Coiling Dragon

by welyjesch

  Bebe snorted. “We’re about to leave Miluo Island anyways. Who cares about the Bagshaw clan. No matter how powerful they are, can it be that they can control other areas also?”

  “Let’s go. These large clans are disdainful towards lesser individuals, but against true experts, they are still somewhat cautious.” Linley chuckled. Linley, when attacking, had been viewed by others as a Highgod, and yet his aura was that of a God!

  The enemies would definitely believe that Linley was hiding his aura.

  Actually, Linley really was only just a God! How could they possibly discover any Highgod aura from him?

  However, the enemies would only believe that Linley was so powerful that his ability to hide his aura was simply too great!

  Given his ability to hide his aura, as well as the sword attack he had just displayed, the opponents had plenty of material to begin wildly speculating over. No matter how powerful a clan was, they wouldn’t want to offend an ultimate expert. After all…a true expert, by himself, could destroy a clan.

  In front of an ultimate expert, human wave tactics were ineffective.

  That young master Sequeira wouldn’t dare to offend a possibly Seven Star Fiend over a small fit of pique.

  Linley’s group immediately headed outside. After walking for a while, Linley didn’t discover anyone following them. In his heart, he understood that young master Sequeira should have really given up the idea of getting revenge.

  Bebe muttered, “Miluo Island is quite a beautiful island. Unfortunately, after being here just a single day, we have to leave. I really wanted to become a hundred battles victor in that Arena.” How could Bebe possibly lose in a fight against those Gods? He could just stand there and let them beat on him.

  Unless the opponent also had a godspark weapon or a Sovereign artifact. Most likely, only with those items would they be able to harm Bebe.

  “Let’s go. In the future, we’ll still have the chance.” Linley laughed calmly.

  “Linley, quick, look!” Delia, somewhat stunned, pulled at Linley and called at him. Linley immediately turned and followed Delia’s gaze. As he did, Linley was shocked. From a distant translucent restaurant window, he was able to see an icy man with long red hair seated on the other side of the window!

  The War God, O’Brien!

  “War God!” Linley was overjoyed.

  “War God?” Olivier looked over, puzzled, and then he too was overjoyed.

  All of these experts who had entered the Infernal Realm understood that it would be extremely hard for them to run into their old friends from the same material plane. The feeling of meeting with their old friends was enough to make them very excited and energetic.

  “Haha, War God!” Bebe was the first to dash towards the restaurant.

  Linley’s group immediately followed him as well. Entering the restaurant, they saw that this was a fairly quiet restaurant with fairly few customers. O’Brien was currently sitting there, quietly drinking a cup of tea.

  “The War God actually became a Highgod?” Linley was somewhat startled. In the past, the War God had relied on fusing with a divine spark to become a God. In as short a period of time as a thousand years, he became a Highgod? There was only one explanation – he had fused with a divine spark.

  “Hey, War God!” Bebe immediately ran towards the War God’s table.

  O’Brien, his head lowered to his cup of tea, was startled. War God? In the Infernal Realm, it had been many years since someone had addressed him in that manner.

  O’Brien raised his head and saw Bebe by his table, and also Linley, Delia, and Olivier walking this way as well. The War God O’Brien’s face went slack, and then he revealed a look of joy. “Linley, it’s actually you four!”

  “O’Brien, long time no see.” Linley laughed.

  “Long time no see.” O’Brien laughed as well.

  “Aren’t you going to invite us to sit?” Bebe snorted.

  O’Brien immediately began to laugh. “Haha, it’s fine if I don’t invite others to sit, but how would I dare to not invite you, Bebe, to sit? Come, let’s all sit together.” As he spoke, O’Brien immediately beckoned towards a distant waiter, who immediately came over.

  “I don’t want to eat right now.” Linley said hurriedly.

  “Then we’ll order some wine.” O’Brien casually ordered some wine, and then everyone began to chat together.

