Coiling Dragon

by welyjesch

  Although they had seen it from afar, Linley’s group had to fly for quite a while before arriving at the base of the Skyrite Mountains.

  Standing at the base of the mountains, Linley’s group stared afar through the ‘dragon passageway’, staring at the many patrolling soldiers dressed in azure armor. For a moment, they felt their hearts clench. At a glance, the warriors here were more than ten thousand in number.

  But Linley’s group could tell that every single one of them was a Highgod!

  “So many experts!” Tarosse sighed in amazement. “The Four Divine Beasts clan really lives up to its name. At least in the number of Highgod warriors, it isn’t the slightest bit inferior to the Bagshaw clan.”

  “This is a true, powerful, great clan.” Dylin sighed in amazement as well.

  Salomon’s ‘Boyd’ clan had been decent, but these clans, when compared to the Bagshaw clan or the Four Divine Beasts clan, were nothing at all. Look at the Bagshaw clan or the Four Divine Beasts clan; every single soldier in their clan army was a Highgod.

  “This is the Azure Dragon clan!” Linley felt his blood pumping. “My roots, the roots of my Baruch clan!”

  This seemingly endless dragon passageway gave Linley such a familiar feeling, one which made the blood in his veins thunder. It was a feeling akin to when the prodigal son returned home. The sense of belonging was extremely strong.

  “Linley.” Delia held Linley’s hand.

  Linley turned to glance at Delia. The two, looking at each other, couldn’t help but laugh. They had experienced nearly seven centuries of turbulence. When they had first come to the Infernal Realm, Linley was just a Demigod. But now, he could effortless kill ordinary Highgods.

  They had made their way over. And now, finally, they had reached their destination.

  The root and foundation of the Four Supreme Warriors!

  The legendary Four Divine Beasts clan’s gathering point: The Indigo Prefecture’s ‘Skyrite Mountains’!

  “Who goes there!” A loud shout from up above.

  From the wide dragon passageway, ten soldiers who had previously been on patrol flew over, and the captain of the squad barked, “This is an important area of my Azure Dragon clan. You need to leave immediately.”

  Laughing, Linley replied, “Gentlemen, I myself am a branch member of the Azure Dragon clan. I have been in the Infernal Realm for a very long time, but I’ve finally made it here.”

  “Hurry up and welcome us.” Bebe said loudly. “It’s been so long, and we’ve really been exhausted.”

  “You belong to a branch of my Redding clan?” The captain looked at Linley dubiously. “Kid, the members of my clan returned a long, long time ago.” The other members of the patrol didn’t quite believe it either.

  “You should know that our Azure Dragon clan is capable of Dragonforming.” One of the patrolling soldiers said.

  Linley laughed.

  “Crackle…” Immediately, azure-golden draconic scales sprouted from everywhere on Linley’s body, and a spike emerged from his forehead. Linley’s dark golden eyes stared at the captain. “Now, do you believe me?”

  Those patrolling soldiers all began to laugh as well.

  The captain was also all smiles. “Indeed! And judging from your body’s aura, it seems as though you come from a fairly pure lineage. But how come you have those spikes on your back? Still, there’s no mistaking that aura.”

  Dragonforming was a very simple way by which one could tell if one was a member of the Azure Dragon clan or not.

  The Draconians of the ‘beastmen’ race were completely different from the Dragonform of the Azure Dragon clan. In terms of both power as well as aura, the difference was tremendous. They just looked a bit similar.

  “Haha, brother, you’ve had an arduous trip.” The captain immediately laughed and went to welcome them, saying in a sincere voice, “When our clan retreated from the various planes, we really were in too much of a rush. Most likely, at that time, you weren’t able to come back with everyone else at the time.”

  The captain let out a long sigh.

  “At that time, our main army returned as well, but it was disastrous. That year, my brother died in battle.” Tears glimmered at the corner of the captain’s eyes. “Let’s go. Let’s go home! At home, you’ll be safe.”

  The two words, “go home”, caused Linley to tremble with emotion.

  “These friends of mine came alongside me.” Linley said.

  “Them?” The captain frowned.

