Chapter 51: Beirut's Methods
Linley had already fallen into despair, believing that Delia had no hope of survival. He didn't hold much hope for the approaching Prefect of the Netherworld either. But he never imagined that the person who saved the Four Divine Beasts clan from disaster, the Prefect of the Netherworld whom Galesreisen described as extremely powerful, would actually be Bebe's grandfather—Beirut!
Seeing Beirut, Linley couldn't help but feel hope rise in his heart.
In Linley's mind, Beirut was always so unfathomably deep.
"Perhaps Lord Beirut really does have the ability to save Delia," Linley thought, his heart beginning to stir with excitement and anticipation.
But the large group at the door was staring in astonishment at the affectionate way Bebe and the Prefect of the Netherworld, Beirut, interacted. They had no idea that this unremarkable youth beside Linley had such a close relationship with the Prefect of the Netherworld!
"Beirut, you're his grandfather?" Pusro asked in shock.
Beirut glanced at him with a smile and nodded slightly: "Pusro, I'm truly sorry for lying to you the other day. I was afraid that if you knew the real relationship between Bebe and me, you'd be too concerned about this little rascal... You don't know, Bebe has a mischievous nature and is far too lazy. Without a good tempering, it just won't do."
Pusro also laughed.
When he was still a cat in Alikwen's arms, the first time he met Linley and Bebe—especially after Bebe used that divine artifact—he had guessed that Bebe might have some connection to Beirut.
Later, when he got to know Beirut, he asked about it. But Beirut casually brushed it off and fooled him.
"Haha, this kid really does need a good tempering," Pusro said, looking at Bebe with a smile.
Bebe couldn't help but snort: "Grandfather, I've already comprehended five profound mysteries. It's only been a thousand years, and that's already very fast."
"You still have the nerve to say that!" Beirut said, half laughing, half exasperated. Of the five profound mysteries Bebe had comprehended, one was naturally possessed by divine beasts upon reaching adulthood, and the other four were obtained by having a friend create soul-splitting fragments for him.
Of course...
Bebe's comprehension wasn't bad, allowing him to continuously break through the bottlenecks of those four profound mysteries.
Galesreisen, the four clan leaders including the Vermillion Bird Patriarch, and the various elders were all stunned. They truly never imagined that Linley and Bebe would have such a deep connection with the powerful Prefect of the Netherworld.
"Lord Prefect, Bebe comprehending five profound mysteries in just over a thousand years is already quite impressive," Galesreisen said from the side.
"You don't understand the secrets behind it," Beirut said, always smiling with narrowed eyes.
"Grandfather," Bebe said, somewhat dissatisfied.
Beirut chuckled: "But compared to when you were on the Yulan continent, you've made great progress. At least your patience has improved a bit. Haha..."
Only then did Bebe smile.
"Lord Beirut," Linley finally spoke up, "my wife Delia, she..."
Beirut turned to look at him. Seeing Linley, his expression became slightly more serious. He nodded and said: "I heard about your wife's situation, which is why I rushed over. Back then, when you two got married, I sent my son to give your wife a divine spark. Who would have thought... things would come to this. Sigh, come on, take me to see her."
"Alright." Linley quickly led the way, the two entering the house one after the other. Pusro and Bebe also followed.
Back then, Beirut had kindly given a divine spark, after all, in a material plane, the probability of independently becoming a god was extremely low. Although independent godhood had many benefits, for Delia to achieve independent godhood—let alone becoming a god, even reaching the Saint realm was difficult. Who knew when she would become a god.
The same went for Wharton.
If Wharton hadn't undergone the ancestral baptism, relying solely on himself to become a god would also be difficult.
"This Linley actually has such a relationship with the Prefect." Galesreisen and the others were all outside the house, exchanging glances. They were still shaken by this news. At the same time, Galesreisen extended his divine domain to block sound, preventing those inside from hearing.