  O’Brien asked Linley and Olivier about what had happened in recent years, while Linley gave a general description of the events which had occurred after their arrival in the Infernal Realm. However, he didn’t go into too much detail regarding the dangers they had faced. After giving a brief summary, Linley’s group concluded their description of what had happened in the Redbud Continent.

  “We were trapped within the Amethyst Mountains for a time, but luckily were able to escape.” Olivier, for example, discussed that matter with a single sentence. While they were chatting, Delia even especially set up her ‘Godrealm’ to cover all of them within it, shutting out sound and preventing outsiders from eavesdropping.

  Linley had thought that O’Brien would be shocked, but O’Brien didn’t seem to feel anything was amiss.

  Actually, O’Brien had always been in the Starmist Sea, and thus he knew very little about the Redbud Continent. He didn’t understand what being trapped in the Amethyst Mountains and then escaping really meant!

  “Linley, you really are audacious. The Infernal Realm is filled with countless dangers. If I hadn’t been following Tarosse, I probably would’ve died in the Starmist Sea long ago. You, however, actually left the Redbud Continent and began to hurry towards the Bloodridge Continent. Formidable. Admirable!” O’Brien sighed in amazement.

  Olivier just chuckled.

  As Olivier saw it, given Linley’s current strength, he would be able to roam the Infernal Realm with ease. As long as he didn’t encounter any major foes, he definitely wouldn’t be in any danger.

  “O’Brien, how about you? How has life been in the Infernal Realm?” Linley laughed as he asked.

  “Me? Not bad.” O’Brien nodded. “After arriving in the Infernal Realm, our group included Tarosse and Dylin. Although we ran into some dangerous situations, Tarosse and him were able to deal with it. Afterwards, Tarosse broke through from the God level to the Highgod level. He became a Highgod on his own!”

  Linley couldn’t help but be surprised.

  “After Tarosse reached the Highgod level, he became truly formidable.” O’Brien sighed in praise. “Tarosse himself had fused two types of profound mysteries to begin with. Matching that with his innate divine ability…in the Starmist Sea, he is extremely formidable. He even once killed three Five Star Fiends!”

  “Killed three Five Star Fiends?” Linley’s group was shocked as well.

  But after considering it, Linley understood. Tarosse had become a Highgod independently and had fused two types of profound mysteries. If he was able to perfectly match his attacks with his innate divine ability as a divine beast, then it was possible for him to be comparable to a Six Star Fiend.

  “Right. Tarosse won a hundred victories here at Miluo Island!” O’Brien sighed in approval.

  Linley nodded to himself. Generally speaking, Six Star Fiends were capable of gaining a hundred victories. Five Star Fiends, if lucky, could as well. It was possible for Tarosse to accomplish this.

  “Dylin, in turn, won a hundred victories at the God Arena.” O’Brien laughed. “Precisely because of this, Tarosse and Dylin both now live in the western part of the island. Tarosse gave us divine sparks to allow myself, Cesar, and Dylin’s children to all reach the Highgod level.”

  Linley now understood.

  So that was what had happened. Dylin’s two children, those Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions, had both fused with divine sparks to become Deities, and O’Brien had as well. Since they had already fused with divine sparks, they might as well just keep doing so. Only, given that they had used divine sparks to become Highgods, their future potent
ial was now rather slim.

  Delia smiled. “It seems your life here isn’t bad.”

  “That’s right.” O’Brien nodded, but then he seemed to have thought of something. He shook his head. “But Cesar, he…”

  “What about Cesar?” Linley hurriedly asked.

  Linley had a rather deep friendship with Cesar. Previously, in his homeland near Fenlai City, Cesar had helped him. Afterwards, when Linley had gone to rescue those Undying Warriors, the five Barker brothers, at the critical, life and death moment, Cesar had once again helped him and saved him.

  Linley naturally was grateful towards Cesar for having helped him multiples time.

  “Cesar is rather…depressed these days.” O’Brien shook his head and sighed.

  “Depressed?” Bebe stared. “Cesar seems to have no cares in the world. How could he become depressed?”

  Linley was rather puzzled as well.

  “Problems of the heart.” O’Brien said.

