The Infernal Plane: Book 5 of the Coiling Dragon Saga

by Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi

  The white-horned elder said furiously, “Mr. Learmonth, I’m your employer, you…”

  “Shut your mouth.” Learmonth glanced at him calmly.

  The green-robed elder couldn’t help but laugh, while at the same time saying, “Learmonth, I’ll leave now.” As he spoke the green-robed elder prepared to leave.

  “Swish!”

  A black sword energy pierced through the green-robed elder’s skull. The green-robed elder’s eyes were filled with shock and disbelief, and then he fell to the ground. The final remaining God-level divine clone of this green-robed elder died, just like that!

  “This…?” The white-horned elder, Edwards, and the others were all shocked.

  Learmonth glanced calmly at the green-robed elder. “I only told you to tell me the secret. I never agreed to spare you in exchange. You killed one of my employers. How could I not kill you?” And then Learmonth turned to look at the white-horned elder.

  The white-horned elder’s face instantly turned ashen.

  “Fine. If you want to kill me, then kill me.” Having seen Learmonth’s power, the white-horned elder didn’t try to resist at all. He said coldly, “Since you were willing to kill Mr. Wind, I am content.” The white-horned elder was already prepared for death. He murmured to himself, “Young master, you’ll have to rely on yourself now.”

  “If I kill you, who will pay me my escort fee?” Learmonth asked.

  The white-horned elder was astonished.

  And then, Learmonth walked away while saying calmly, “Hurry up and prepare the metallic lifeform. We are going to head out.”

  “He isn’t going to kill me?” The white-horned elder was unable to believe it.

  The ten-plus lucky survivors amongst the Fiends stared towards Learmonth in astonishment as well. It must be understood that anyone who cared about money at all would find it hard not to grow greedy for the wealth of the vast fortune of a massive clan. In addition, killing the white-robed elder would have been very easy.

  “What is going on with this Learmonth?” The three Edwards brothers looked at each other.

  Learmonth’s reaction had caused the Edwards brothers to be unable to implement their plan.

  “Big brother, let’s just endure for now.”

  Learmonth was able to refrain from being greedy, but the three Edwards brothers were not. This was the massive fortune of an ancient clan. The fame of the Boyd clan was so great, it echoed like thunder.

  “Wait a while before heading out!” Salomon’s voice rang out. “My friend here is currently training.”

  Learmonth, the three Edwards brothers, the white-horned elder, and the luckily surviving remnants of the Fiends all looked over. Linley was standing right there in the sands, his body surrounded by a faint swirl of wind. Indeed, he was training. This sight caused everyone to be extremely surprised.

  “He started training, just like that?” The lucky survivors amongst the Fiends were all shocked. To immediately begin training having just concluded a life and death struggle… that truly was crazy.

  “Waiting for him alone? Wake him up,” the second of the three Edwards brothers said with a frown. Him, a Five Star Fiend, wait for a God? He didn’t have that sort of patience.

  Bebe, hearing this, couldn’t help but frown.

  “Intriguing, intriguing.” Learmonth looked at Linley, a hint of a smile on his face. “We aren’t in any rush to leave. Let’s wait a while.”

  Since Learmonth had made his decision, the three Edwards brothers wouldn’t say anything now.

  Immediately, the surviving Fiends took up temporary residence within the desert. After this great battle, the Highgods only numbered Learmonth, the three Edwards brothers, and Salomon, while for the Gods, including Linley’s group, only thirteen survived.

  Time passed on.

  In the blink of an eye, three days passed. The Fiends were very patient, and didn’t care about these three days at all.

  “How long will the Boss be training for?” Bebe, seeing Linley remain in his meditative state, was growing frantic. “The Fiends aren’t impatient yet, but if too much time passes, they definitely will grow impatient. But disturbing the Boss when he is training will have a major impact on him.”

  Bebe understood that Linley’s sudden decision to meditate must have meant that he had a sudden insight.

