Chapter 50: Life and Death!

Chapter 50: Life and Death!

Inside the inner room, a group of people watched Alphonsus treat Delia. Linley was the most nervous among them, to the point that sweat beaded on his forehead, yet he seemed completely unaware of it.

"Sss~"

A green aura swirled, emitting a very faint sound. Alphonsus's expression was stern as he suddenly let out a low grunt. The flow of the green aura abruptly accelerated, continuously merging into Delia's mind.

"Hnng~" Delia seemed to let out a faint, pained sound, her brow slightly furrowing.

That faint sound was like heavenly music to Linley. He jolted as if electrified, his eyes lighting up: "Delia has regained consciousness! She's reacting!" Linley's body began to tremble with excitement.

The others also showed expressions of surprise and joy.

"Boss, Delia can be saved." Bebe immediately transmitted his thoughts, delighted.

"Mm." Linley nodded, his whole being suddenly seeming to fill with vitality.

Gatesley, Pussero, and the others all began to smile warmly. Linley continued to watch Alphonsus treat Delia, the hope in his heart swelling endlessly: "Delia, you will get better, you definitely will."

Just then—

Alphonsus withdrew his right hand, ending the treatment.

"Mr. Alphonsus, is my wife better?" Linley immediately asked. Alphonsus turned to look at Linley, clearly seeing the anticipation and hope in the young man's eyes. But Alphonsus let out a low sigh: "Linley, you need to prepare yourself."

"Prepare myself? Prepare for what?" Linley suddenly sensed something was wrong.

"Mr. Alphonsus, what's going on?" Gatesley, who had been all smiles, also changed his expression and quickly asked.

Alphonsus shook his head and said: "I can only tell you clearly. I am not capable of saving this woman... Moreover, I advise you to give up. Saving this woman is almost an impossible task."

Upon hearing Alphonsus's words, Linley felt his mind go completely blank.

"No!"

Linley suddenly cried out in a low voice, then stared fixedly at Alphonsus like a mad lion: "Mr. Alphonsus, you must be lying to me. Just now, Delia was reacting, she had consciousness. How could she suddenly be beyond saving?"

"That's right, wasn't she getting better just now?" Gatesley also said.

Seeing the frantic expression of the young man before him, Alphonsus sighed and said: "Linley, just now your wife did not regain consciousness. Rather, during my treatment, her soul's rejection was extremely intense, to the point where her body had a slight reflexive reaction."

"But, but Castiel said you had a ninety percent chance of saving my wife! How can it be..." Linley couldn't accept it.

He truly couldn't accept it!

Three months ago, Linley believed Delia would definitely be cured. During these three months, Linley had been constantly looking forward to this day. Even just now, Linley thought Delia was about to get better.

But now...

Alphonsus sighed: "If it were three months ago, I could have definitely saved your wife right here. But now, it's too late."

"What do you mean? You could save her three months ago, but not now?" Linley asked urgently.

Alphonsus looked around at everyone before speaking: "Everyone, this type of soul attack is extremely insidious and vicious. Those green specks, after penetrating the soul, continuously devour and transform. One becomes two, two become four, four become eight..."

"Although a Highgod's soul is very strong and difficult to devour and transform, this cumulative expansion becomes more and more exaggerated as time goes on." Alphonsus said solemnly.

Everyone present nodded.

"I know all this, but why can't you save Delia now?" Linley pressed urgently.

Alphonsus looked at Linley and sighed: "Linley, haven't you understood yet? The speed of devouring and transformation becomes more and more exaggerated. Three months ago, the speed was millions of times slower than it is now!"

Linley was stunned.

One becomes two, two become four, four become eight... extending continuously. After just a few dozen transformations, the number becomes an astronomically staggering figure.

"To save your wife, I need to reverse this devouring and transformation process for those green specks!" Alphonsus said.

Linley also knew that the treatment was a reverse process of devouring and transformation.