  A look of surprise appeared on the faces of Linley and the others. Cesar, in the Yulan continent, had been an extremely dissolute fellow who often changed women. There was no long-term woman for him. Even that ‘Holy Lady’ of the Frost Goddess Shrine, Cesar had ran away from as though fleeing a disaster.

  As Linley saw it, a person like him shouldn’t suffer too much from matters of the heart.

  Seeing the looks on the faces of Linley and the others, O’Brien explained, “At first, I was like you, unable to believe it. But this time, Cesar is for real. With regards to that woman, Cecily (Sai’xi’li), it is as though he has been possessed. Him and that Cecily woman really fell in love. Cesar even told me that this time, he had found true love!”

  Linley’s group just listened, stunned.

  “But of course, what happened between them in terms of their relationship, I’m not too clear. We wouldn’t pry about their private affairs. All of us were just very happy that Cesar and Cecily were able to be each other.”

  “Logically speaking, this was a good thing.” O’Brien shook his head and laughed. “Unfortunately, that Cecily had a very special status. She was actually a core member of one of the five major clans of Miluo Island, the Gaylord [Gai’luo’de] clan. In addition, not too long ago, she got married to young master Sequeira of the Bagshaw clan!”

  Young master Sequeira?

  Linley’s group of four, upon hearing this name, exchanged glances. This matter actually had something to do with Sequeira? But not too long ago, Linley’s group had gotten into a dispute with that Sequeira.

  “What, are you surprised? We were surprised as well. But that’s the truth.” O’Brien sighed. “Deities should have tough, resilient minds. Who would have imagined that Cesar seemed to have suffered a fatal wound. He’s in a daze all day, either drinking or just daydreaming or sleeping or training. He is extremely dispirited.”

  Linley couldn’t help but sympathize with Cesar.

  Although O’Brien described it all in a very ordinary manner, Linley himself had been heartbroken in love before as well. He knew well the heart-ripping pain of having his woman being taken away, and how that agony could make a person be able to barely breathe. The more deeply one loved, the more deeply one would be wounded.

  “Cesar…seems to have really fallen for her.” Linley sighed.

  As they chatted, their wine was soon used up.

  “It’s a matter of time. This happened just recently after all. Cesar is just unable to get over it for now, I imagine. When time goes on, he should be better.” O’Brien said, then stood up. “Linley, come. Let’s go meet with Tarosse, Dylin, and those two children of Dylin’s. All of them are present. When they see you, they will definitely be very happy.”

  Linley’s group immediately rose as well.

  “Boss, are we still going to head off with Aches’ group?” Bebe asked.

  “No need. When the time comes, we’ll travel alone. In addition, with Bates by their side, safety shouldn’t be a problem.” Linley, having met with a group of old friends, was in no rush to leave. As for his problem with Sequeira, Sequeira hadn’t immediately attempted to gain revenge, and so clearly he probably wouldn’t in the future.

  After all, if he really wanted to get revenge, he would’ve done so right away.

  Linley’s group of four followed O’Brien, heading directly into the western part of the island.

  Miluo Island was divided into the eastern part and the western part. The western part was where the island guards, the five clans, and the others all lived. Outsiders were forbidden entry.

  “It really is beautiful here.” Linley saw the beautiful two story buildings from afar.

  “Those are the homes for the island guards.” O’Brien laughed. “I’m here as well. Thanks to Tarosse’s help, I also became an island guard. Island guards rotate their duty once a year. This year, I’m on break.”

  In the area where the island guards lived, people were on patrol.

  “Are we allowed to go in?” Bebe was a bit nervous.

  “It’s fine. The residential area of the island guards aren’t under strict supervision. As long as an island guard leads the way, you can go in. The place which is under very tight supervision is the place where those five clans live. However, they are deeper inside.” As O’Brien spoke, his body suddenly became covered by a blood red uniform armor.

  This was the proof of one’s status as an island guard. The patrolling island guards immediately let them in.

  Linley’s group of four thus followed O’Brien into the residential area of the island guards.

  Book 16, Starmist Sea – Chapter 20, With Child?

