"Clan leader, this was a life-and-death duel proposed by Elder Emanuel and approved by the Council of Elders." Linley spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"Approved by the Council of Elders?" Gaisleysen cast a glance at the distant elders. None of them dared to utter a word, their hearts bitter. Especially the three elders who had reviewed the matter—who among them could have known Linley was so powerful?
"Approved or not, did you not hear my command?" Gaisleysen stared coldly at Linley.
Linley was momentarily speechless.
Emanuel chimed in, "Linley, in our Azure Dragon clan, no one can defy the clan leader's orders. Even matters approved by the Council of Elders can be vetoed by the clan leader with a single word. Yet you dared to disobey."
Linley noticed the expressions of the distant elders from the corner of his eye, then observed Emanuel's face. He thought to himself, "In this Azure Dragon clan, the clan leader's authority seems extremely high, far surpassing the Council of Elders!"
When a person's strength was overwhelming, a family could easily become a one-man rule.
The Azure Dragon clan was exactly that—Gaisleysen's one-man rule.
"Clan leader, I have been in the Azure Dragon clan for less than a century and am unaware of many family matters." Linley stated directly.
"Oh, less than a century." Gaisleysen frowned.
"Linley, your defiance of the clan leader's order has nothing to do with how long you've been in the Azure Dragon clan. The clan leader's command cannot be disobeyed... Ignoring the clan leader's order is tantamount to disrespecting him." Emanuel rebuked angrily.
Having said that, Emanuel stopped. He knew that disrespect toward the clan leader was a grave offense.
Linley couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
"Whoosh!" A blur of motion.
"Smack!" A heavy slap landed on Emanuel's face, sending him flying through the air, blood splattering. He hit the ground and looked up at Gaisleysen in panic, not understanding why the clan leader had struck him.
"Shut up!"
Gaisleysen glared coldly at him. "You, an elder, still haven't realized your mistake? Even if he had killed you today, you'd have no one to blame. I haven't punished you yet, and you're still spouting nonsense. Do you think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
Emanuel shuddered and dared not speak again.
Linley was surprised. "It seems the clan leader isn't blindly protecting Emanuel. With his temper, no one should offend him." Linley was not reckless.
The only son of the ancestor Azure Dragon, the clan leader of the Azure Dragon clan for countless years! A figure whose word was law within the family, the leader of the Four Divine Beasts clans!
How could his authority be challenged?
Gaisleysen glanced at Linley and Emanuel, then at the group of elders in the distance, and snorted coldly. "Both of you, and the elders, follow me!" With that, Gaisleysen soared into the air.
"Kid, you're in trouble." Emanuel shot Linley a glance. "The clan leader hates it most when someone challenges his authority." He then flew up as well.
Linley looked into the distance. The elders, not daring to speak, followed closely.
"I wonder what kind of person this clan leader really is." Linley could only follow. The brief exchange earlier made it clear that the clan leader's strength far exceeded his own; killing him would be no challenge.
For now, with his family and friends in the Celestial Sacrifice Mountain Range, it was best to swallow his pride.
Linley looked back. In the Valley of Death, Delia, Bebe, Baruch, Tarossa, and the others were all looking up, their eyes full of worry.
"Boss, be careful. Don't provoke that clan leader. I feel he's not someone to mess with." Bebe communicated through soul transmission, worried. "His gaze alone makes me afraid, really."
"I know. Don't worry, all of you go back first." Linley replied via soul transmission.
At the same time, Linley followed Emanuel and the elders in flight. Gaisleysen flew ahead alone in silence. The elders and Linley followed without a word, the atmosphere oppressive.
"Linley, be careful when you talk to the clan leader later. Don't make him angry." The handsome young man, Elder Garvey, moved closer and transmitted to Linley.
"Thank you." Linley replied via soul transmission.
"Don't take this lightly. I'm telling you, the clan leader hates it most when clan members kill each other. Second, he can't stand being defied. In the entire family, only the Grand Elder can persuade him." Garvey said solemnly. "If you go against his will again, not even the Grand Elder can save you."
Linley nodded gratefully.
"Elder Garvey, what do you think the clan leader will do to me?" Linley had no idea, having never dealt with the clan leader before. From the brief observation, he could tell the clan leader was domineering, but nothing more.
"With our clan in crisis, I estimate the clan leader won't kill you, only punish you." Garvey transmitted.
Linley felt slightly reassured.
Soon, Gaisleysen and the elders arrived at a large castle at the top of the Dragon Path. The ancient castle's gates were wide open, and the guards bowed respectfully.
Led by the clan leader, the group filed into the castle.
In the grand hall, the clan leader sat high above on a throne, while the elders, including Linley, stood below.
"It's like an emperor and his ministers." Seeing this arrangement, Linley understood even more the clan leader's status in the family. In some families, the elders held great power, but not in the Azure Dragon clan.
"Hmph!" Gaisleysen looked down and snorted angrily. "I've said it before—our clan is in crisis. What we need to do is eliminate the eight great families. Our clansmen should not kill each other. If they must die, let it be in battle against the eight great families!"
