Coiling Dragon

by welyjesch

  The struggles and battles between them thus naturally happened all the time.

  The warfare between the Four Divine Beasts clan and the eight great clans…as soon as Linley got involved, he would begin to experience a true rain of blood and storm of slaughter.

  “I need to train hard.” Linley said to himself.

  Indigo Prefecture, Skyrite Mountains. It was as calm and peaceful as ever. Perhaps the army of the Four Divine Beasts clan would be sent out to battle and war against the eight great clans, but Linley’s group who lived deep within the Skyrite Mountains knew nothing of these things.

  The peaceful days spent in training passed very quickly. Sixty years soon passed.

  On this day.

  In the Skyrite Mountains. The gorge where Linley’s group was currently living. The many members of the Azure Dragon clan living here were either training or gathering together.

  “Let’s go to the Yulan branch and tease those little fellows. Want to come?” In one corner of the gorge, six youths were gathered together, and one of them, a blue-haired man, laughed as he spoke.

  “I’m not going.”

  “I’m not going either.”

  The other five men all shook their heads, and one of them even said, “Second Brother, don’t go cause trouble at the Yulan branch.”

  “What’s wrong with you? How come all of you are so cowardly now. It’s just the Yulan branch. Their strongest members are just Gods. What are you afraid of?” The blue-haired man was rather unhappy.

  “Second Brother, in the past, it was fine to cause problems for the Yulan branch, but what you don’t realize is that in the centuries you’ve been in seclusion, there have been changes in the Yulan branch.”

  “What sort of changes?” The blue-haired man snickered. “Can it be that in just a few centuries, they’ve produced a Highgod? A few centuries ago, their entire branch only had twelve Gods. Aside from that Baruch who trains a bit faster, the others are all very slow. Can it be that Baruch has become a Highgod?”

  “It’s not Baruch. Sixty years ago, another member of our clan returned and said that he was of the Yulan branch. The tribesmen all took him to be a God, but he was able to just stand there without moving and send Asru flying.”

  The blue-haired youth couldn’t help but be stunned. “Did you say Asru?”

  “Not just Asru. When we heard this from Asru, we didn’t believe it. So, we went with Elder Brother to make some trouble for him, but…even Elder Brother was easily defeated by that Linley.”

  “Elder Brother?” The blue-haired man was now truly stunned. “My Elder Brother was defeated as well?”

  “Right. Thus, Elder Brother is now meditating in seclusion.” Another one of the five spoke out.

  Only now did the blue-haired man realize that this was the reason he hadn’t seen his Elder Brother this time upon concluding his training. He had thought that his Elder Brother had gone travelling. So in reality, he was in seclusion.

  “This person truly is powerful?” The blue-haired man asked, puzzled. “What is his name?”

  “From what the Yulan branch’s people say, he is named Linley!” Someone immediately said.

  “Right. His name is Linley. Those Yulan branch members are now very smug. They even say…that if we want to struggle against the Yulan branch, then we should come and see if we can beat Linley. Unfortunately, all of the Highgods in our gorge who tested him were defeated.”

  “Thus, in the past sixty years, nobody has dared to cause trouble for the Yulan branch again.”

  After hearing the explanation from his friends, the blue-haired man finally understood.

  This gorge was a place where very weak branches lived. Many branches had just a few Highgods, and the entire gorge, all combined, only had twenty or thirty Highgods. But Linley was able to defeat several of them.

  Naturally, the other branches in the gorge would acknowledge the new status of the Yulan branch and not go humiliate them.

  After all, if instead of humiliating them, they were themselves humiliated, that would truly be a loss of face.

  Suddenly…

  A surge of endless ripples descended from the heavens. That unique energy ripple caused the blue-haired man and the other five to be startled.

  “The descent of the natural Laws?” The six men were greatly shocked.

  This was the sign of a person becoming a Deity on their own.

  The six immediately began to chat amongst themselves.

  “Who made a breakthrough?”

  “The descent of the natural Laws was centered on the Yulan branch. It was someone from their branch.”

  “It’s probably that Saint, finally breaking through to become a Demigod. No need for all this commotion.” The blue-haired man snickered.

  …………………

  Currently, quite a few people were gathered outside Linley’s door, with only Delia and Bebe having run inside.

  “What’s going on?” Baruch walked over and immediately asked.

  Tarosse laughed. “Linley made a breakthrough.”

  “He’s become a Highgod?” Baruch immediately asked through divine sense. Up till now, many of the other people in the Yulan branch viewed Linley as a Highgod, just one who was low-key and hid his aura.

  “Not sure.” Tarosse shook his head. “He shouldn’t have. When Linley first arrived, he was still meditating on the fifth profound mystery of the Laws of the Earth.”

  While they chatted amongst themselves, three figures emerged from within the room.