  The island guards lived in small buildings which dotted the mountains and forests of this area. Just by looking at the number of buildings, Linley could imagine what a terrifyingly large number of island guards there were here.

  “The five clans must indeed be powerful, to be able to support such an enormous army of Highgods.” Linley couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. Maintaining an army meant paying salaries; after all, nobody was willing to work for free. Generally speaking, Highgod soldiers would have fairly high pay.

  To support such an enormous army required an astonishing amount of wealth.

  However, just by looking at the number of people who passed through the Arena as well the Free Castle, one could imagine how astonishingly wealthy Miluo Island was.

  “We’re here.” O’Brien laughed.

  “O’Brien, this building is quite large.” Linley looked at this residence in surprise. This residence took up space that was roughly ten times that of those ordinary residences. It had a large courtyard and three smaller buildings within. It was built as a stand-alone residence, and the walls had carvings as well.

  O’Brien laughed. “This is Tarosse’s residence. Generally speaking, Highgod victors of a hundred battles, if they join the island guards, will have a salary as well as treatment far superior to that of ordinary island guards. Although I do have a small house of my own, normally, we all live at Tarosse’s place. His place is large!”

  As he spoke, O’Brien pushed the door open and went inside.

  “Oh, O’Brien, you’re back.” A voice rang out. By the green grass off to the side of the courtyard, a green haired man was seated in the meditative position. It was Tarosse!

  Tarosse turned to look at him and was about to say something, but suddenly he was stunned. He stared at Linley and the other three behind O’Brien. Linley, seeing the look on Tarosse’s face, intentionally smirked at him.

  “Swish!” Tarosse instantly appeared in front of Linley’s group.

  “Haha!” Tarosse slapped Linley on the shoulders. “Linley, you guys actually came as well. This is so incredible and such a rare occurrence. The Infernal Realm is so vast, but we actually ran into each other here. Haha…”

  Tarosse was very excited and happy.

  “Bebe, Lord Beirut actually was able to bear with letting you come to the Infernal Realm?” Tarosse noticed Bebe.

 
; Bebe pursed his lips. “What, got a problem?”

  “It’s fine, it’s fine.” Tarosse greeted everyone. “Come, everyone, sit down. Dylin and Cesar are currently outside. Jeeze!”

  Linley’s group laughed, then sat down. Tarosse hurriedly said, “You really came at a fortuitous time. Today I was still out on patrols. I just came back not long ago. It is destiny that our group of people from the Yulan continent can meet here today!”

  Linley was very happy as well, and he also laughed and chatted. While chatting about he and Olivier had met, they naturally discussed the Amethyst Mountains as well. However, Linley’s group once again just skimmed over it with a word. Tarosse actually didn’t seem to pay any attention to it at all.

  Or perhaps it was simply that he didn’t understand what it really meant for Linley’s group to have been able to exit the Amethyst Mountains!

  Actually, this was normal.

  Tarosse was a Highgod, true.

  But the amount of time he had spent in the Infernal Realm was simply too short. The things he knew about the Infernal Realm came mostly from those books he had read. Generally speaking, those geographical books would just give a simple explanation of the Amethyst Mountains. In the past, Linley had read some geography books as well, but before arriving at the Amethyst Mountains, he didn’t truly know how dangerous they were.

  “Creaaaak!” The courtyard door was pushed upon, and a black haired man reeking of alcohol sauntered in, his eyes droopy with drunkenness as he gave off a clearly dispirited aura. It was Cesar!

  Seeing how Cesar currently was, Linley couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. That former playboy who had enjoyed himself amongst the ‘flowers’…how had he ended up like this today? The events of the world truly were hard to explain.

  “Cesar!” Linley spoke out.

  Cesar heard that someone was calling to him, but he didn’t care too much. He just glanced sideways at Linley, then continued to head towards his own residence. But after taking just two or three steps, his body paused, and he turned to look at Linley once again, his misty gaze slowly growing brighter.

  “Linley?” Cesar’s voice contained disbelief in it as well.