Chapter 6: The Sovereign Artifact
"Father!" Linley entered the room.
Hogg, who was reading a book, looked up and upon seeing Linley, couldn't help but laugh. "Linley, I heard you went into seclusion. What, did you break through?"
"Mm." Linley nodded and sat down beside him. "Father, I plan to leave in two days for the Divine Light Plane, to go pay respects to the Sovereign of Light and see if there's any hope of finding Mother and restoring her freedom."
"Mm?" Hogg's hand trembled, and the book fell onto the table. He stared at Linley in shock. "Linley, you want to go to the Divine Light Plane? This... didn't you tell me last time about what happened in the Planar Battlefield? You killed members of the Augusta family. Isn't the Sovereign of Light the patriarch of the Augusta family? Going there like this is very dangerous." Hogg was anxious.
Hogg now knew almost everything Linley had been through over the years.
"Father, rest assured. The Sovereign of Light has 182 children, and those are just the second generation. The one we killed was from the third generation. The second and third generation members of the Augusta family number over a thousand. The Sovereign of Light won't care about something like this." Linley was absolutely certain.
If the Sovereign of Light did care, Reisgem wouldn't have dared to let everyone kill freely.
"But he's still a Sovereign. Killing you would be effortless." Hogg was deeply worried.
"Precisely because he's a Sovereign, he wouldn't lower himself to kill me." Linley comforted him. "Don't worry, Father! The Sovereign of Light and I have no major enmity. If he wanted to kill me, he has plenty of ways. But he hasn't made a move!"
"Didn't you say there was no hope?" Hogg countered.
"I said the hope is very slim." Linley smiled bitterly. "But if I don't try, there's definitely no hope. If I make an attempt, there might be a chance. The Sovereigns also hope to make Paragons their emissaries. Perhaps, given my status, there's a sliver of hope that the Sovereign of Light will restore my mother's freedom."
"A sliver of hope..." Hogg nodded slightly.
Hogg looked at Linley and said solemnly, "Linley, you're not a child anymore. You make your own decisions about what to do... But as your father, I must warn you: if this matter is dangerous, it's best you don't go! I'm not familiar with matters concerning Sovereigns and Paragons, so I won't say much. It's all up to you. Safety first! You and your brother Wharton, and your mother, are all equally important to me."
"Mm." Hearing this, Linley felt... as if he were back in his youth, receiving his father's earnest advice.
The day after Linley made his decision, he went to find Patriarch Gislason.
Inside the hall.
"What?" Gislason, who had just sat down, was so shocked he stood up. "Linley, you said you're going to the Divine Light Plane to see the Sovereign of Light?"
"Yes." Linley said with a faint smile. "I came to let you know. This trip of mine will take at least ten years, at most a hundred. This is something I can only beg the Sovereign of Light for."
Gislason hesitated, then said, "Linley, from what I learned from my father back then, the Sovereign of Light isn't easy to deal with. He's extremely aloof and also very domineering. If you go to beg him... the hope is truly very low. And I'm worried that if a single word displeases him, he might kill you."
"Aloof and domineering?" Linley frowned.
Gislason nodded. "Yes. Among the eleven Sovereigns across the countless planes, the four most powerful are, of course, the four Edict Sovereigns! And among the seven Law Sovereigns, the strongest is the Sovereign of Light."
Linley understood that the four Edict Sovereigns were the most formidable.
But he hadn't expected... that among the seven Elemental Law Sovereigns, the Sovereign of Light was the strongest.
"Why is the Sovereign of Light stronger than the other Elemental Law Sovereigns?" Linley asked, puzzled.
Gislason, being the son of the Azure Dragon, knew many secrets. He laughed and said, "It involves a treasure—the Sovereign Artifact!"
"Sovereign Artifact?" Linley's eyes lit up.
From the name alone, Linley understood the meaning. Artifact—Sovereign Artifact—Sovereign Artifact! Three distinct levels.
