Chapter 27: The Bestowal
Above the Blood Battle Valley, on the edge of the cliff, stood a large crowd. At the forefront were the Patriarch and the Grand Elder.
“What are they doing here?” Linley was somewhat puzzled.
Linley immediately flew over. Before he could even bow in greeting, the Patriarch, ‘Gaisreisen,’ grinned and said, “Welcome back, Linley!” Beside the Patriarch was the Grand Elder, dressed in a black robe and wearing a silver mask.
“Linley, well done,” the Grand Elder also spoke.
“Linley. Impressive, killing two Seven Star Fiends. Admirable, admirable!” The elder ‘Garvey,’ standing not far away, laughed heartily.
“Elder Linley. Your first move was truly extraordinary,” the golden-haired elder ‘Furhan’ said in a clear, loud voice.
Faced with the praise from the Patriarch and a group of elders, Linley was a bit stunned. “My avatars… and the avatars of the other team members left in the Blood Battle Valley haven’t yet reported the news of this mission to the Patriarch and Grand Elder.”
Because the round trip wasn’t far, Linley had originally planned to report back after returning.
Who would have thought that the Patriarch and Grand Elder already knew?
How could he know… For such uplifting news that would inspire the clan, the intelligence personnel of the Four Divine Beasts Clan naturally transmitted it back at the fastest possible speed.
“Alright. Let’s not stand around here. Let’s go. I’ve already ordered a celebratory feast prepared,” Gaisreisen said with a hearty laugh, then looked at Linley. “Linley, come. Walk with me.”
Linley immediately flew over.
Gaisreisen patted Linley on the shoulder, his face full of smiles. “Well done.”
“It was just luck,” Linley said quickly. If it had been a direct confrontation, those two Seven Star Fiends would have definitely been stronger than him. He had only managed to kill one by striking suddenly and unexpectedly, and then relied on the combined efforts of everyone to kill the other.
“Still being modest?” Gaisreisen laughed.
“I was a bit worried about him this time, but I didn’t expect the mission to be completed even more perfectly than I imagined,” the Grand Elder added.
Immediately, Gaisreisen, the Grand Elder, and Linley flew side by side, leading a group of elders and the surviving members of the Thirteenth Squad, flying deep into the Celestial Sacrifice Mountain Range. After a long while, Linley and the others arrived at a luxurious, crystal-gray grand hall.
Many maidservants from the clan were carrying trays, continuously delivering them into the hall.
The hall was very spacious, dozens of meters high, and supported by nine stone pillars. The Patriarch and the Grand Elder flew directly to the highest point of the hall and sat side by side. Within the clan, the Patriarch’s status was slightly higher than the Grand Elder’s.
The Patriarch and the Grand Elder were considered the top-tier figures in the clan, while the other elders were just below them.
“Everyone, take your seats,” the Patriarch ‘Gaisreisen’ said with a wave and a smile.
“Linley, you sit in the seat of honor on the left,” Gaisreisen pointed to a seat and said with a smile. “Today’s celebratory feast is for you.”
“Me?” Linley was startled.
Among the elders, there were many stronger than him, and he also had the least seniority.
“Linley, since the Patriarch says to sit, then sit!” A silver-haired, cold-looking young man walked over, a rare smile appearing on his face.
“Elder Bru,” Linley nodded and took his seat.
This Elder Bru then sat directly next to Linley, in the second seat on the left. No one dared to say anything about him sitting there, after all, Elder Bru was the clan’s prodigy elder!
According to rumors, his strength was second only to the Patriarch and Grand Elder, far surpassing the other elders. He was one of the clan’s three ‘Aces’!
Furthermore, when the ancestor ‘Azure Dragon’ was still alive, he had doted on Bru immensely and had spent great effort to strengthen Bru’s body, making it exceptionally powerful.
“Our Four Divine Beasts Clan has been at war with the Eight Great Clans for over ten thousand years. It’s rare to have such a great victory,” Gaisreisen said from his seat at the top of the hall, sighing with emotion. Under normal circumstances, once one side realizes they are outmatched, they will flee.
