Chapter 52: Two Drops of Sovereign Power
Pusro, Gateson, and the large group of people were momentarily speechless.
“Grandfather!”
Bebe said with a beaming face, “I know why they’re confused. Because they all say… according to legend, only a Highgod Paragon can perfectly control Sovereign Power.”
Beirut glanced around at the large crowd in the room.
“Legend… you all know it’s just a legend,” Beirut said with a faint smile. “A Highgod Paragon can indeed do it, but does that mean no other Highgod can? You’re being too hasty!”
A legend was, after all, just a legend!
Reality wasn’t necessarily the same as the legend.
“Beirut, I admire you, truly. No wonder the great Sovereign treats you this way,” Pusro said with a laugh. A Sovereign’s emissary was, to the Sovereign, merely a subordinate. If a Sovereign’s emissary died, the Sovereign could simply recruit another.
But some emissaries were highly valued and cherished by their Sovereigns.
For example, a Highgod Paragon. Although Beirut wasn’t a Highgod Paragon, the Sovereign still regarded him very highly.
“Don’t talk about me. Your Sovereign also values you greatly,” Beirut said with a smile.
Pusro couldn’t help but laugh at that. That Fire-type Sovereign had once personally sparred with him, testing him in material attacks, soul attacks, and other aspects, before finally revealing his identity. A Sovereign who would set aside his status to spar with Pusro like that certainly wouldn’t treat him as an ordinary pawn.
As Pusro and Beirut talked, the four clan leaders and the various elders could only listen from the sidelines, not daring to interrupt. After all, both men were Sovereign’s emissaries.
Beirut glanced back at Linley, then said to Gateson and the others, “Alright, don’t all crowd into this room. Linley and his wife must have many private things to discuss. All of you, leave.”
Gateson and the others were jolted awake and quickly nodded.
“Lord Prefect, since you’ve come to our place, and Linley’s wife has just been healed, how about tonight our Four Divine Beasts Clan holds a banquet to celebrate?” Gateson suggested.
“Hmm, fine. Send someone over tonight. For now, I want to chat with Bebe,” Beirut said, looking at Bebe with a smile and patting his head.
Bebe, however, tilted his head to dodge the gesture.
“Lord Prefect!” Suddenly, a clear, cold voice rang out. “There is something I wish to ask of you.”
“Sister.” Gateson quickly sent a mental message. “We should leave now.” It was clear that Beirut had already told them to go. Staying any longer would be tactless.
Beirut frowned in displeasure and looked over. The speaker was the Grand Elder of the Azure Dragon clan. The Grand Elder said solemnly, “Lord Prefect. This time, many others fell into the same coma as Linley’s wife. Could you perhaps lend your aid…”
“Hmph!” Beirut let out a cold snort, his thick, dark brows suddenly shooting up. He swept his gaze coldly over her.
“Sister.” Gateson also barked.
“Ridiculous!”
Beirut’s gaze was sharp as he stared at the Grand Elder. “Healing one person consumes Sovereign Power! It drains my energy! You make it sound so simple… Furthermore, what do I care if your clansmen die? By your logic, should I, Beirut, go out and save every injured or endangered person in the entire Infernal Realm?”
Beirut’s anger startled the clan leaders and elders of the Four Divine Beasts Clan.
Heavens! The only reason their Four Divine Beasts Clan could still hide in the Celestial Mountain Range was because of Beirut. If Beirut simply stopped helping, the Four Divine Beasts Clan would be finished under the siege of the eight great clans.
Faced with Beirut’s anger, the Grand Elder didn’t dare say another word.
“Lord Prefect, I apologize. My sister was just worried about our clansmen,” Gateson said apologetically, then immediately led the others away.
“Beirut, your outburst scared that female elder into silence. You could have just refused without getting angry,” Pusro said with a laugh. Beirut’s face had already returned to a smile.
“Pusro, there’s no need to always greet outsiders with a smile. Otherwise, some people will only become more presumptuous,” Beirut said with a faint smile.