"Didn't you hear? When Linley got married in the material plane, the Prefect sent gifts. Their relationship is very close," the Vermillion Bird Patriarch said, raising an eyebrow with a smile. "This is also good for our Four Divine Beasts clan."
"Yes, if Lord Prefect is determined to help our clan, how would those eight great clans dare to be arrogant?" the Black Tortoise Patriarch nodded as well. "Lord Prefect's methods are truly terrifying," Galesreisen also exclaimed in admiration.
They all remembered the scene when Beirut stepped in to stop the eight great clans. Holding a black long staff, he flashed like lightning through the ranks of the eight great clans' experts. Any of those Seven Star Fiends who touched his staff had no hope of survival.
As for the experts of the eight great clans, material attacks couldn't harm Beirut in the slightest, and soul attacks directed at him showed no reaction whatsoever.
In the blink of an eye, Beirut had slaughtered over twenty Seven Star Fiends, forcing the eight great clans' forces to immediately halt their attack. Even the Bolin Patriarch of the eight great clans, after exchanging blows with Beirut once, though he didn't die, was severely injured.
It must be known that the Bolin Patriarch also possessed a Sovereign artifact. Yet compared to Beirut—
He was on an entirely different level!
Beirut was known as the strongest person below the Sovereigns on the Bloodpeak Continent! He dared to claim this title, and no one dared to object. Even the other Asuras of Hell tacitly acknowledged it. This showed just how formidable his strength was.
"At that time, if Lord Prefect had forcefully ordered the eight great clans to leave, even if they were unwilling, they probably would have left," Galesreisen sighed softly. "But Lord Prefect seemed unwilling to offend the eight great clans too deeply. Probably out of consideration for the Sovereigns backing them. He only forbade them from attacking the Sacred Mountain of Sacrifice."
"For Lord Prefect to be willing to go this far is already very good," the Vermillion Bird Patriarch said seriously. "Back when our four ancestors were still alive, how many experts attached themselves to our clan? Under our four ancestors, there were even many Sovereign's envoys. But once the ancestors died? Not a single Sovereign's envoy cared about our clan anymore."
The other elders sighed and remained silent.
Indeed, when the people leave, the tea grows cold!
Once the ancestors died, even the Sovereign's envoys of the ancestors watched the Four Divine Beasts clan gradually head toward extinction without lifting a finger. Fortunately, the Prefect of the Netherworld ultimately stepped in. Although the Prefect of the Netherworld didn't completely drive away the eight great clans, he at least prevented the Four Divine Beasts clan from being destroyed.
People shouldn't be too greedy.
The Prefect of the Netherworld had already done more than enough for them. After doing so much, the Four Divine Beasts clan had nothing to repay him with.
"Come on, let's go in and take a look," Galesreisen said, walking in first. The elders followed in turn.
As soon as Galesreisen and the others entered the inner room, they saw Linley waiting quietly to the side, while Beirut stood nearby with his eyes closed. After a moment, he opened his eyes and sighed: "Delia's condition is even worse than I imagined!"
"Lord Beirut, can't you even save Delia?" Linley panicked.
"Grandfather," Bebe also urged.
"Haha..." Beirut burst out laughing. "I only said her condition was bad, but it hasn't reached the point where I can't save her! However, to save your wife, I'll have to waste a drop of Sovereign's power of life!"
As he spoke, Beirut flipped his hand, and a drop of cyan-green liquid appeared in his palm.
"Lord Beirut," Linley said worriedly upon seeing the Sovereign's power of life, "healing the soul involves going deep into the core of the soul. Using Sovereign's power—if there's even a slight mistake, if there's any leakage, then..."
Although Linley desperately wanted to save Delia, he couldn't bear to watch her die either.
"Lord Prefect, using Sovereign's power..." Galesreisen also interjected.
