Dragonblood: Book 2 of the Coiling Dragon Saga

by Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi

  Although Clayde was a warrior of the ninth rank, Ransome knew… that unless the Radiant Sovereign was to bestow his divine power upon Clayde, Clayde would never be able to reach the Saint-rank, no matter what.

  “Your Majesty, we have arrived at Lord Linley’s manor,” Ransome said softly.

  Through the open door, the gate to Linley’s manor could be seen quite clearly. At this moment, there were two powerfully built warriors standing guard outside the gate. These two warriors were elite members of ace divisions of the Knights of the Radiant Church.

  “Crunch.” The carriage came to a halt.

  Ransome was the first to leave the carriage, then respectfully waited for Clayde to step out as well.

  “Your Majesty!” Those two guards bowed respectfully.

  “Oh, someone arrived before me?” Clayde noticed that there was another luxurious carriage stationed outside, along with a group of Knights of the Radiant Temple standing outside.

  “Right. Lord Guillermo has already arrived,” one of the two warriors guarding the gate said respectfully.

  “Lord Guillermo has arrived? That’s fine.” Clayde glanced back at his own squad. “All of you stay here. Ransome, come with me.” After issuing these orders, Clayde made his way through the gate, his personal bodyguard behind him.

  Right now, Linley was still engaged in conversation with Guillermo. Neither of them knew that Clayde had already reached the gate.

  “This Guillermo still isn’t leaving?” Linley was beginning to grow impatient.

  If Guillermo intended to keep on chatting with him like this, who knew how much longer this would go on for? The longer this went on, the more complicated things would get. Growing anxious, Linley suddenly put a hand to his mouth.

  “Cough. Cough!” Linley let out a few coughs, coughing so hard that his white face turned red.

  “Linley.” Guillermo was very surprised.

  He didn’t imagine that Linley’s injury would be as severe as this.

  “Linley, you must properly use this medicine I have brought you. They have the effect of assisting the body in healing its internal organs,” Guillermo hurriedly said. “Your body isn’t in good shape right now. Get some rest. I won’t disturb your rest any further.” Guillermo stood up.

  After coughing, Linley’s ashen face was even paler than before, without a hint of blood.

  “Lord Guillermo, my sincere apologies,” Linley said apologetically.

  “It’s fine. Get some rest. Your body is what’s important.” Guillermo reminded him yet again, before leaving the room along with his Vicars.

  Just as Clayde and Ransome walked through the gate to Linley’s manor, they heard a voice call out from behind them.

  “Your Majesty. Your Majesty.”

  Clayde turned around questioningly, only to see Merritt quickly jump out from a carriage. “Your Majesty.”

  “Merritt, you came as well?” Clayde chuckled, coming to a stop as he looked at Merrit.

  Merritt ran to Clayde. Respectfully, he said, “Lord Linley’s been injured. How could I not come? Your Majesty, how could you go inside with just Ransome? It isn’t safe!” Merritt hurriedly said.

  When a ruler paid a visit to one of his subject’s, usually he would bring all of his guards directly inside as well.

  The first reason was to protect the safety of the ruler. The second was to display the ruler’s authority and power.

  “No need. I’m just checking up on Linley. No need to raise the flag high and all that.” Clayde chuckled. “Much less, within the City of Fenlai, who is capable of posing a threat to me, hrm?”

  Clayde’s self-confidence wasn’t without merit.

  First of all, Clayde wasn’t worried about most combatants of the ninth rank. The only type of person which Clayde truly feared was a Saint-level combatant, but would a Saint-level combatant come to assassinate him, a king? What’s more, this was Fenlai City, the Holy Capital of the Radiant Church!

  Who would dare to act rashly within the confines of the Radiant Church’s headquarters?

  “Right, right. Your servant was being too cautious,” Merritt hurriedly said.

  “Let’s go. We can go inside together.” Clayde entered along with Merritt and Ransome.

  “Your Majesty, Linley is currently recuperating within the private courtyard in the east wing. Allow me to guide the way.” Escorted by the pretty attendant, Clayde, Merritt, and Ransome began to head towards Linley’s resting area. But halfway there…

  Clayde and the other two saw Guillermo and his two Vicars.