Beirut was not the soft-hearted type. Back when the war on the Yulan continent was so brutal, no matter how many died, Beirut didn’t care in the slightest. In his view, life and death were simply part of the laws of the universe.
People were meant to die eventually.
Even if one became a god, supposedly possessing infinite life, countless gods died in battle every moment throughout the Infernal Realm. Unless someone was connected to him, unless he valued them, why would he intervene?
“Grandfather, let’s go out quickly,” Bebe urged.
Beirut laughed. “Right, we’re disturbing Linley and his wife.”
“Lord Beirut, I truly thank you,” Linley said, holding Delia’s hand and expressing his gratitude to Beirut. This time, Beirut had saved Delia, a debt Linley felt he could never repay.
“Haha…” Beirut laughed. “Alright, I won’t disturb you two any longer.”
Beirut then left with Pusro and Bebe, leaving only Linley and Delia in the room. Delia had listened to everything that had happened. Although Linley spoke calmly, she could sense from his words the terror, despair, and the excitement of finding a way out of a desperate situation.
“Delia, if Lord Beirut hadn’t saved you this time, I truly can’t imagine what the future would have been like after you died,” Linley said with a low sigh. “Cultivate? Why would I cultivate? Even if I became stronger, what would it matter? Without you, what meaning would my strength have?”
If Delia had died, the future for Linley would have been nothing but darkness.
No hope!
No motivation!
Delia’s eyes grew moist. She reached out and hugged Linley, saying quickly, “Linley, don’t say that. I’m fine now, I’m fine!”
“Yes. Fine!”
Linley stroked Delia’s face and nodded. “Delia, I have never felt so excited, so happy, so thrilled! When I saw you open your eyes, when I saw the color in your gaze… I felt as if I had been reborn!”
“For you, for our child, I will keep striving forward and become stronger!” Linley looked at Delia. “With you behind me, there is nothing that can make me afraid!”
Delia’s tears flowed as a happy smile spread across her face.
“Delia!” Linley flipped his hand, and a drop of Water-type Sovereign Power appeared in his palm. “This is Water-type Sovereign Power. If I had given you this drop of Sovereign Power beforehand, you wouldn’t have been in danger. Luckily you’re fine, but I won’t let something like this happen again. Keep this drop of Sovereign Power for yourself!”
“Linley, no…” Delia saw it was Sovereign Power and immediately refused.
“Take it!”
Linley said sternly, “Delia, after this, I’ve realized that sometimes I can’t protect you. If you have a drop of Sovereign Power, it might save your life at a critical moment. This Sovereign Power is effective for both soul defense and material defense. Delia, don’t refuse!”
Delia looked at Linley. She knew him well and understood his temperament.
“Alright, I’ll take it.” Delia didn’t refuse again.
Only then did Linley smile. He reached out and pulled Delia close. Delia nestled into his arms. “When you lose something, you realize how important it is. I’ve tasted that feeling of loss, and I don’t want to taste it again!”
“You won’t, you won’t,” Delia said, a smile on her face.
“Mm.” Linley responded, and for a moment, the two were silent.
They just stayed like that, nestled together, feeling each other’s breath, enjoying the warmth and tranquility… Even many of the elders who had lost their strongest divine bodies gathered for the banquet. After all, the guest of honor this time was the Prefect of the Netherblue Prefecture, who had saved their Four Divine Beasts Clan!
When they learned of Beirut’s relationship with Bebe and Linley, they were all astonished.
Glasses clinked, and everyone was drinking merrily.
“Elder Linley!” Gateson, seated at the head of the hall, said loudly, “This time, you faced eight enemy elders in battle. Although you consumed a drop of Sovereign Power, you also killed five Seven Star Fiends on the enemy side.”
Linley looked over.
“I know you specialize in the Laws of the Earth. This time, the Patriarch of the Azure Dragon clan and I have discussed it. Killing five enemy elders is indeed a great merit. The clan will grant you two drops of Sovereign Power: one Water-type Sovereign Power and one Earth-type Sovereign Power,” Gateson said with a smile.