"The Sovereign Artifact was created by the Overgods! There are only four Overgods: the Overgod of Life, the Overgod of Destruction, the Overgod of Death, and the Overgod of Fate! Therefore, Sovereign Artifacts only come in these four types. The four most powerful Sovereigns—the Sovereign of Destruction, the Sovereign of Death, the Sovereign of Fate, and the Sovereign of Life—each possess a Sovereign Artifact. That's why they are the strongest among the Sovereigns!"
Linley nodded slightly.
No wonder those four Sovereigns were the strongest—it was because of the Sovereign Artifacts.
"Among the eleven Sovereigns... a total of five possess Sovereign Artifacts. Besides the four Sovereigns I just mentioned, there is also the Sovereign of Light! Although the Sovereign of Light has a Sovereign Artifact, because its attribute doesn't match his, he can't unleash its full power. Therefore, he is weaker than the four Edict Sovereigns but stronger than the other six Law Sovereigns!"
Linley sighed inwardly.
The power of a Sovereign Artifact was truly terrifying. There were only four Overgods, and they were manifestations of the four Edicts. It was only natural that the Sovereign of Light couldn't obtain a matching Sovereign Artifact and was inferior to the four Edict Sovereigns.
"How did the Sovereign Artifacts descend into the world and end up in the hands of five Sovereigns?" Linley asked in turn.
"I don't know." Gislason shook his head. "This happened a very, very long time ago. Not even I, let alone my father, understand it. The Sovereign of Light is aloof and domineering, but he has the strength to back it up. After all, he has a Sovereign Artifact!"
"Sovereign Artifact..." Linley sighed. "Hasn't another Sovereign Artifact been born in all these years?"
"No. If one were born, wouldn't those Sovereigns and Sovereigns go crazy fighting over it? The Sovereign of Light has one, while the other six Elemental Sovereigns don't. I think those six Law Sovereigns have always been resentful deep down. If they had a chance, how could they give it up?" Gislason said with a laugh.
Linley couldn't help but smile. "I wonder what a Sovereign Artifact looks like. If one fell into our hands, we probably wouldn't even recognize it."
"Sovereign Artifacts can only be used at the Sovereign level. It would be useless for us to obtain one, and it would only bring disaster." Gislason changed the subject. "Enough about Sovereign Artifacts; that's too far off. Linley, you said you want to go to the Divine Light Plane. I still advise you not to go. Really, it's best if you don't!"
Linley smiled. "He may be strong, but he's still a Sovereign. Would he lower himself to deal with me?"
Gislason sighed softly, then suddenly sent a divine sense message: "Linley, let me tell you a secret."
Linley was startled!
They were talking in the hall, and Gislason was using divine sense messaging? Could there really be some major secret?
"Patriarch, what secret?" Linley was also puzzled.
"Linley." Gislason's expression was grave. "I've always had my suspicions about the deaths of our four ancestors!"
"Suspicions?" Linley didn't understand.
"I suspect that the murderer is the Sovereign of Light!" Gislason transmitted.
Linley was shocked. Gislason continued via divine sense: "Although our four ancestors were only High Sovereigns, they were exceptionally gifted. Their four innate divine abilities could actually merge into one! When the four types of innate energy fused, they formed an extremely terrifying ultimate technique that even the High Sovereigns, the Sovereigns, were wary of."
Four innate divine abilities merging into one?
Linley knew that the innate abilities of the Four Divine Beasts clan were all unique. As for what the four ancestors themselves could do when they personally used them, it was impossible to determine. But one thing was certain—they were far stronger than Linley and the others. After all, Linley and the others only carried the bloodline of divine beasts; they weren't true divine beasts.
If the four innate divine abilities merged into one, the power would be absolutely terrifying.
"You say the murderer might be the Sovereign of Light. Why him?" Linley pressed.
"First of all, very few could kill all four ancestors at once! The four Edict Sovereigns—the Sovereign of Fate doesn't meddle in worldly affairs, the Sovereign of Destruction had a good relationship with our ancestors, the Sovereign of Death doesn't attack unless provoked, and the Sovereign of Life is said to have the kindest heart and rarely kills, let alone Sovereigns. Moreover, our four ancestors had no conflicts of interest with the Sovereign of Life. So... that leaves only the Sovereign of Light!" Gislason transmitted.