  This sort of opportunity was very precious. Once interrupted, it would be hard for him to once more enter this state.

  “Rumble…”

  A surge of unique ripples of Law descended from the heavens, encapsulating Linley.

  “He made a breakthrough!” Everyone, including Learmonth, immediately opened their eyes to look towards Linley. They all understood… that this descent of the natural Laws was the sign of someone breaking through to become a Deity naturally.

  Linley hovered in the air, while at the same time, his divine wind clone came out from his body… a light green-robed Linley.

  “Rumble…”

  A divine spark that emanated a green light emerged from Linley’s head, hovering there in the air above him. A large amount of wind elemental essence, under the guidance of the natural Laws, directly converged upon the divine spark, which slowly began to transform.

  Moments later…

  That Demigod-level divine wind spark had transformed into a God-level divine wind spark.

  The ripples of the natural Laws subsided, and Linley opened his eyes.

  “Uhh…” Linley, having made the breakthrough, now saw that a large group of people were around him, staring.

  “Congratulations, Linley. You now have another God-level divine clone,” Salomon said with a laugh.

  Learmonth nodded slightly as well. He looked towards Linley with an appraising gaze. “Very nicely done. You even gained insights during a life-and-death crisis.”

  Learmonth very much appreciated this sort of person, who could make a breakthrough even during a life-and-death crisis.

  He himself loved combat and challenges. As for money? As Learmonth saw it, having enough money to spend was sufficient. The so-called fortune of the Boyd clan was something that Learmonth didn’t care about at all. Learmonth’s goal was…

  To become a Seven Star Fiend, then challenge an Asura!

  Become one of the 108 Asuras of the Infernal Realm!

  The three Edwards brothers glanced at Linley. They only chuckled. A mere God. What was there to be proud of? The Edwards brothers didn’t hold Linley in any particular regard at all. They immediately looked at the white-horned elder. “Hey, that kid has made his breakthrough. Let’s head out.”

  “Alright. Head out,” the white-horned elder immediately said.

  “Head out?” Only now did Linley come to the realization that all the other Fiends had been forced to wait here for him when he had suddenly begun to meditate.

  “Bebe, how long did I meditate for?” Linley asked through his spirit.

  “Three days. Boss, you really are amazing. Your divine wind clone has reached the God-level as well.” Bebe was boundlessly delighted for Linley.

  Linley secretly let out a sigh of relief. “Not too bad. Just three days.” If he had been training for half a year with the others all accompanying him, Linley would have felt extremely embarrassed.

  The Infernal Realm. A desolate mountain range within the Redbud Continent.

  Inigo stood there beneath a waterfall, two Highgods behind him.

  “I didn’t expect that the Boyd clan actually has a successor,” Inigo said to himself. “Although that fellow was only allowed to enter the Boyd clan’s estate a single time before being sent out… luckily enough, I remembered him.”

  Salomon’s identity, even within the Boyd clan, was a major secret.

  As he had entered the clan’s estate only a single time before being sent out caused there to be very few people who knew who Salomon was. There were very few people who knew that Salomon had a connection to the Boyd clan.

  But Inigo, thanks to a stroke of luck, had
found out by accident.

  And this time, when Inigo saw Salomon, he instantly understood!

  “No wonder those two old fellows fled to the Redbud Continent, then tried to go back,” Inigo said to himself. “However, since I now know, then…”

  “Young master, what shall we do?” The two subordinates behind him looked at him.

  Inigo said emotionlessly, “We head out.” As he spoke, Inigo flew at high speed towards the north, and the two Highgods behind him immediately followed.

  The metallic lifeform was constantly pressing forward. It had shrunk yet again. After all, there were very few people inside it now.

  Within the metallic lifeform. Linley and Delia’s room.

  “The ‘Fast’ and ‘Slow’ aspects of the Profound Truths of Velocity have been completely fused. Only the sword attack that is both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ is the sharpest, most powerful sword attack!” Linley understood now why experts of the Elemental Laws of the Wind found flexible swords to be so suited for them. Flexible swords allowed one to bring out the full strength of the profound mysteries of the wind.