"Only when my reverse devouring and transformation speed exceeds the 'devouring and transformation speed' can I save your wife." Alphonsus said. Linley understood completely.

"My current treatment speed can no longer keep up with the devouring and transformation speed. Even if I try my hardest, I can at most slow down the devouring speed and slightly extend your wife's life." Alphonsus sighed. "If it were three months ago, I could have easily saved your wife. But now, please forgive my inability."

Linley stood there in a daze.

He understood completely. This devouring speed was like a single spark starting a prairie fire. The longer it went on, the larger the area it burned. A single spark could ignite an entire grassland. That's how these 'green specks' worked.

The more time passed, the faster the devouring speed became... and the slimmer the chance of saving Delia.

"Boss, boss." Bebe called out.

"Linley." Pussero also called.

But Linley stood there as if dumbfounded, completely still.

"Alas." Alphonsus also let out a sigh.

Gatesley, the Vermillion Bird Patriarch, and the other Elders in the room looked at each other, at a loss for words. The atmosphere in the entire inner room was oppressively heavy.

"Mr. Alphonsus." Linley suddenly spoke urgently, "I beg you, please help treat her first, try to extend my wife's life. Give me enough time to find someone else to treat her. Is that possible?" Linley looked at Alphonsus with hopeful eyes.

Linley understood that since Alphonsus's treatment speed couldn't match the devouring speed, Alphonsus would need to treat her continuously just to extend Delia's life. This request of his was indeed somewhat excessive.

But he had no other choice!

"Linley."

Alphonsus said solemnly, "Whether it's for the Four Divine Beasts clan or for the sake of the Prefect, if I had the ability, I would definitely help extend your wife's life. But I must tell you, even with my help, I can at most delay it by a day or two."

"Delay it by a day or two?" Linley was stunned.

He had hoped for a delay of several years, the longer the better.

"This soul treatment is not as simple as you think. When I treated your wife, as I said earlier, because your wife's soul was extremely resistant, her body had a direct reaction." Alphonsus said. "The soul is a very core area. When I treat it, I have to be extremely, extremely careful. If even a trace of energy leaks, it could damage your wife's soul and kill her."

"For a short time, I can maintain my optimal state without making mistakes. But under those conditions, if it goes on a bit longer, my soul force consumption becomes too great, and making a mistake is normal. Once I make a mistake, your wife will..." Alphonsus said apologetically.

Linley fell silent for a moment.

"Linley, the Prefect will arrive soon. Perhaps the Prefect can save your wife." Gatesley quickly said.

Linley's eyes lit up: "Right, the Prefect."

But Alphonsus said: "Linley, I already told you to prepare yourself. Although I also greatly admire the Prefect, to be honest... I don't think the Prefect has the ability to save your wife."

"Mr. Alphonsus!" Linley was somewhat angry.

"There are only three ways to save your wife." Alphonsus said.

Linley immediately listened carefully.

"First, find an expert who has cultivated the Laws of Life to near perfection. Their treatment speed would likely exceed the devouring speed. Such a person could save your wife... Of course, it would have to be now. If another two or three months pass and it reaches the terminal stage, even the most powerful expert in the Laws of Life probably wouldn't have time to save her." Alphonsus said. "But such a person who has cultivated the Laws of Life to near perfection is rare not just in the Infernal Realm, but even in the Life Higher Plane. The second method is to use Life-type Sovereign power. With its power, the devouring speed would be easily and quickly healed!"

Gatesley quickly said: "Life-type Sovereign power! Our Four Divine Beasts clan does have some!"

"Right, use Life-type Sovereign power!" Linley quickly said.

"Let me finish!"

Alphonsus shook his head and said, "Life-type Sovereign power is extremely powerful, and its restoration speed is naturally astonishing. However... Life-type Sovereign power is too powerful. A Highgod cannot control it to perfection. I'm sure you know from using Sovereign power that it dissipates."

Linley was stunned.

Right...