"Oh? Do you think I don't understand such basic common sense?" Beirut turned to look at Linley and the others with a puzzled expression. "It's just a drop of Sovereign's power of life. To achieve no leakage at all—though it's difficult, can't I do it?"
As he spoke, the drop of Sovereign's power of life in his hand merged into his body.
Then Beirut extended his right index finger, and a hazy cyan phantom appeared.
"Sovereign's power!" Linley was shocked.
"How is this possible?" Galesreisen, Pusro, and the others were all stunned. Pusro had clearly already used Sovereign's power, yet Beirut's body showed no leakage of Sovereign's power at all.
Under normal circumstances, when using Sovereign's power, the body's surface would be enveloped in various colored halos.
Those halos were the leaked Sovereign's power. But Beirut showed no such sign at this moment. From the outside, it was impossible to tell... that Beirut was currently using Sovereign's power.
Linley was overjoyed: "There's hope, Delia has hope. I never expected Lord Beirut to be so skilled, using Sovereign's power with such ease and without any leakage."
Sovereign's power was too strong for Highgods.
It was like making an ordinary mortal swing a hundred-pound greatsword. Because it was too heavy, it was naturally difficult to be precise, relaxed, and error-free.
The same applied to gods.
When it exceeded the soul's control ability, Sovereign's power would leak uncontrollably. Legend had it that only a Paragon Highgod could perfectly control Sovereign's power. And today, Beirut had done it.
"Lord Prefect, have you already reached the Paragon..." Galesreisen exclaimed.
"Quiet!"
Beirut frowned, his expression turning serious. "During my treatment of Delia, none of you are allowed to speak. If you disturb me, you will bear the consequences!" Beirut rarely spoke so sternly.
Instantly, the entire inner room fell silent.
Linley's heart pounded wildly as he watched the scene before him with tension. Beirut extended his right hand and placed it above Delia's head. A hazy cyan-green light began to seep into Delia's head.
Beirut closed his eyes, completely focused on the treatment.
The entire inner room was dead silent, not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
"It will be fine, it will definitely be fine," Linley thought, not blinking as he watched, constantly hoping. He was truly afraid. Earlier, Afsas had also tried to save Delia in the same way. He had originally believed it would be fine too. But the result was...
Silence...
Time passed minute by minute.
Healing the soul was a meticulous task. The soul's interior was extremely complex, and the core was very fragile. Even the slightest mistake could destroy the soul. Even Beirut treated it with great care.
After a long time...
Sweat beaded on Linley's forehead, then dried.
"It's done!" A sigh echoed through the room. The sudden sound in the silent room startled Linley. He quickly looked at Beirut—the moment of judgment had arrived!
"Lord Beirut, how is it?" Linley's voice trembled as he spoke.
"How is it? Can't you see for yourself?" Beirut said with a smile.
Linley quickly turned to look at Delia. He saw Delia's eyelids tremble slightly in her sleep. In that instant, Linley's heart felt as if a flame had ignited his entire chest, and an expression of uncontrollable joy appeared on his face.
Delia opened her eyes, a trace of confusion and bewilderment in them. She looked around and saw a large group of people.
"Lord Beirut!" Delia exclaimed in surprise, then quickly looked at Linley. "Linley, what happened?" After being struck, Delia had lost consciousness. She had no idea what had happened during that time.
"Linley, why are you crying?" Delia felt truly confused.
Why, upon waking up, was there such a large crowd around her, including the clan leader, and even Beirut had appeared?
Tears uncontrollably moistened his eyes. The moment Delia woke up, Linley felt that the world, which had turned dark, suddenly regained its light and color!
"Delia!" Linley pulled Delia into his arms, holding her tightly, afraid of losing her.
"Lord Prefect, are you, are you a Paragon Highgod?" Galesreisen said.
"Beirut, you..." Pusro also exclaimed in shock.
But Beirut burst out laughing: "What kind of talk is that? Are you saying that if I'm not a Paragon Highgod, I can't control Sovereign's power like this?"