  “He came out. Linley came out.” The Yulan branch’s clansmen were all very excited.

  “Everyone, you can go back to your own places now. I just made a breakthrough in one of my divine clones, that’s all.” Linley laughed calmly. Seeing the group of clansmen present, especially the look of veneration with which they viewed him, Linley still felt quite happy.

  After having arrived here, Linley naturally wouldn’t just watch as his clansmen were humiliated. Thus, on multiple occasions, he had shown his might, shocking the other branches.

  These days, the Yulan branch no longer needed to endure humiliation. These other clansmen naturally felt gratitude towards Linley.

  “Everyone can disperse now. Don’t stay here.” Baruch laughed as well.

  Only now did the group of clansmen, chatting and laughing amongst themselves, depart. While doing so, they said amongst themselves, “Linley is so formidable. What clone do you think made the breakthrough?”

  “Most likely, a divine Destruction clone.”

  “It might be his divine Wind clone.”

  Those other clansmen weren’t clear about Linley’s detailed situation. They weren’t even sure as to what type of Laws Linley was currently training in.

  “Linley, what breakthrough did you make?” Cesar went up to him, greeting and asking him.

  “Divine fire clone.” Linley laughed at himself. “Only now have I finally reached the God level in my divine fire clone. I truly am slow in training in fire.”

  Cesar, Tarosse, and the others were immediately speechless. He had been training for less than a thousand years, but had reached the God level in earth, wind, and fire…and he was complaining that he was slow?

  “How is your training in the Laws of the Earth progressing?” Tarosse asked.

  “Still training in the fifth profound mystery. I’ve reached a bottleneck. I wonder if I’ll be able to completely master the ‘Profound Mysteries of Strength’ before the Ancestral Baptism.” Linley said.

  Only a decade or two was left before the next Ancestral Baptism.

  Ten or so years, to Deities, was a very short period of time. Linley’s original body accompanied Delia, while his three divine clones were completely absorbed in their training. But even after the day of the Ancestral Baptism was about to arrive, the ‘Profound Mysteries of Strength’ remained stuck at the bottleneck.

  On this day, nearly eighty years had passed since Linley had arrived at the Skyrite Mountains.r />
  In front of Linley’s residence. Baruch was walking over.

  “Linley, tonight, the Ancestral Baptism is about to begin. I’ve already registered your name for it. Soon, you’ll most likely be led away by others to participate in the Ancestral Baptism. Make your preparations.”

  “Understood.” Linley’s eyes couldn’t help but be filled with a look of anticipation.

  The Ancestral Baptism. What exactly was it like?

  Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 10, Dragonize Pool

  The skies were dark. It was already sundown.

  Tonight, the Ancestral Baptism was going to begin. Within the gorge in the Skyrite Mountains, Linley was patiently waiting. Just a short while later, Linley saw a warrior dressed in azure armor fly over from the air.

  “Who is Linley!” The azure armored warrior shouted.

  Linley felt a surge of joy. He immediately went up to greet the man.

  “I am Linley.” Linley laughed. The azure armored warrior glanced at Linley. After a short, careful scrutinization, he couldn’t help but frown and bark, “Stop joking around. Everyone who goes to the Ancestral Baptism is less than a century old. You are a God. Can it be that you are less than a century old? Quick, go have Linley come out.”

  Linley didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. It seemed as though he had been taken for an imposter.

  “I am Linley. I had been living in other planes, and only returned to the Skyrite Mountains just eighty years ago.” Linley explained. “Thus, up till now, I have yet to participate in the Ancestral Baptism.”

  “Oh?” The azure armored warrior was rather puzzled.

  At this moment, watching from below, Baruch, Delia, Bebe, and the others also didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. The azure armored warrior actually didn’t believe Linley was who he said he was. Baruch himself immediately flew up towards that azure armored warrior. “It’s true. He is indeed Linley. He wasn’t born in our Skyrite Mountains, which is why to this very day, he has yet to undergo the Ancestral Baptism.”

  The azure armored warrior glanced at Linley, then let out a cold snort. “I’ll believe you for now. But, kid, you better understand…if you’ve already undergone an Ancestral Baptism, undergoing a second baptism will be of no use to you. And, if you were to be found out to be an imposter, you will be in trouble. Enough. Let’s go.”

  The azure armored warrior immediately flew high into the sky.

  Linley turned his head to say his farewells to Delia and Bebe, then immediately followed.

  They flew up into the Dragon Avenue, and followed it. Linley kept close behind the azure armored warrior as they advanced nonstop. After flying for quite some time by the side of this azure armored warrior, the two arrived at the top of a pitch-black mountain peak.

  At the top of the mountain peak, there were multiple azure armored guards, a bald, black-robed man, as well as ten or so young men and women.