  “Lord Guillermo.” Clayde, Merritt, and Ransome simultaneously paid their respects.

  “Clayde, you came as well.” Guillermo nodded. “This internal injury of Linley’s seems to be a heavy one. Just now, he was coughing. When you go to see him, don’t waste too much time. Just see how he is doing, then allow him to rest.”

  “Understood.” Clayde nodded.

  “Then I’ll leave now.” Guillermo nodded as well, then led his two Vicars out and left.

  Clayde went with Merritt and Ransome to Linley’s chambers.

  Guillermo’s departure allowed Linley to let out a sigh of relief. But before he had a chance to take a breather, a female attendant came running in to make a report.

  “Lord Linley. His Majesty and the Right Premier have arrived,” the female attendant hurriedly reported.

  “He’s here?”

  Linley’s eyes lit up.

  “I’ve waited so long. He finally came.” Linley couldn’t repress the excitement in his heart. “You can go now.” Linley immediately ordered the attendant to leave, and then he calmly stood up, quietly awaiting Clayde’s arrival.

  Just a few seconds later, Linley heard the sound of footsteps.

  “Linley.” Clayde’s voice rang out as soon as he entered the room. In three quick steps, he arrived by Linley’s side. In a very caring voice, he said, “Linley, your face looks terrible. Quick, sit down and rest. Have a good rest.”

  Linley was pressed down to his seat by Clayde.

  “Lord Linley.” Merritt was very courteous to Linley as well.

  “Thank you, your Majesty. Thank you, Lord Merritt,” Linley said with a rather weak voice.

  But the excitement in Linley’s heart was beginning to swell. In the past, after learning of his father’s death, Linley had instructed Hillman to take his clan’s heirloom, the warblade ‘Slaughterer’, to the O’Brien Empire. At that time, he had already made up his mind that the risk of death would not be enough to sway his decision to gain revenge.

  Father. Mother!

  His father’s death was linked to Clayde as well. If it hadn’t been for Clayde ordering Patterson to abduct his mother, how would his father have died in an attempt to gain revenge? And of course, his mother’s disappearance was Clayde’s doing.

  “Your Majesty. I’m fine. I’ve just suffered some internal injuries, and won’t be able to train battle-qi for a while. I can still carry out my normal, day-to-day activities,” Linley said with a smile.

  “That’s good. That’s good.” Clayde revealed a hint of a smile as well.

  “Lord Merritt, you came as well,” Linley suddenly ‘remembered’ something, and exclaimed happily, “Right! I haven’t had the chance to drink the flagon of fine wine that you gifted to me last time, Lord Merritt. Since both you and his Majesty have arrived today, let’s have a little drink.”

  As he spoke, Linley headed to the liquor cabinet next to him.

  “No need. Linley, you’ve been injured. You can’t drink any alcohol.” Clayde advised him.

  “It’s fine. My wound is just a light one. And a little bit of wine is good to get one’s veins active.” As he spoke, Linley plucked out four wineglasses, along with a bottle of red wine. “Ransome, you should sit as well. At my home, there’s no need to stand on so much ceremony.”

  Linley knew a great deal about Ransome.

  As Clayde’s personal bodyguard, he was an extremely powerful person a
s well. Although Linley couldn’t clearly determine his power, Linley was certain that he was at least a combatant of the seventh rank, or perhaps even of the eighth rank.

  “No need. I don’t drink alcohol.” Ransome shook his head in refusal.

  As his Majesty’s personal attendant, he had to maintain his wakefulness at all times.

  “Linley, Ransome never drinks alcohol. No need to invite him to drink.” Clayde shook his head towards Linley. “Linley, when Lord Guillermo saw me just now, he said you were coughing hard. He wanted you to have a good rest. It’s best that we don’t drink.”

  Not drink?

  Nobody but Linley knew this, but the Bloodrupture poison had already been mixed in with this wine. If Clayde didn’t drink, how would he be poisoned?

  “No worries. Lord Guillermo is overly concerned about my welfare.” Smiling, Linley poured everyone a glass of wine. “Your Majesty. This wine is exceptionally delightful. Lord Merritt, come. Let’s all have a toast.” Linley raised his own glass.

  Clayde and Merritt had no choice but to raise their glasses as well.