  “What is it?” Linley was puzzled.

  The captain said with a frown. “These are your friends, and you plan to live with them?”

  “Right.” Linley nodded. “They risked life and death to travel with me. It would be good if we can live together. What, is that forbidden?”

  “It’s not that it cannot be done.” The captain reflected for a moment, then said, “The administrative rules of our clan are quite strict. If it was just you by yourself, you would receive a superb welcome, but if you want to bring them in, you’ll have to live in a fairly distant, remote part of the Skyrite Mountains.”

  “Remote is fine with me.” Linley shook his head.

  “That’s fine then.” The captain nodded, then laughed. “Come, go with me to register yourself. We’ll investigate what branch you belong to. Hey, you guys can come along as well.” The captain addressed Tarosse and Bebe and the others.

  Linley’s group immediately flew in along with the ten patrol soldiers.

  “Brother, my name is Yeer [Yi’er]. I came back from the Divine Fire Plane. Which plane are you from? How could your lineage be so pure?” While walking, the captain asked in a warm, friendly manner.

  “Right, which plane are you from?” The other patrolling soldiers laughed as well.

  “I, I’m from the Yulan Plane.” Linley laughed.

  The captain’s expression instantly hardened, and the same thing happened with the other soldiers.

  “Seize them!” Captain Yeer shouted icily, and immediately, the other nine patrolling soldiers moved aside as fast as lightning, immediately surrounding Linley’s group of people. From higher up the ‘dragon passageway’, many patrolling soldiers who saw these going-on’s immediately flew over as well.

  Linley’s group was stupefied.

  “Hey, what’s this all about?” Bebe immediately shouted.

  Linley just looked at the captain. “Captain Yeer, what’s going on? Why are you suddenly seizing me?”

  Captain Yeer said calmly, “Sorry, brother! The Azure Dragon ‘Redding’ clan, although spread out across many planes, is only spread out across the Higher Planes and the Divine Planes. I’ve never heard of a Yulan Plane.”

  “Aren’t I a member of the Azure Dragon clan?” Linley asked.

  “You are. I’m certain of this.” Yeer nodded.

  “However, if we can’t be completely certain of your history and which lineage you belong to, then you can’t be completely trusted either.” The captain said emotionlessly. “Some members were scattered across the universe when they were young, and were raised by other clans, who trained them and then sent them back to be spies! This has happened more than once.”

  In the past ten thousand years, the Azure Dragon clan had become exceedingly cautious. Because…they had suffered too much previously when they weren’t.

  “You suspect me of being a spy?” Linley found it hard to believe.

  “Captain Yeer, if I were a spy, I wouldn’t say I’m from the Yulan Plane. I would make up a perfect identity and status.” Linley said urgently.

  Delia spoke out as well. “Captain Yeer, you might not have heard of the Yulan Plane lineage, but that doesn’t mean others in your clan haven’t heard of it either. Please go investigate first.”

  “Hmph. Which lineage am I unaware of?” Captain Yeer was extremely confident.

  “What’s going on here?” A bark rang out from above, and a middle-aged man dressed in light gray robes flew over.

  Captain Yeer
, upon seeing this person, immediately said with respect, “Milord, there is a person here who claims to be a member of our Azure Dragon clan, and indeed, he has the lineage of the Azure Dragon clan. However, he claims he is from the Yulan Plane lineage. I have never heard that our clan has a branch in a ‘Yulan Plane’.”

  “Oh?” The middle-aged man looked towards Linley’s group in astonishment.

  “The Yulan Plane branch?” The middle-aged man looked towards them. “Who?”

  “Me.” Linley stood up.

  The middle-aged man laughed. “Right, our Azure Dragon clan does in fact have a branch on the Yulan Plane.”

  Captain Yeer and the other soldiers were all surprised.

  “This was something from six thousand years ago. Not many people know this.” The middle-aged man said with a calm laugh. “Their branch called themselves the ‘Baruch’ clan. Quite peculiar. Nobody knows which elder ended up starting up this branch.”

  Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 5, Baruch

  When Linley heard them mention the ‘Baruch clan’, his heart relaxed. His ancestors in the Baruch clan were in the Infernal Realm after all, and they really were here. For a moment, a hundred emotions mixed in Linley’s heart.

  “Right, right. The Baruch clan.” Bebe was unspeakably delighted. “Boss, we finally found them.”

  “Linley.” Delia felt happy for Linley as well.

  The nearby Olivier, O’Brien, Tarosse, and Dylin were all smiles as well. The Baruch clan, in the Yulan continent, was so very famous, but this was the first time they had heard others speak of it in the Infernal Realm.

  “Linley, congratulations.” Dylin laughed.

  “There’s no mistaking it this time.” Cesar and the others laughed as well.

  Linley was jubilant. He had been guided by the teachings of his clan since he was young, and Linley clearly knew what the ancestors of the clan had done. And now, today, he was finally going to meet with the ancestors of his clan.

  “Milord, I belong to the Baruch clan. Please hurry and take me to see the ancestors of my clan.” Linley couldn’t help but say.

  “Impudence!” Captain Yeer let out a cold snort.

  Linley was startled.

  “Do you know what status his lordship has? Him, personally take you there?” Captain Yeer was very unhappy that this person in front of him didn’t understand the differences in status between them. “As for whether or not you belong to the Yulan branch, everything will be made clear soon. Don’t be too happy too early.”

  The middle-aged man chuckled. “Yeer, you can make the trip yourself.” After speaking, the middle-aged man turned and flew away.

  Yeer looked coldly at Linley’s group. “All of you, listen up. Later, when we enter the inner reaches of the Skyrite Mountains, don’t fly around randomly. Follow me! If you bump into or disturb the high level members of our clan, when they look for someone to blame, I won’t be able to protect you.”

  “Understood.”

  But Linley could sense how strict ranks were within the Four Divine Beasts clan.

  “Follow me.” Yeer flew up ahead, while Linley’s group immediately followed. The Skyrite Mountains were exceedingly vast, and the eastern part of them was the place where the Azure Dragon clan’s clansmen lived.

  Linley and the others travelled through the ‘dragon passageway’.

  The dragon passageway was fifty meters wide, while the edges of it were carved draconic scales. This tens of thousands of kilometers long, coiling dragon passageway, rose and fell as it winded through the mountains. Countless estates and castles were erected by the side of this dragon passageway, with human figures visible within all of them.

  “Boss, there’s so many people here.” Bebe’s eyes rolled in their sockets. “As I see it, the Azure Dragon clan has to have at least a million people in it. Boss, as I recall, your clan seems to be unable to produce many children.”

  Linley chuckled.

  Indeed. The more powerful a race or clan was, the smaller their population was.

  “But as time goes on, the accumulated population will still be a large figure.” Linley said casually.

  Hypothetically, a new generation might be born every hundred years.

  Each member might have one or two children. As time went on, especially as hundreds of millions of years passed, how many clan members would a clan have? After all, upon reaching the Saint level, one wouldn’t die of old age.

  Only by being killed.

  “After being born, we still have to survive.” Captain Yeer said from up ahead. “In the past, our Four Divine Beasts clan was very powerful and was capable of protecting all of our descendants. Naturally, our population grew greater and greater. But now, it isn’t so simple.”

  Linley couldn’t help but grow puzzled.

  What exactly had caused the Four Divine Beasts clan to fall?

  “That castle is so beautiful.” Delia said gently into Linley’s ears. Linley turned and saw a completely blue castle, with only variations in the deepness or lightness of the coloration, creating a very unique, beautiful appearance that was indeed quite mesmerizing.

  “Remember, just fly on Dragon Avenue and don’t fly elsewhere.” Yeer warned.

  Bebe snorted, and Linley couldn’t help but look towards Bebe and laugh. “Bebe, our clan’s rules are a bit strict. When we are back to our own residence, things will be better.” Linley was currently in a very good mood.

  “I know.” Bebe sent back through divine sense.

  While chatting, Linley, under the guidance of Yeer, arrived through Dragon Avenue at a very ordinary two-story building created halfway up a mountain. This two story building had a white-haired elder slouching over a chair with half-lidded eyes, seemingly quite relaxed.