Killing a Seven Star Fiend who wants to escape is very difficult. Killing two Seven Star Fiends in a row, with no losses on one’s own side, rarely happens.
“Such a rare great victory. If we kill two of their Seven Star Fiends every time, no matter how many experts the Eight Great Clans have, they won’t be able to withstand such attrition,” an elder immediately said with a laugh.
The entire hall erupted in laughter.
“Linley, what’s wrong?” Bru, sitting beside Linley, noticed that Linley wasn’t laughing.
“Nothing. I was just thinking of Elder Sourhaus, and of the many elders who have sacrificed themselves,” Linley said softly.
Instantly, many elders in the hall fell silent.
For over ten thousand years, the killing had been relentless. While they killed enemy Seven Star Fiends, their own experts were also constantly decreasing. Six Star Fiends died in droves. The foundation the clan had accumulated over countless eons was being continuously consumed.
“What’s with all the long faces?” the Grand Elder barked.
Everyone couldn’t help but look at the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder said coldly, “We are the Four Divine Beasts Clan. Even if we are all wiped out, we will not allow those eight clowns to tarnish the clan’s reputation! When the ancestors were alive, did those Eight Great Clans dare to resist? Now that the ancestors are dead, they retaliate. Hmph, such clowns, how could they ever make our Four Divine Beasts Clan submit?”
“For the clan, what is death?” Elder Bru said arrogantly.
“For the clan!”
Linley could also feel the pride and unyielding spirit among the elders in the hall. They would rather die than submit.
Better to be a shattered vessel of jade than an unbroken tile!
“For the clan?” Linley murmured in his heart. In his youth, Linley had always thought about retrieving the Baruch Clan’s heirloom treasure, the ‘Slaughterer’. He had a deep sense of belonging to the Baruch Clan.
Now, although he had entered the Azure Dragon Clan and met countless clansmen with the bloodline of the dragon, he naturally felt a sense of belonging.
However, Linley still couldn’t understand that kind of pride and stubbornness.
If Linley were in charge of the clan, he would probably have the entire clan lie low in the Celestial Sacrifice Mountain Range, waiting until they had at least a ninety percent chance of success in taking revenge before engaging the enemy in a great war.
“Perhaps it’s because I haven’t experienced the glorious days of the Four Divine Beasts Clan,” Linley thought to himself.
The pride of the Four Divine Beasts Clan was forged through countless years of strength and brilliance. The clan’s honor had long been deeply rooted in the hearts of every elder.
“Alright,” Gaisreisen said with a hearty laugh. “Look at you all. Today is a day of celebration. Why bring up those matters? Come, raise your glasses. Let’s not talk about those things. Let’s all open our hearts and celebrate properly. Celebrate Linley’s victory!”
“Right. Celebrate!” All the elders raised their glasses and looked at Linley at the same time.
Linley couldn’t help but feel his blood boil. He also raised his glass. The members of the Thirteenth Squad, sitting at the edge of the hall, all raised their glasses.
“Cheers!” Gaisreisen said loudly.
“Cheers!”
Everyone in the hall responded, drinking their wine in one gulp.
During the feast, no one brought up any depressing topics again. There had been too many cruel things in recent years; it was time to enjoy themselves a bit. But this joy made Linley feel the hidden sorrow behind the once-mighty Four Divine Beasts Clan!
The sorrow of an ancient clan in decline.
Even in decline, this clan still maintained its pride! Even facing extinction, it would not compromise in the slightest! Whoever dared to attack while the clan was weak would have to pay a heavy price!
The banquet finally ended in a celebratory atmosphere. The elders left one by one, and Linley and the members of the Thirteenth Squad were also about to leave.
“Linley, stay for a moment,” came the Patriarch’s voice from the hall.
Linley was puzzled. He immediately instructed the Thirteenth Squad members beside him, “You all go back first.”
“Yes, Captain.” Melina and the others flew away.
Linley returned to the hall. A large number of plates and dishes were being quickly cleared away by maidservants. The Patriarch ‘Gaisreisen’ walked down from the top of the hall and instructed, “Linley, let’s talk inside.”
“Yes, Patriarch.”