"For two Seven Star Demons in the family to duel, the entire Council of Elders must agree, or I must agree, for the request to pass. What? Did the Council of Elders approve their life-and-death duel?" Gaisleysen roared.
A silver-haired elder at the front immediately said, "Father, Linley had concealed his strength deeply. We always thought he was a mid-level god, so..."
To the family, a mid-level god meant nothing.
But a Seven Star Demon was precious. Allowing two Seven Star Demons to kill each other was absolutely forbidden. For a life-and-death duel, either the clan leader or the entire Council of Elders had to approve.
That was the main reason Gaisleysen was furious when he discovered Linley and Emanuel's life-and-death duel.
If they had to die, it should be in battle against the eight great families.
"Enough." Gaisleysen said coldly.
The elder fell silent. Though an elder, he was also Gaisleysen's son. What was a father scolding his son? In the Azure Dragon clan, the two who had lived the longest were Gaisleysen and his sister. Everyone else was a junior.
That was why Gaisleysen could rule with absolute authority.
"Let's not discuss this further." Gaisleysen said indifferently. "We didn't know Linley's strength before. Now that we know he's a Seven Star Demon, this life-and-death duel cannot proceed."
"Linley, Emanuel, do you have any objections?" Gaisleysen's gaze swept over them.
"No objections." Emanuel quickly said.
"No objections." Linley also replied.
"Good." Gaisleysen continued looking at them. "Emanuel, you thought Linley was just an ordinary mid-level god. I want to know—why would an elder seek a life-and-death duel with a mid-level god? Tell me the reason!"
Linley glanced at Emanuel. He wanted to kill Linley for the Sovereign artifact. Now, would Emanuel dare to say it?
Sweat beaded on Emanuel's forehead. "Clan leader, this Linley showed me no respect at all, going too far. In my anger, I..."
"Hmph." A cold snort echoed through the hall.
Emanuel couldn't help but tremble.
"Lying to my face?" Gaisleysen sneered. "I gave you a chance to speak, and you didn't take it."
Emanuel's face turned pale.
"I won't kill you." Gaisleysen glared at him coldly. "The Grand Elder is short-handed. Starting tomorrow, you will report to him. How he assigns you is his business."
Emanuel shuddered, fear in his heart.
"Yes, clan leader." Emanuel complied.
"Get out of my sight." Gaisleysen barked in disgust. Emanuel immediately moved to the side of the hall. Gaisleysen turned his gaze to Linley, a slight smirk on his lips. "Linley, right?"
"Yes, clan leader." Linley replied.
"Over the years, do you know what happened to those who directly ignored my orders?" Gaisleysen said.
Linley was taken aback, sensing trouble. Was Gaisleysen going to kill him? Still, Linley said, "Clan leader, I have been back in the Azure Dragon clan for less than a century and know very little about our clan's affairs."
Gaisleysen's face darkened. "Quite the smooth talker."
Linley was startled to see Gaisleysen suddenly step down from the throne and walk right up to him. He looked him over carefully, then turned and headed toward a side hall. "Linley, follow me. Everyone else, wait here!"
"Yes, clan leader." Linley immediately followed.
Only after the clan leader and Linley left did the elders dare to breathe.
"The clan leader summoned Linley alone. What do you think will happen? A private summons is never a good sign." An elder spoke worriedly. Everyone in the Azure Dragon clan held the clan leader in awe.
"In the past, Father would have killed him." The silver-haired elder said. "But now, I think Father won't kill him. Still, even if he doesn't kill him, the punishment won't be light—no less than Emanuel's."
The elders looked at Emanuel.
"Emanuel, going to the Grand Elder—you'll have a real chance to serve the family." Someone laughed.
"Hmph." Emanuel snorted softly.
"Emanuel, tell us the truth. What exactly happened? Why were you so set on killing Linley?" The elders began questioning him. No one believed it was just because of a simple slight.
"Enough questions." Suddenly, a golden-haired elder barked.
"Father." Emanuel looked at him. This golden-haired elder was a third-generation powerhouse of the Azure Dragon clan, highly respected among the elders, as his mother was the Grand Elder.
"Tell me, what's going on?" The golden-haired elder transmitted.
Emanuel knew he probably wouldn't get the Coiling Dragon Ring. If he couldn't have it, he wouldn't let an outsider get it either. He transmitted back, "Father, Linley has a soul-defense Sovereign artifact—the Ancestor's Azure Dragon Ring."
The golden-haired elder was stunned.
"What did you say?" He couldn't believe it.
"It's true. It's the Azure Dragon Ring, no mistake. Linley is truly a mid-level god. The reason he can resist high-level god soul attacks is because of that Azure Dragon Ring." Emanuel quickly transmitted.
Countless thoughts raced through the golden-haired elder's mind.
Emanuel looked at his father. "The Azure Dragon Ring won't fall into my hands. But if Father tries hard enough, taking the Azure Dragon Ring wouldn't be difficult."
"Kid, why didn't you tell me sooner?" The golden-haired elder glanced at him. "But telling me now isn't too late."