  “Hanuman [Ha’ne’man].” Yeer laughed.

  The white-haired elder opened his eyes, then laughed and stood up. “Oh, Yeer, it’s you. Why’d you come to my place today?”

  “We just met a member of our clan who has our lineage. Please help out by going with us for an investigation and a registration.” Yeer explained.

  “Which one?” The white-haired elder turned to look at Linley’s group.

  “Him!” Yeer pointed at Linley, who laughed and said to the white-haired elder, ‘Mr. Hanuman, I am Linley. I come from the Baruch clan of the Yulan Plane!”

  “Oh, Baruch clan? The branch from the Yulan continent. I know.” Hanuman’s eyebrows danced, and he began to laugh. “Our Azure Dragon clan is also known as the Redding clan. Virtually all of our branches refer to ourselves as the ‘Redding clan’, and only a very few branches who don’t know the real name will casually choose a name for themselves. Your Baruch clan is one of them.”

  Linley could only grin.

  The first generation of his clan, Baruch, didn’t know of the Azure Dragon clan, nor that they were members of the Redding clan. Thus, he had founded his Baruch clan.

  “For you to be able to report that you are a member of the Baruch clan…I trust that you are a member of our clan.” Hanuman shook his head helplessly. “However, the clan has rules. We must undergo a strict test, therefore…I need you to go meet with your ancestors.”

  “Meet with my ancestors?” Linley was beginning to grow excited.

  “Right. You have to meet them in order to completely ascertain your identity.” Hanuman then looked towards Yeer. “Yeer, your role is done. You go take care of your business. I’ll accompany them.”

  Yeer nodded, then left.

  “It’s rare to encounter a lost clan member who returns to us, even in a thousand year span.” Hanuman sighed. “Let’s go. Follow me. Let’s go meet the ancestors of your branch.”

  Linley hurriedly followed him, while the group behind Linley began to chat amongst themselves.

  “The Four Supreme Warriors of the past…the Dragonblood Warrior, ‘Baruch’. It’s been nearly six thousand years since I’ve seen him.” Cesar had a rare smile on his face. “I wonder how those old fellows are doi
ng these days.”

  O’Brien nodded as well.

  “Old fellows?” Hanuman, walking up ahead, turned and frowned. “The oldest member of the Yulan continent branch is just six thousand years old. And you call him an ‘old fellow’? In our clan, I don’t even know how many members have trained for hundreds of millions of years. The Yulan continent branch, in our Redding clan, is a very young branch.”

  “Very young branch?”

  Linley’s group looked at each other.

  In the Yulan continent, thousands of years of history definitely could be considered a very long history. But in the Infernal Realm, thousands of years was just ‘very young’. Compared to the other branches, which were hundreds of millions old, they were indeed very young.

  “Old sir,” Bebe called out, “We see many castles and estates everywhere throughout the mountain ranges, with so many people. Old sir, do you clearly remember where the Yulan continent’s branch lives?”

  “How could I not!”

  Hanuman stared. “Even with my eyes closed, I, Hanuman, can easily find the residences of any of our Redding clan’s various branches or of our ultimate experts.”

  “But we’ve been flying on this Dragon Avenue for so long. How come we aren’t there yet?” Bebe muttered.

  Hanuman couldn’t help but frown at Bebe. “Kid with the straw hat, in this group, it seems you are the most talkative.”

  “Bebe.” Linley said softly.

  “Hmph.” Bebe let out a low snort, not daring to say another word.

  Only now did Hanuman say, “The Yulan continent branch is a very weak branch. These weak, small branches are located deep in the border areas. That’s why it takes some time to fly there. We haven’t even flown a tenth of the way there.”

  After flying for a long time, and after having seen more than a hundred thousand patrolling soldiers, Linley’s group finally reached their destination.

  “Here we are.” Hanuman immediately flew out of the Dragon Avenue. “Follow me.”

  Linley’s group had also discovered that not too far away, there was a large gorge. Hanuman was flying straight for that gorge, and so Linley’s group followed him in as well. The gorge had fog and mist within.