  A light ringing sound as their cups touched. And then Clayde, Merritt, and Linley each drank the wine.

  “Paaah!”

  Linley suddenly began to cough violently again, spitting out all the wine from his mouth. The coughing Linley’s face turned a sickly red color again.

  “Linley, I told you not to drink wine. You just had to drink,” Clayde said in dissatisfaction. He hurriedly went over to help Linley.

  “I’m fine.” Linley smiled and reached out to stop Clayde.

  Suddenly. Linley stared at Clayde. In a solemn voice, he said, “Your Majesty. There is a very important matter which I would like to discuss with you, your Majesty.”

  “A very important matter?” Seeing the expression on Linley’s face, Clayde felt confused.

  60

  Mother’s Life or Death

  Linley cautiously glanced about the room, saying in a low voice, “Your Majesty, just a moment. Let me order out the people who are outside.” As he spoke, Linley walked out the door, then barked at the two guards outside. “Both of you, stand down. Without my direct orders, do not permit anyone to enter this courtyard.”

  “Yes, Lord Linley.”

  Those two guards saluted respectfully, then left. Now, the only ones left in this standalone courtyard were Linley, Clayde, Merritt, and Ransome.

  “Creaaak.” Linley quietly shut the door.

  “Linley, what sort of secret is this, that you even close the door?” Clayde chuckled.

  Linley glanced at Clayde, laughing coldly in his heart. He himself knew that Clayde had already been poisoned by the Bloodrupture poison. As the Bloodrupture poison didn’t actually cause any damage to the body, just prevent the generation of battle-qi, it was only after a person attempted to generate battle-qi that they would discover that they had been poisoned.

  “This affair really is quite important.” Linley’s face was solemn.

  At this time, Ransome subtly moved closer towards Clayde. As the personal bodyguard of the king, Ransome was beginning to feel that this environment was vaguely dangerous. At the same time, Ransome also felt that as Clayde was a warrior of the ninth rank, and he Ransome was a warrior of the eighth rank, by all rights, nobody here should be capable of being a threat to them.

  But one could never be too careful.

  “Your Majesty.” Linley stared solemnly at Clayde. “My mother left this world when I was young.”

  Clayde nodded. He had investigated Linley’s background, and had discovered that Linley’s mother had died in childbirth, while giving birth to Linley’s younger brother, Wharton.

  “I have no memories of receiving motherly love, only of the strictness of my father. My father was quite severe towards me in terms of both warrior training as well as all the education which nobles were expected to have. My father’s requirements for me were very high and very strict.”

  Linley looked at Clayde as he spoke slowly.

  Clayde was beginning to be confused. He didn’t understand what any of this had to do with the so-called ‘important matter’ which Linley had mentioned. But as the ruler of the kingdom, Clayde showed a kingly poise and didn’t interrupt.

  “Your Majesty, I expect that you know that my clan, the Baruch clan, is also the clan of the Dragonblood Warriors.” A slightly proud look was on Linley’s face.

  “That’s right. One of the Four Supreme Warrior clans, the Dragonblood Warrior clan. This is an illustrious, ancient lineage.” Clayde sighed with praise.

  Linley shook his head. “We were only illustrious in the past. My clan had fallen so far that even our ancestral heirloom had been lost for hundreds of years. Each and every generation of Baruch clan leaders had desired to seize back this heirloom for centuries, but this never occurred. Your Majesty, when I was accepted by the Ernst Institute and left home, do you know what my father said to me the day I left?”

  “What did he say?” Clayde looked at Linley.

  “My father said, if in the future I do not bring back the ancestral heirloom of our clan, even in his death, he wouldn’t forgive me!” Linley’s body was trembling slightly.

  Clayde, Merritt, and even Ransome all stared in amazement. A father could actually say such a thing to his son? “Your father went a bit too far,” Clayde said.

  “No.”

  Linley shook his head solemnly. “I understand my father’s desire. My Dragonblood Warrior clan had been downtrodden for centuries, without a single truly powerful person appearing in all that time. My father understood that I would be the strongest person my clan had produced in centuries. Hundreds of years of hopes and desires all rested on my shoulders. Tell me, how could my father permit me to be a failure?” Clayde began to understand.

