Chapter 20: The Elder Assembly
Stepping into the hall, Linley swept his gaze across the room: "Only twelve elders have come." The Azure Dragon clan had a total of thirty-six elders. The other elders in the hall smiled and greeted Linley when they saw him.
"Linley, sit over here." Elder Garvey called out.
Linley walked over and sat down beside Garvey.
The elder assembly was held in this hall, where a large, dark red round table was placed, surrounded by chairs. Linley glanced around and noticed: "Hmm? Why are there only sixteen chairs?"
The round table was huge; it could easily accommodate forty chairs around it. Yet only sixteen were placed.
"Garvey, only sixteen chairs? Aren't there thirty-six elders?" Linley asked in a low voice.
"The elders in the Blood War Valley don't come," Garvey explained.
Linley sighed inwardly.
The Blood War Valley was the most central place in the entire Heavenly Sacrifice Mountain Range, and also the gathering point for the strongest members of the Azure Dragon clan, the Vermilion Bird clan, the White Tiger clan, and the Black Tortoise clan. The Azure Dragon clan alone had twenty elders there.
"They don't even come to the elder assembly," Linley thought. On the day he became an elder, there had only been about ten elders in the great hall. None of the elders from the Blood War Valley had come either.
"The elders in the Blood War Valley are indeed risking their lives fighting for the clan." Fifteen days ago, when Linley and Garvey were talking about the responsibilities of an elder, Garvey had mentioned the Blood War Valley.
The eight great families were watching covetously, and the Four Divine Beasts clan faced a crisis. Although they could hide in the Heavenly Sacrifice Mountain Range and live like turtles withdrawing into their shells, the Four Divine Beasts clan was proud. Would they hide forever?
Moreover, how could a large clan sever all ties with the outside world permanently? The Four Divine Beasts clan needed to maintain contact with the outside world, and the people they sent would be killed or attacked by those eight great families.
Would the Four Divine Beasts clan remain silent?
Impossible!
The Four Divine Beasts clan had to fight back, to strike hard at the enemy. And so the Blood War Valley was formed.
The Blood War Valley was where most of the strong members of the Four Divine Beasts clan gathered. For example, the Azure Dragon clan had twenty elders there. Of course, there were also many Six Star Fiends. The minimum requirement to enter the Blood War Valley was being a Six Star Fiend.
The Blood War Valley was the true gathering place for the elite of the Four Divine Beasts clan.
"All sixteen elders are present." A silver-haired elder at the round table announced in a clear voice, "Every thousand years, we hold this elder assembly. Compared to last time, our clan has gained one more elder. This is a cause for celebration."
Many elders looked towards Linley with smiles.
Linley smiled back, acknowledging the elders. Then he looked at the silver-haired old man. Linley recognized him as the Second Elder of the elder council, and also the son of the Patriarch, Gaisreisen.
"Let's set aside the discussion of individual tasks for now," the Second Elder said seriously. "First, let me recount the achievements of our Azure Dragon clan's twenty elders in the Blood War Valley over the past thousand years." All the elders' expressions turned solemn.
The Blood War Valley represented the constant battles between the Four Divine Beasts clan and those eight great families.
"In the past thousand years, the twenty elders of our Azure Dragon clan have killed two Seven Star Fiends and thirty-six Six Star Fiends from the enemy side! The number of upper-tier gods killed is countless," the Second Elder said forcefully.
So many?
Linley was secretly shocked. A thousand years was very short for divine-level experts. Yet in just a thousand years, just the Azure Dragon clan alone had killed two Seven Star Fiends and thirty-six Six Star Fiends from the enemy. How many experts had the entire Blood War Valley killed?
"The fighting between the Four Divine Beasts clan and the eight great families is truly brutal," Linley thought to himself.
"However, among our twenty elders, two have suffered significant losses in strength. They are the Eleventh Elder, Bandon, and the Ninth Elder, Kivess. Elder Bandon's strongest water-type divine clone was destroyed, and he no longer possesses the strength of a Seven Star Fiend. He is currently in seclusion, training. As for Kivess, his strongest water-type divine clone was also destroyed. Fortunately, his main body had not refined a divine spark. His main body then refined a water-type divine spark, restoring his strength... However, from now on, he will likely be unable to make any further progress," the Second Elder announced solemnly.