Sovereign power was too strong. With a Highgod's soul control ability, they couldn't perfectly control Sovereign power, which is why those who use Sovereign power have a faint blue glow, black glow, etc., emanating from their bodies.

That's all caused by the automatic dissipation of Sovereign power.

There's a saying...

Sovereign power can only be used once! Because once a Highgod activates Sovereign power, they simply cannot stop it from dissipating. Even if they stop fighting, the Sovereign power will automatically dissipate completely.

"Using Sovereign power to save Delia, when it goes deep into the soul, let alone dissipating, if there's even the slightest error that shakes the soul, Delia's soul will die directly!" Alphonsus said. "Remember, to save Delia, using Sovereign power cannot have even a trace of dissipation or a single mistake!"

Linley's face turned pale.

He understood this principle. Sovereign power was the energy of a Sovereign. For a Highgod to perfectly control it, without wasting a single bit or letting a single bit dissipate... he had never even heard of such a thing.

Gatesley said: "Controlling Sovereign power to that degree is possible among Highgods... Legend has it that a Highgod who has reached the Paragon realm can perfectly control Sovereign power. Unfortunately, in the Azure Prefecture, I've never heard of anyone being a Paragon Highgod."

Linley couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Mr. Alphonsus, isn't there a third method?" Linley quickly asked.

Alphonsus said helplessly: "The third method is to ask a Sovereign to take action! Any Sovereign, any one at all, can easily save your wife. But... can you get a Sovereign to act?"

"This third method is completely useless." Bebe said discontentedly.

Linley was silent for a long time.

"Mr. Alphonsus, are there no other methods?" Linley asked again.

Alphonsus nodded with absolute certainty: "Based on my research into the soul, I am completely certain that aside from these three methods, there are no others."

The first method: Find a super expert who has cultivated the Laws of Life to near perfection, far surpassing Alphonsus. Where in the Azure Prefecture could they find such a person?

The second method: Find someone who can perfectly control Sovereign power, without any dissipation or mistakes. Such soul control ability is only possessed by the legendary Paragon Highgods.

The third method...

The only one related to him was the Violetflame Sovereign. Setting aside whether they would be willing to help him, the most important thing was that the time needed to travel from the Bloodpeak Continent to the Violetflame Continent was too long!

Delia couldn't wait that long.

"Everyone, I've troubled you all during this time." Linley forced a faint smile and said, "Please, all of you go back. There's no need to keep working on my behalf. Mr. Alphonsus, I truly thank you for traveling so far to save my wife."

Gatesley, the Vermillion Bird Patriarch, Pussero, and the others all sighed inwardly when they saw Linley's expression.

"Linley, we'll take our leave now." Gatesley and the others wanted to offer comfort but didn't know what to say. One by one, they could only leave.

Although everyone knew the Azure Prefect would arrive soon, after hearing Alphonsus's words, they also understood... the Azure Prefect probably couldn't save Linley either. Unless the Azure Prefect's soul control ability reached the level of perfectly controlling Sovereign power. Unfortunately, legend said only Paragon Highgods could do that.

"Boss..."

Bebe looked at Linley's desolate figure and felt like crying.

Linley turned to look at Bebe, forcing a smile onto his face: "Bebe, you go out too. Let me stay here and keep Delia company." Linley reached out and patted Bebe on the shoulder. Bebe let out an "Mm" and nodded quickly.

Then Bebe could only leave the room.

Inside the room, only Linley, Delia, and the sleeping Windi, who was completely unaware of what was happening, remained.

Linley gazed quietly at Delia. Countless scenes flashed through his mind like lightning. Grief filled his entire chest. Linley couldn't help but look up: "Heavens! Why must you punish me like this!!!"

His low, hoarse voice echoed in the silent room, filled with unwillingness, anger, sorrow, and... despair!

Two streams of tears slid down Linley's face.