  “My father’s lifelong desire was to bring the warblade ‘Slaughterer’ back to the clan.” Linley’s voice was growing fierce. “At the Ernst Institute, I didn’t dare to slacken off in the slightest. I trained like mad. I always remembered my father’s wish, my father’s instructions!”

  Clayde and the others were beginning to understand Linley’s motivations.

  “Half a year ago, after I auctioned off ‘Awakening From the Dream’, I went back home, and that time, I brought the warblade ‘Slaughterer’ with me.” Linley’s voice rose to a higher timbre.

  Clayde, Ransome, and Merritt were stunned.

  Because they all knew that on that trip, Linley had found that his father had already passed away.

  “But when I excitedly returned home, I was welcomed by the news of my father’s death. Before he died, he didn’t have a chance to see the warblade, and I didn’t have a chance to see my father one last time either. All those years of hard work, my dream of making my father happy… unfortunately…” All the muscles on Linley’s face were twitching, and the expression on his face was terrifying to behold.

  Clayde and the others could all understand how Linley was feeling.

  “Linley, don’t be too heartbroken,” Clayde sighed.

  Linley sneered. “But, do you know why or how my father died?”

  Clayde, Merritt, and Ransome were all startled.

  “My father was killed, your Majesty, by your younger brother, Duke Patterson!!!!” Linley’s eyes began to turn red.

  “What?!” Clayde rose to his feet in shock. By his side, Merritt and Ransome were both stunned as well.

  “Therefore… I killed Patterson!” Linley’s voice was very sinister.

  At this point in time, Ransome was the first to feel that something was very wrong in this room. He vigilantly inched closer to Clayde, guarding against Linley’s actions. But suddenly, just at this moment, Ransome felt a gust of wind from behind. Ransome, a warrior of the eighth rank, knew that he wouldn’t have time to turn his head, and so his only choice was to swing his arm behind him in defense.

  “Crunch!”

  An incredibly painful feeling… and then, Ransome could no longer feel his a
rm’s existence. Only now did Ransome notice, from the corner of his eyes…

  A rat-like magical beast, nearly half a meter long, was standing beside him. Aside from noticing the rat’s blood-covered maw, Ransome also noticed its sharp claws moving extremely fast towards him. At such a close distance, Ransome didn’t have any chance of dodging at all.

  It was too fast!

  “Snick.”

  The sharp claws split apart Ransome’s throat. Ransome stared in astonishment, but gradually, the life faded away from his eyes.

  He simply couldn’t understand where this half-meter-long rodent-type magical beast had come from. The first thing he had done when he had entered the room was to scan it carefully. He only noticed a small Shadowmouse on the ground which was the size of a man’s palm.

  Could a palm-sized Shadowmouse pose a threat?

  To a warrior of the eighth rank, not at all. Ransome thus wasn’t on his guard against it at all.

  And thus, being caught totally off-guard, this warrior of the eighth rank, Ransome, was easily killed by the Shadowmouse, Bebe. In truth, his death wasn’t too unjust. Given Bebe’s current power, even if Ransome had been able to fight him openly and fairly, he still probably wouldn’t have been able to hold on for too long.

  “Ransome.” Clayde and Merritt were both shocked.

  A stately warrior of the eighth rank died in one action. The two of them stared in shock at that Shadowmouse. Before their very eyes, Bebe’s body shrank down, returning to a fist-sized state, then leaping back onto Linley’s shoulders.

  “Bebe. Well done.” Linley rubbed Bebe’s little head.

  Bebe closed his eyes, luxuriating in the feeling.

  Linley turned his head to once more stare at Clayde. That cold look in his eyes made Clayde feel very uneasy.

  “Linley, what do you think you are doing?” Clayde barked coldly. At the same time, he began to activate the battle-qi in his body. But at that moment, Clayde suddenly felt that those wide open blood vessels in his body had suddenly been stopped up by something.

  Based on the dense battle-qi that Clayde possessed as a warrior of the ninth rank, in the past, the flow of his battle-qi was as powerful and forceful as the crushing waves of the sea. But now, he was only able to forcibly activate a tiny amount of battle-qi, and sometimes the flow would break entirely. Right now, the amount of battle-qi available to Clayde was perhaps only one percent of what was normally available to him.