Chapter 30: Powerless
Linley's mind instantly became completely clear. No wonder the Youshu Tree that appeared in the gray mist region had been able to easily deal with Linley and Bebe. Moreover, when Bebe used his innate divine ability, Soul Devourer, he hadn't been able to sense the divine spark of that Youshu Tree at all. Now it seemed that Youshu Tree was nothing more than a branch of the Youshu Tree before him. A branch of a Sovereign having such strength was hardly surprising.
The relationship between the Youshu Tree in the gray mist region and the Youshu Tree before him was like that of the green serpent and the serpent spirit. The green serpent had no soul, and naturally, that small Youshu Tree had no soul either.
"Sovereign!"
Linley called out urgently, and at the same time, he fell directly to his knees with a thud.
The golden serpent and the silver nine-headed serpent glared angrily at Linley and Bebe. Then the golden serpent pleaded, "Sovereign, these two killed my daughter. You are very clear about the circumstances, Sovereign… You must avenge my daughter!" The golden serpent pressed his massive head against the ground.
"Thud!" Bebe also knelt hurriedly, saying anxiously, "Sovereign, that wasn't our fault. We didn't know at the time." Bebe was worried that the Sovereign might not help Linley.
"Hmph." The nine green serpents and the gold-silver serpents all glared at Bebe and Linley.
Linley didn't dare to interrupt. He knelt and waited for the Sovereign to speak.
"Enough." The enormous face on the trunk of the Youshu Tree swept its eyes, which flickered with emerald light, over the group. Everyone it passed over, whether anxious or angry, instantly fell silent. "Gold, they are somewhat guilty in this matter. But their crime does not warrant death… After all, they did not know the truth."
The Sovereign had had a branch there at the time. He had seen the situation clearly.
At the time, he had also wanted to save the serpent spirit. But unfortunately, the branch's ability had not been enough to block Bebe's innate divine ability.
The silver nine-headed serpent immediately glanced at the golden serpent.
She knew that her husband had a very good relationship with this Youshu Tree Sovereign.
The golden serpent pleaded earnestly, "Sovereign, my daughter Tina grew up under your watch. Can you truly let her die without avenging her?" Others dared not speak to the Sovereign like this, but he could! Because he had grown up alongside the Youshu Tree, slowly, until now.
"Gold!" The enormous face of the Youshu Tree frowned. "Let it go."
At these words, the nine green serpents, the silver nine-headed serpent, and the golden serpent dared not say anything more. Since the Sovereign had spoken, pressing the matter further would only bring trouble.
"Linley, you two may leave." The enormous face said expressionlessly.
"Sovereign!"
Linley knelt prostrate, pleading, "I came from the Infernal Realm to the Netherworld this time specifically to seek an audience with you, Sovereign. I have a request, hoping that—" Before Linley could finish, the golden serpent and silver nine-headed serpent beside him began snorting angrily.
"Dream on!" The golden serpent roared. "The Sovereign sparing your life is already a grace. And you still dream here, hoping the Sovereign will help you? Get lost! Get lost now!"
"Get lost!" The nine green serpents also roared in succession.
The silver nine-headed serpent was so angry that her scales lit up as she stared fixedly at Linley. "Leave now, and my husband and I will spare you. If you stay here, trying to get the Sovereign to help you with anything, I, Inawei, will fight to the death to kill you today!" They hadn't killed Linley and Bebe immediately, first because of their strength, and second because the Sovereign had given an order.
And now Linley actually wanted the Sovereign's help. That made them unable to swallow their anger any longer.
"The Sovereign hasn't spoken yet. Why are you butting in?" Bebe roared angrily.
Interrupting in front of a Sovereign was very rude, but Bebe clearly didn't understand the relationship between these serpent spirits and the Youshu Tree. The enormous eyes on the Youshu Tree's trunk swept over everyone. "Everyone, be quiet. Let's first hear what Linley has to say."
"Sovereign." The golden serpent looked at the Youshu Tree in surprise.
The Youshu Tree's eyes glanced at him, and the golden serpent fell silent.
Linley quickly said gratefully, "Sovereign, I came to seek an audience with you this time, hoping that you could help… help me find the undead spirits formed in the Netherworld from my family and brothers, and restore their memories of their past lives. I know that you, Sovereign, are capable of this. I hope the Sovereign will show mercy." Linley pressed his head to the ground.
Seeing this, Bebe's eyes grew moist.
When had Linley ever been like this?
"I hope the Sovereign will show mercy." Bebe also knelt, his head touching the ground.
Linley and Bebe both pleaded like this, but the Youshu Tree was silent for a moment. Linley, still kneeling, felt anxious and uneasy. He had rushed all this way just to wait for the Sovereign's answer. What Linley feared most now was—the Sovereign refusing. Linley kept hoping in his heart, hoping!
"Leave." A deep voice sounded.
Linley couldn't help but tremble.
Bebe looked up at the Youshu Tree in disbelief.
"Sovereign, can't you help?" Bebe cried out urgently.
Linley also looked up at the Sovereign, tears in his eyes, pleading, "Sovereign—"
"Enough. I am powerless in this matter." The deep voice sounded.
"Powerless?" Linley looked up at the Youshu Tree. The enormous face on the Youshu Tree showed no emotional fluctuation. Linley said urgently, "How can you be powerless? I know that any Netherworld Sovereign can find the formed undead spirits and restore their memories."
"Hmph." The silver nine-headed serpent snorted coldly. The golden serpent and the nine green serpents all stared coldly at Linley and Bebe.
"You've come to the wrong Sovereign." The golden serpent sneered.
Linley and Bebe were stunned.