Linley slowly walked to the edge of the bed, knelt beside it, and carefully looked at Delia. He reached out and gently stroked Delia's face. A smile appeared on Linley's face, a serene smile: "Delia, I will stay with you, walk the final stretch with you. Never leaving... never abandoning!"

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, several days went by.

Bebe stood outside the room, looking through the window at the inside. Just then, Baruch walked over. Afraid of disturbing Linley, he said softly: "Bebe, how is Linley now?" Everyone knew about Delia's condition and understood...

Delia probably had no hope. But everyone was also worried that Linley might become despondent, or even do something that would make them all regret and grieve.

"Take a look for yourself." Bebe sighed. During this time, Bebe hadn't had a single smile. He no longer had the heart to play around.

Baruch looked inside through the window.

Inside the room—

Linley was holding Windi, feeding him some liquid food. Occasionally, Linley would glance at Delia and say softly: "Delia, Windi has been very good today. He hasn't been fussy at all."

Seeing this scene, Baruch outside could no longer watch.

"I really hope!" Bebe said in a low voice, "I really, really hope that the Azure Prefect, who is about to arrive, can save Delia! He must!"

"Mm." Baruch also nodded.

Just then, a figure silently descended from the sky. It was Pussero. Pussero said in a low voice: "Bebe, how is Linley..."

"Pussero, you're here?" A gentle voice sounded. Linley walked out of the room with a smile, holding Windi. "I'm taking Windi out for a walk. Come, Pussero, you hold Windi too. You haven't been here for a while. Windi has been missing you."

Seeing Linley's smile, Pussero was stunned.

He hadn't expected Linley to be smiling at a time like this. But somehow, he felt that Linley's smile was harder to bear than a sad expression.

"Alright, let me hold him..." Pussero quickly went over.

"Hold~" Seeing Pussero arrive, Windi actually reached out his little hand and called out, "Hold~"

Linley laughed: "Windi can already say simple words now. He can call for his mother."

Just then—

A figure rapidly descended from the sky. It was Elder Garvey. Garvey flew over and quickly said: "Linley, the Prefect has arrived!"

Linley was stunned.

"The Prefect has arrived?" A hint of color returned to Linley's eyes. Although he didn't hold much hope that the Azure Prefect could save Delia, it was still worth a try.

"Yes. The four Patriarchs, the Grand Elder, and the others have all gone to welcome him. They'll be here in a little while!" Elder Garvey explained.

The four Patriarchs of the Four Divine Beasts clan were very proud, but they sincerely admired and respected the Azure Prefect. He had done a great service to the clan, and his strength was enough to earn their respect.

"Oh, Linley lives here?" A warm voice sounded.

Over a dozen figures flew rapidly down from the sky. Linley, Pussero, Bebe, and the others all looked up. Flying at the very front was the Azure Prefect himself, with Gatesley and the other three Patriarchs following closely at his side. The four Patriarchs were extremely humble.

Linley stared fixedly at the person surrounded like stars around the moon by the four Patriarchs.

This person wore a black robe, with long black hair flowing loose. A black beard hung down to his chest. His eyes were small but shone like brilliant stars, full of spirit. The corners of his mouth always carried a hint of a smile, making him seem very warm and approachable.

"Linley!" This person greeted with a smile.

"Linley, this is the Prefect." Gatesley introduced.

But Linley looked at this person in disbelief: "Be... Beirut?"

"Grandpa!" Bebe also cried out in shock, then excitedly ran over. Beirut laughed heartily: "Haha, Bebe..." As he spoke, he scooped Bebe up into his arms.

"Grandpa!" Bebe called out excitedly.

"Haha... missed your grandpa, have you?" Beirut laughed joyfully.

Gatesley, the Vermillion Bird Patriarch, the other two Patriarchs, the Grand Elder, and the group of Elders, even Pussero and the others, all stared wide-eyed in disbelief at this scene.

"The Prefect? Grandpa?" Gatesley and the others all wore expressions of utter shock.