The atmosphere in the hall immediately became oppressive.
"Two elders—one has lost his Seven Star Fiend strength, and the other can no longer advance," Linley sighed inwardly.
Linley knew the rules of the Blood War Valley. Those elders engaged in battle would leave their weaker clones in the Blood War Valley. That way, even if they died in battle outside, they would still have a clone surviving. The enemy probably did the same.
Although the report said they killed two Seven Star Fiends from the enemy, those two Seven Star Fiends likely had clones left in their own lairs.
"So there are benefits to not having the main body refine a divine spark."
That elder named Kivess had his strongest water-type divine clone destroyed. But his main body hadn't refined a divine spark yet, just like Linley. So this elder could use his main body to continuously refine a water-type divine spark until he became an upper-tier god.
Because he already had an understanding of water-type fusion laws.
So, even if he reached the upper-tier god level by refining a divine spark, his strength wouldn't differ much from before. The problem was... he would find it difficult to improve further.
For example, if Linley's earth-type divine clone were destroyed, he could no longer use the Blackstone Space. However, Linley could still have his main body refine a lower-tier earth divine spark, then a middle-tier earth divine spark, and finally an upper-tier earth divine spark, in sequence. At that point, Linley would still be able to use the Blackstone Space, but he just wouldn't be able to improve.
"This time, besides the two elders mentioned above who are withdrawing from the Blood War Valley, the Sixth Elder, who has been fighting in the Blood War Valley for three thousand years, is also withdrawing! Therefore, among us sixteen, three must be sent to fill their places!" the Second Elder announced loudly.
The elders present either communicated with each other via divine sense or fell into thought. "Three elders need to go to the Blood War Valley?" Linley also understood what entering the Blood War Valley meant.
"Because the Patriarch has ordered that Emanuel be punished by being sent to the First Elder. So, among us sixteen, Emanuel must go to the Blood War Valley. Therefore, we need to choose two more from the remaining fifteen," the Second Elder continued.
Linley couldn't help but glance at Emanuel, who was not far away. Emanuel remained silent, his expression unchanged. Clearly, he already knew about this.
"Everyone, please choose. Which two elders will go?" the Second Elder looked at the crowd.
"Me!" A voice sounded beside Linley. It was Elder Garvey. Garvey smiled, "I wanted to go last time, but I was weaker than the others and was excluded. This time, it should be my turn."
"Count me in." Another elder immediately spoke up. "Other elders are fighting for the clan. If I stay in the mountain range, I will feel uneasy in my heart!"
"Garvey, it won't be your turn this time." Yet another elder spoke up. "Count me in."
There was a comparison of strength among the elders. Garvey was clearly one of the weaker ones. And when entering the Blood War Valley... the stronger the person, the better.
"I'll go too." One of the three female elders among the sixteen, a woman with blue hair, smiled. "I truly want to follow the First Elder and fight for the clan together."
"For the clan, I'll go too."
Linley watched this scene with great surprise. He had expected a scene of mutual shirking. But now Linley realized that among the sixteen elders, eight had volunteered, putting life and death aside.
"Enough." A golden-haired old man frowned and shouted.
Linley looked over. This golden-haired old man was the Third Elder of the clan, and also the son of the First Elder. His name was Fu'erhan. Fu'erhan had another identity—Emanuel's father.
The golden-haired old man, Fu'erhan, said in a low voice, "I understand that everyone wants to fight for the clan. But the stronger the people who go to fight, the better! So I have two candidates in mind. The first is..."
Fu'erhan suddenly pointed at Linley: "Elder Linley!"
Linley was slightly startled.
"Fu'erhan, going is based on willingness, not on assignment," the Second Elder said.
But Fu'erhan raised his eyebrows and said seriously, "As a member of the clan, when the clan faces a crisis, how can one stand idly by? Look at the twenty elders in the Blood War Valley. Most of them have been there for several thousand years. According to the rules, they should rotate out every thousand years. They could withdraw. But they don't!"