  After having seen the green-robed elder and Learmonth’s sword intents…

  Linley had some new thoughts regarding his usage of the sword as well.

  “Unpredictable and fierce! This represents the most powerful attack of the Profound Truths of Velocity.” Linley continued to visualize them in his head. He was hard at working trying to make the attacks of the Profound Truths of Velocity more powerful and to apply it better.

  This attack primarily relied on the Profound Truths of Velocity.

  Naturally, it was a material attack.

  “If I combine this material attack with my Dragonform…” Linley mused to himself. “The Dragonformed body is incomparably tough, and in terms of both strength and speed, it has reached a very high level. If I take the strength I have in Dragonform, then combine it with the Profound Truths of Velocity, then put it all on display through Bloodviolet, the power will definitely be substantial.

  The same profound mystery, when used by a Highgod, would be far more powerful than when a God used it. This was because the mystery would be exerted through the divine power of a Highgod.

  After Dragonforming, however, Linley’s strength, defense, and speed were even more monstrous than most ordinary Highgods. This was a body that was as tough as a divine artifact!

  Linley was also beginning to gain a clearer and clearer understanding of the power of his most powerful sword attack.

  In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

  “Unfortunately, there’s no place to test it out within the metallic lifeform,” Linley said to himself. His sword attack was now able to easily chop apart this metallic lifeform. If they truly were to fight here… most likely the white-horned elder and the other Fiends would be enraged.

  “Linley,” a voice suddenly rang out.

  “Uh? Oh, Salomon, it’s you.” Linley saw that Salomon was outside his door.

  Upon seeing Salomon, Linley thought about what Bebe had told him regarding the proceedings when he was training. He hadn’t heard the green-robed elder discuss the Boyd clan, but upon returning to the metallic lifeform, of course Bebe had told him everything.

  “This Salomon… can he be the master of this clan?” Linley wondered to himself.

  Salomon said with a laugh, “Linley, there’s something I wish to discuss with you.”

  44

  Re-Employment

  Linley had a thought. Why had this Salomon suddenly come looking for him?

  “Salomon, my wife, Delia, is inside training right now. How about this. Let’s chat outside,” Linley said with a smile.

  Salomon’s face was very friendly. “Fine.” As he spoke, he walked out of the room alongside Linley.

  Linley guessed to himself, “Salomon’s name is Salomon Boyd. Bebe told me as well that when those people were trying to kill the black-horned elder and the white-horned elder, it was because those two were the old servants of the Boyd clan and carried the fortune of the Boyd clan with them! But from the looks of it, the treasure is probably carried by Salomon.”

  “However, if this Salomon truly is a member of the Boyd clan, he should keep the secret. Why did he reveal his identity to me?”

  Linley didn’t understand.

  The two stepped into another room. Salomon immediately spread out his Godrealm, preventing sound from leaking out.

  “Please, please sit,” Salomon said courteously, and then he sat down as well.

  Linley spoke out. “Salomon, why have you sought me out?” As he spoke, Linley looked at Salomon.

  Salomon’s face was very sour. He let out a low sigh.

  “Linley, I think you’ve probably guessed part of it,” Salomon sighed as he spoke.

  Linley didn’t deny it either. He nodded. “Right. Before he died, I heard the green-robed elder say something about the Boyd clan? Can it be that the Boyd clan truly is your…”

  Salomon nodded. “Right. I am indeed a member of the Boyd clan. The heir to the Boyd clan.”

  Linley’s heart was startled.

  Indeed!

  And this Salomon wasn’t an ordinary clan member; he was actually the heir and successor.

  “The Boyd clan truly is a large clan,” Salomon said slowly. “In Coldcalm Prefecture , it is one of the top ten large clans, but of course it is difficult for even an enormous clan to exist forever and never decay. Under the secret machinations of our opponents, my Boyd clan was finally brought down and destroyed.”