The Youshu Tree's deep voice came: "I truly cannot help you with this matter. Because… I am not a Netherworld Sovereign, but the Sovereign of Life."
Linley and Bebe were dumbfounded.
The Sovereign on Nethermount was not a Netherworld Sovereign?
"If you came to Nethermount to find a Netherworld Sovereign, it's simple. Continue forward, leave the violet mist region, and wait quietly at the Sovereign's palace. But I warn you… the Death Sovereign's temper is not as good as mine. This Death Sovereign might kill you directly because of Tina's death." The Youshu Tree said.
Linley and Bebe exchanged a glance.
So Nethermount had two Sovereigns!
One was the Sovereign of Life, and the other was the Netherworld's Death Sovereign!
Linley could understand what the Youshu Tree meant about temper. This Youshu Tree had been here for eons, cultivating the laws of life. A good temper was normal. As for the Death Sovereign, he cultivated the laws of death. In the Infernal Realm and Netherworld, Linley had rarely seen anyone cultivating the laws of death with a good temper.
Most were decisive and ruthless in killing!
"Boss, should we go see him?" Bebe sent a mental message.
"Of course we will." Linley didn't hesitate.
Bebe quickly sent another message: "Didn't you hear what the Sovereign of Life said? That Death Sovereign's temper isn't so good. If he kills us both because of that serpent spirit's death, that would be really frustrating. I think the Netherworld has seven Sovereigns. Why don't we try somewhere else?" Linley frowned.
To save his father and the others, Linley was prepared. He was so close now; he had to try this time. But if Bebe also got caught up in the disaster…
"Bebe." Linley looked at Bebe and sent a message, "Don't go see the Death Sovereign. I'll go alone."
"Boss." Bebe stared at Linley.
"Don't go." Linley's message carried a commanding tone. "I still have my fire-type divine clone, but if you die, you don't have a divine clone."
Bebe said, "Boss, don't say that. If that Death Sovereign really wants to kill me, even if I flee Nethermount now, the Sovereign can easily find and kill me. I think it's better not to run. Anyway, this matter isn't entirely my fault. That serpent spirit was trying to kill me. Wasn't I allowed to fight back? I think the Death Sovereign should be somewhat reasonable."
Linley was helpless. "Bebe, do you think a Sovereign will reason with you?"
"We still have the Bloodpeak Sovereign's token. The Death Sovereign, out of respect for the Bloodpeak Sovereign, probably won't go for the kill." Bebe added quickly. "And if he really wants to kill me, running now is useless anyway."
Linley nodded slightly.
Indeed, if a Sovereign wanted to kill, there was no time to escape.
"You two still dare to see the Death Sovereign?" The silver nine-headed serpent sneered.
Linley and Bebe first knelt to the Youshu Tree: "Thank you, Sovereign, for your guidance. May we ask how to leave the violet mist region?"
"Just walk straight." The Youshu Tree's deep voice sounded. Then its branches trembled, and the violet mist ahead began to roil. Large amounts of violet mist parted to both sides, revealing a clear, mist-free path. "Follow this path. Walk straight, and you will arrive."
The Youshu Tree had advised them once before.
Although his temper was good, he wouldn't keep urging them.
"Thank you, Sovereign." Linley and Bebe said sincerely.
The Youshu Tree's massive form moved slightly, then transformed into a blurry green light and dissipated. The Youshu Tree, which had occupied a vast area ten thousand meters across, simply vanished. Linley and Bebe stood up and immediately began advancing along the path.
The golden serpent and silver nine-headed serpent both sneered coldly.
"You're really useless." The silver nine-headed serpent sneered. "After so many years with the Sovereign, you couldn't even persuade him."
"Sigh, the Sovereign's personality is too good." The golden serpent said helplessly.
"Watch me." The silver nine-headed serpent sneered as she watched Linley and Bebe's retreating figures. "With my master's temper, if I go and speak… these two will definitely die!"
The golden serpent had a good relationship with the Youshu Tree. But the silver nine-headed serpent was close to the Death Sovereign.
They traveled very fast along the way, encountering no danger. Soon, Linley saw a vast, mist-free area in the distance. Linley and Bebe immediately accelerated, turning into two blurry shadows as they flew straight out of the violet mist region!
"We're finally out." Bebe cheered.
Linley looked up.
Before them was an open, flat area covered with flowers and grass.
"Up there!" Linley couldn't help but look up. Above, a pitch-black palace hovered in midair. This pitch-black palace was several hundred meters tall, like a small mountain. The top of the palace was a spire, and at the tip of the spire was a massive giant orb.
That orb flickered with endless lightning.
From this giant orb as the source, countless lightning chains scattered in all directions, spreading out and hanging down.
"So this is the source of the heavenly chains." Bebe's eyes lit up.
"It seems this is the Sovereign's palace." Linley took a deep breath.
At that moment, two figures flew out from the palace gate. Linley recognized them at once—it was Asis and Borley. When they saw Linley and the others, they immediately flew over.
"Linley, you actually came!" Borley said in surprise.
Asis also said incredulously, "Inawei and her husband, those two great serpents, didn't attack you?" Asis knew very well how strong the couple was. Even he would have trouble dealing with them.
"Of course they attacked. But they weren't strong enough to do anything to us." Bebe snorted.
Asis and Borley were surprised.
"Asis, Borley, is the Sovereign—" Linley started to speak.
"Hmph!" A cold snort sounded.
Linley and Bebe turned to look behind them. Asis and Borley also looked. A tall, thin man and woman walked out. The cold man wore a golden robe, while the black-eyed woman wore a silver robe. Behind them were nine young men and women, all in green robes.
"We couldn't deal with them." The silver-robed, black-eyed woman sneered. "But… in a little while, they'll still die."