“Linley, using that Earth-type Sovereign Power with your Gravity Space will be far more effective,” a deep, rough voice rang out. It was the Patriarch of the Azure Dragon clan.
Linley quickly stood up in the center of the hall.
At the same time, Gateson and the Azure Dragon Patriarch each produced a drop of Sovereign Power in their hands, one a cyan droplet and the other a brownish-yellow droplet. Linley quickly accepted both drops and stored them in his Coiling Dragon ring.
“Thank you, Patriarchs,” Linley said with a bow.
“Merit deserves reward. That’s the clan’s rule,” Gateson said with a smile. “Alright, go back to your seat. Everyone, continue drinking.”
Pusro and Beirut, also seated at the head of the hall, exchanged a glance and smiled.
But Fowlhen, sitting in an inconspicuous spot among the elders below, was displeased.
“Father,” Emmanuel sent a mental message.
Because this was a joyous celebration, many people had come. The clan still held those who had lost their strongest divine bodies in battle and were no longer qualified to be elders in high regard. After all, they had sacrificed their strongest divine bodies for the clan. These people still held a relatively high status in the clan and had come to attend the banquet. Emmanuel was one of them.
“The Patriarch seems to be favoring him too much this time,” Emmanuel sent mentally. “According to clan custom, if an elder consumes a drop of Sovereign Power in battle, they are usually given one to replenish it. Even if their merit is greater, they might just receive some verbal praise. After all, the clan doesn’t have much Sovereign Power left now.”
“Hmph,” Fowlhen replied mentally. “Isn’t it because of the Prefect of the Netherblue Prefecture? Otherwise, why would they give two drops of Sovereign Power? I don’t know what kind of luck this Linley has, getting involved with the Prefect of the Netherblue Prefecture too!”
Fowlhen was extremely dissatisfied deep down.
He had already been unhappy when Linley received the Azure Dragon Ring, and now Linley was thick as thieves with the Prefect of the Netherblue Prefecture. This made him even angrier. But no matter how angry he was, he didn’t dare show it on his face.
He had to smile and raise his glass. “Elder Linley, congratulations. Cheers!”
Linley was seated on the left side, close to Beirut at the head of the hall. Beirut looked at Linley and sent a mental message: “Linley, I heard that when you went back this time, you were ambushed by eight enemy elders?”
“Yes,” Linley replied, also puzzled. He sent mentally, “This is indeed strange. First, I had changed my appearance. Second, they attacked me as soon as I came out. Third, the enemy sent eight elders. Without absolute certainty, would they do that?”
Beirut was silent for a moment before sending mentally, “Pusro and I discussed this. I looked into it carefully, and I suspect… someone within the clan might have leaked the information about your departure.”
Linley was stunned.
“Linley, tell me, do you have any suspects?” Beirut sent.
Linley certainly had someone in mind.
“Lord Beirut, I have no evidence at all. And it’s not one hundred percent certain that there’s a traitor. What use is it to voice mere suspicion?” Linley sent.
“Don’t worry about whether it’s useful. Just tell me if you have any suspects! Tell me who you suspect, directly!” Beirut said.
Linley thought for a moment before replying, “Yes. That time, I took a metallic lifeform to leave, and he did see me leave. Also, in the clan, the only ones I have a conflict with are him and his son.”
“Who is it?” Beirut asked.
“Fowlhen!” Linley finally named him.
“Which one? Is he in this hall?” Beirut inquired.
“Yes,” Linley replied. “He’s in the front row on the opposite side, the fifth one.”
Following Linley’s indication, Beirut turned his head to look. At that moment, Fowlhen was toasting with other elders, saying, “The clan is getting harder and harder. Last time I encountered an enemy elder, I almost didn’t make it.”
“Oh, the one with the blond hair?” Beirut sent mentally.
Linley confirmed, “That’s him!”