  “My father… was the clan leader of the Boyd clan!” Salomon said softly.

  Linley nodded slightly.

  “In fact, I was only conceived by happenstance, when my father was touring the Infernal Realm and met my mother. I was just an illegitimate child.” Salomon snorted. “In the Boyd clan, it would be very hard for someone of my status to become the heir.”

  Linley now understood. He said to himself, “I didn’t expect that this sort of thing happens in the Infernal Realm as well. It seems this Salomon’s life in the Boyd clan wasn’t very good.”

  Although Linley had never experienced this himself, he had heard of it.

  The status of a bastard was far inferior to that of someone in the direct line of descent.

  “That year, Nisse and I went on a visit to the Jadefloat Continent. But on that trip…” Salomon’s face grew ugly. “We were directly kicked out!”

  Linley was slightly startled.

  Kicked out?

  “I only stayed at the Boyd clan for a single day before being forced to leave.” Salomon laughed bitterly. “I returned to the Redbud Continent. Only afterwards did I learn that it was my father, the clan leader, who had arranged for myself and my sister to be expelled. Father had discovered long ago that the clan was facing a terrible danger.”

  “At that time, when I returned to the Redbud Continent, it was Father who sent me to my teacher to study from him,” Salomon said with a sigh.

  Linley just stood there, listening.

  “Indeed…” Salomon said heavily. “The Boyd clan was finished. Some of its businesses in the ten great cities of Coldcalm Prefecture were swallowed and taken over. However, the vast fortune accumulated over countless years by our Boyd clan was hidden away. Those two faithful old servants of our clan took it and headed to the Redbud Continent to give it to me.”

  Linley said helplessly, “Salomon, why are you telling me this?”

  Although telling him this sort of secret was a form of trust, it was also a source of pressure for Linley.

  Salomon looked at Linley. Calmly, he said, “I trust you. At the same time, I don’t want Bebe and my sister Nisse to have any misunderstandings between them, so it’s best to explain things clearly.”

  Linley couldn’t help but take a close look at Boyd. He then nodded slightly.

  Something like this could indeed cause Bebe’s suspicions to be raised. If it wasn’t made clear, there would always be a hint of reservati
ons between Bebe and Nisse.

  “This Salomon is worth befriending.” Linley nodded to himself. This fortune… he himself of course viewed money as something being the more the better, but there was no way he would rob and kill a friend for the sake of money.

  Salomon continued to speak.

  “A long time passed after I acquired this fortune. When I felt my power had reached a certain level, I led my two servants and my little sister back towards the Jadefloat Continent. I didn’t expect… that after so many years, there were still people waiting here for us.” Salomon sighed.

  Linley laughed calmly. “Salomon, the fortune of an entire clan will cause greed in many. So what if they wait ten million years?”

  To an expert who could live for hundreds of millions of years, waiting ten thousand years really was nothing.

  “Fair enough.”

  Salomon continued. “Linley, today, I have told you these things because first of all, I want for there to be no misunderstandings between the two of us. After all, my little sister is going to be together with your little brother.” This was how Linley introduced Bebe, as his little brother.

  And in truth, the relationship between the two really was like that of two siblings.

  “Secondly, Linley, I hope that in the future, you will help take care of my little sister,” Salomon said bitterly. “Even once I return to the Jadefloat Continent, I will still be beset by difficulties. My little sister, if she goes with you, will probably be better off. I only have a single little sister… I don’t want her to be in danger!”

  “It’s fine. Don’t worry about this.” Linley didn’t hesitate at all. “As long as I, Linley, do not die, I will definitely protect your sister.”

  In the Infernal Realm, the people Linley cared about were, without question, Bebe and his wife Delia. Even if it were only for Bebe’s sake, Linley would protect Nisse.

  “That makes me relieved.” Salomon nodded and laughed. “Linley, since that’s the case, I won’t disturb you further. You can go be busy.”