Linley followed Gaisreisen to a side hall next to the main hall.
The side hall wasn’t large. As Linley stepped inside, he heard a creak, and the hall door closed automatically.
“Sit.” Gaisreisen revealed a smile.
Linley sat down and spoke, “May I ask, Patriarch, what is the matter?”
“I made you an elder, but I didn’t expect that at the elders’ assembly, they would send you to the Blood Battle Valley. By the time I found out, I couldn’t call you back,” Gaisreisen sighed. “You are only a mid-level god right now. Going to the Blood Battle Valley isn’t very good.”
Gaisreisen valued Linley highly, partly because of his father ‘Azure Dragon’, and partly because of the strength Linley had displayed.
“I originally thought my sister wouldn’t assign you any tasks. But who would have thought she actually did,” Gaisreisen said.
“All the elders fight for the clan. How could I be an exception?” Linley said.
Gaisreisen’s eyes lit up, and he nodded with a smile. “Actually, my sister and I both misunderstood each other. I thought… my sister wouldn’t let you go into battle, while my sister thought… that I had already given you some Sovereign power, giving you the ability to protect yourself, which is why she assigned you the mission.”
“Sovereign power?” Linley asked, puzzled.
“Right.”
Gaisreisen nodded. “Generally, anyone who becomes an elder of our Four Divine Beasts Clan will receive a bestowal of Sovereign power before long. This bestowal of Sovereign power must have a reason, at least that you have rendered some meritorious service. Back then, with you and Emanuel causing trouble, although you became an elder, it wasn’t a good time for me to bestow Sovereign power upon you.”
“But this time, you have rendered a great service.”
Gaisreisen flipped his hand, and a drop of cyan liquid immediately appeared in his palm. The cyan droplet contained a terrifying energy that made one’s heart tremble.
“This drop of water-type Sovereign power, I bestow upon you today,” Gaisreisen said. As he spoke, that drop of Sovereign power floated towards Linley. Watching it float over, Linley was stunned.
Bestowing Sovereign power upon him?
He already had two drops! But at this moment, Linley couldn’t refuse.
“Thank you, Patriarch.” Linley quickly flipped his hand and put away the drop of Sovereign power.
Gaisreisen nodded with a smile. “Now that you have this drop of Sovereign power, even if you encounter a life-or-death crisis, you can protect yourself. But Linley, this drop of Sovereign power must not be wasted unless it’s a critical moment. And if you use it, you must kill all the enemies.”
Linley looked down at the drop of Sovereign power.
This was a drop of Sovereign power, but could Sovereign power really save his life? Could it also defend against soul attacks? Linley clearly remembered in his mind the innate divine ability that Mosley had used back then.
“Patriarch. Can this Sovereign power also defend against soul attacks?” Linley quickly asked.
In Linley’s view, Sovereign power was to a Sovereign what divine power was to a god. It shouldn’t have much to do with the soul.
“Of course it can defend against them,” Gaisreisen laughed.
“How?” Linley asked, puzzled. “To defend against soul attacks, ordinary material power can’t do it, right?”
Gaisreisen laughed even harder. “Linley, do you think Sovereign power is an advanced form of ‘divine power’?”
“Isn’t it?” Linley asked, confused.
“Wrong.” Gaisreisen shook his head. “Sovereign power is very special. For example… it can actually strengthen our bodies.”
Gaisreisen took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Linley, my father once told me that when one becomes a Sovereign… there is only one type of power within the body – Sovereign power!”
“What do you mean?” Linley asked, puzzled. “Of course a Sovereign possesses Sovereign power.”
“What I mean is… a Sovereign doesn’t even have soul power!” Gaisreisen said.
“Huh?” Linley’s eyes widened.
The soul is the most fundamental thing. If there is a soul, there is naturally soul power.
“To be precise, Sovereign power is soul power!” Gaisreisen laughed. “This Sovereign power can be used as material energy, and it can also be used as soul energy.”
“Ah?” Linley was greatly shocked.
“You can use it to launch material attacks, and you can also use it to launch soul attacks. Naturally, you can also use it to defend against soul attacks,” Gaisreisen said.