"It's all for the clan! To ensure that the prestige of our Azure Dragon clan never falls!"
Fu'erhan looked at Linley: "The reason I chose Linley is because his gravity space is very special, with an incredibly strong gravitational pull. Even Seven Star Fiends generally have their speed greatly reduced within his gravity space. In battles among experts, if Linley cooperates with a few elders, he can definitely play a huge role."
The elders in the hall immediately understood.
If Linley used the Blackstone Space to cooperate with a few elders, the auxiliary effect would be enormous.
"Moreover, everyone has seen Linley's personal strength. He completely surpasses Emanuel. I think, purely in terms of physical strength, Linley ranks fourth in our clan! Even I admit I am inferior," Fu'erhan looked at Linley. "Linley, speak for yourself. Are you willing to go?"
Linley smiled at Fu'erhan: "Third Elder, I want to know, who is the other candidate you mentioned?"
Fu'erhan said seriously, "The two candidates are, first, you, Linley, and second, myself! I believe that among everyone here, no one dares to claim they are definitely stronger than me. I didn't go to the Blood War Valley last time... I regretted it for a long time. This time, I will definitely go!"
Linley frowned.
The other person Fu'erhan chose was actually himself.
"Linley?" the Second Elder looked at Linley. "What is your own opinion?"
These elders also admitted that in a one-on-one fight, some of them dared to say they were not inferior to Linley. But in a group battle... no one dared to say their role would surpass Linley's. In a group battle, Linley's Blackstone Space was too effective.
Once the Blackstone Space was activated, one's own side's strength remained unchanged, while the enemy's speed was greatly reduced. Even if both sides were Seven Star Fiends, the battle would become one-sided.
"I'll go!" Linley nodded.
"Linley, not bad." Fu'erhan smiled.
Linley could only return a smile, but he thought to himself, "This Fu'erhan seems to be forcing me to go to the Blood War Valley. Given the situation just now, if I didn't go, I would probably be looked down upon by the elders. Why is he forcing me to go? Could it be related to his son, Emanuel?"
"Alright, the candidates are decided. Fu'erhan, Emanuel, and Linley, after this assembly ends, you three will go directly to the Blood War Valley." The Second Elder looked at Linley and the other two. "The three of you, take care."
Those words, "take care," gave Linley an inexplicable sense of pressure.
"The Blood War Valley?" Linley felt a strange sense of anticipation.
Ever since he learned about the clan's crisis, Linley knew that one day he would have to fight for the clan. He just didn't expect it to come so soon.
Since Linley, Fu'erhan, and Emanuel had been selected to go to the Blood War Valley, they naturally wouldn't be assigned any other tasks. After the elder assembly ended, the other thirteen elders saw Linley, Fu'erhan, and Emanuel off.
"Linley, I really wish I could go with you," Garvey laughed. "Remember, kill a few extra enemies for me."
Linley smiled and nodded.
Garvey's expression suddenly turned serious: "Remember, be careful. Staying alive is the first priority; killing enemies is the second."
"Mm." Linley nodded.
"Alright, you three, set off. After you reach the Blood War Valley, follow the First Elder's orders," the Second Elder said. Linley, Fu'erhan, and Emanuel bid farewell to the other elders and immediately flew towards the core of the Heavenly Sacrifice Mountain Range.
The Heavenly Sacrifice Mountain Range was divided into four major areas, each occupied by one of the Four Divine Beasts clans.
In a deep gorge at the core of these four areas lay the Blood War Valley, the gathering place for the elite of the Four Divine Beasts clan.
"The security is really tight." Linley saw a large number of patrolling soldiers on the cliffs above the deep gorge, standing guard. There were not only Azure Dragon clan warriors in green armor but also Vermilion Bird clan warriors in golden armor...
Soldiers from all four Divine Beasts clans were present. When they saw Linley and the other two flying over, they immediately saluted.
Linley, Emanuel, and Fu'erhan then flew directly into the deep gorge.