Linley frowned.
"The Sovereign of Light has a Sovereign Artifact and enough strength to withstand the combined innate ultimate technique of our four ancestors." Gislason's eyes held a hint of hatred. Although there were eleven Sovereigns, the other six didn't have Sovereign Artifacts and couldn't kill the four ancestors when they were united.
"Did he have a conflict of interest with our ancestors?" Linley transmitted back.
"No conflict of interest. If there was one... it's that our Four Divine Beasts clan once spread across all major planes, with immense influence. Many people considered our Four Divine Beasts clan the number one clan in all the planes. But the Augusta family was also considered the number one clan by many. If there was a conflict... I think it was just over that reputation." Gislason couldn't find any other reason.
After all, the four ancestors wouldn't have gone out of their way to offend the Sovereign of Light.
"A dispute over being the number one clan? That can't be, right?" Linley couldn't believe it. "That's just a matter of reputation among gods. For that, the Sovereign of Light killed four ancestors? That reason is far too petty."
"I... I don't know either. But based on my reasoning, I think it could only be him." Gislason clearly felt his own reasoning was weak. "Linley, if the Sovereign of Light really was the killer back then, then he definitely harbors ill intentions toward our Four Divine Beasts clan. He didn't kill us in the past because he never cared about us. But you are a Paragon... I'm worried that he might..."
"Patriarch, the most obvious suspect is often not the real one." Linley transmitted. "Second, you said other Sovereigns couldn't kill our four ancestors when they were united. But what if they were picked off one by one? If someone really wanted to kill them, they could have prevented them from joining forces."
Gislason was stunned, then quickly transmitted, "Our ancestors were very close and rarely separated."
"Rarely separated doesn't mean they were always together." Linley transmitted. "Don't worry, Patriarch. Even if the Sovereign of Light is the murderer, would he stoop to dealing with a mere god like me? Even if he were wary, he wouldn't be wary of a Paragon. After all, a Paragon is still a god."
Gislason listened and smiled bitterly. "Linley, it seems you're determined to go."
"Yes. If I don't go, I won't be at peace." Linley nodded.
After all, it was about his mother!
Both he and Wharton longed for the mother who gave birth to them! And his father had always been worried about her.
"If you go, it's best to inform Lord Beirut. Lord Beirut has a good relationship with the Bloodpeak Sovereign and knows a great deal. It would be wise to ask him." Gislason didn't want Linley to go, but clearly, he couldn't persuade him. He could only hope in Beirut.
Linley thought this was reasonable.
"Patriarch, could you make inquiries for me? I know... our clan has a way to contact Lord Beirut." Linley smiled.
"Mm. My doppelganger used to be there, but after the crisis passed, it returned. Still, we have intelligence personnel there." Gislason nodded. "I'll arrange it. Lord Beirut's reply should come in a little while."
Linley nodded slightly. It wouldn't hurt to hear what Beirut had to say.
"Then I'll head back first." Linley smiled. He planned to leave tomorrow.
"Patriarch!" Just then, a guard ran in from outside.
Linley and Gislason both turned to look. The guard immediately bowed and reported, "Patriarch, Elder Linley, there is someone outside the mountain range who says he wants to see Elder Linley." Gislason frowned. "For ordinary people, just tell them to leave."
Many people sought an audience with Linley.
If it were a Commander-level figure, even if Linley didn't want to see them, Gislason would go meet them.
But if they were too weak, they were simply turned away.
"But Patriarch, this person says he is a friend of Elder Linley. His name is... Olivier!" the guard quickly said.
"Olivier?" Linley was a bit surprised. "Come, I'll go with you to have a look."
PS: Three chapters done! Tomorrow, I'll strive to write four chapters to fulfill my promise. Tomato just wants to say... thank you to those brothers who still support Tomato. I am very grateful! As for those causing trouble in the comment section, Tomato will learn to ignore them. Please ignore them too and don't bother arguing with them.