  “Milord, Linley has been brought here.” The azure armored warrior flew over and immediately said respectfully.

  The bald, black-robed man glanced sideways at Linley, nodded, then instructed the warrior, “Enough. You can leave now.” The black-robed man looked at Linley. “Linley, wait here for a while. When everyone is present, we’ll go in.”

  “Yes.” Linley stood there with the other ten or so people.

  “These people are all just Saints.” Linley could immediately tell that these youngsters were very suspicious, and they looked at Linley in surprise. They were amazed to discover that they actually couldn’t see Linley’s power!

  “This person isn’t a Saint?” Those young men and women were all puzzled.

  For someone who had been born less than a century ago, especially a descendant of the Azure Dragon clan, it wasn’t very likely that they would be able to become a Deity on their own without having undergone the Ancestral Baptism.

  Linley just waited there quietly, as one young man after another was led here by azure armored warriors.

  “A total of twenty eight. All present.” The bald, black-robed man nodded slightly, then said calmly, “Enough. Little fellows, all follow me. Remember, without my permission, you aren’t allowed to run around wildly.”

  As he spoke, the bald, black-robed man led them all into a corridor within the mountain peak.

  The outsides of the entrance to the corridor were all covered with draconic sculptures. The entire corridor led downwards, deep into the heart of the mountain. This corridor was nearly six meters wide and four meters tall. It was very rectangular, while at the same time the walls of the corridor had some ancient sculptures as well.

  The floor was covered with a woven carpet.

  Linley just quietly followed the bald, black-robed man.

  “Hey, you, you’re already a Deity?” A jade-haired girl walking alongside Linley couldn’t resist her curiosity, and so she asked the question in a soft voice.

  Linley turned to glance at her. He chuckled, but only nodded in response.

  The jade-haired girl’s eyes immediately lit up, and were filled with a look of adoration. “You are so amazing. You’ve never undergone the Ancestral Baptism, but you were able to become a Deity in under a century.” Even the other youths who were taking part in the Ancestral Baptism turned to look at Linley with either veneration, or surprise, or jealousy.

  Less than a century?

  He had passed the century mark long ago. However…in the Yulan continent, when he had become a Deity on his own, it was true that at that time, he had been training for less than a century.

  “Pipe down.” The bald, black-robed man shouted icily.

  Immediately, those twelve Saints were so scared, they didn’t dare say another word. Linley’s expression didn’t change. “This bald fellow has quite the temper.” Linley continued to walk and follow him. Moments later, they arrived at the end of the corridor, which had a wide hall past it with quite a few black-robed figures within.

  “All here?” One of the black-robed men went to welcome them.

  “A total of twenty eight. All present.” The bald, black-robed man said. “You watch them for a while. I’ll go invite the two elders to activate the Dragonize Pool.”

  “Right. Do you know where the two elders are, right now?” The black-robed man said.

  The bald, black-robed man said, puzzled, “Could it be that they haven’t arrived yet?”

  “They arrived, they arrived. But the two elders just went into a private room. They even said that without their permission, nobody is permitted to enter.” The black-robed man was puzzled. “They are in the private room in the eastern palace hall.”

  “I’ll go take a look.” The bald, black-robed man immediately walked over.

  Deep within the mountain, in a private room in the eastern palace hall.

  Two figures were currently standing, shoulder to shoulder. One of them had a hawk-hooked nose, a balding head, two drooping sideburns, and a pair of eyes that were as grim and callous as a viper’s. The other was very handsome, with long hair that flowed down his back.

  The two were both dressed in azure armor that was embroidered with gold patterns, as well as a cloak that was covered with strange, peculiar magic runes which flowed with all sorts of faint light.

  They were currently focusing their attention on watching a scryer recording that currently being broadcast, floating in the air within the private room.

  “Formidable.” The bald man couldn’t help but sigh in praise.

  “Even you and I probably wouldn’t be able to so easily block that blade blow.” The handsome man sighed in praise as well.

  The scryer recording currently being played, amazingly, was the scene of Linley’s battle in the skies above Miluo Island. The scene which had just caused the two to sigh in amazement was that of the red-robed elder of the Bagshaw clan using a single blade chop to break apart Linley’s ‘cube’.

  That battle had been watched by many outsiders who were present at Miluo Island. Those of them who trai
ned in the Elemental Laws of Water naturally would record it down.

  Because the main figure in this battle, ‘Linley’, was considered by many experts to be of the ‘Four Divine Beasts clan’, these scryer recordings naturally made their way to the Four Divine Beasts clan. Only, the speed at which this happened was rather slow.

  Linley had been in the Four Divine Beasts clan for so many years now, but the scryer recording had just now made its way here.

  “Look. That red-robed elder is about to fight with our clansman.” The handsome man said hurriedly.

  In the scryer recording, that red-robed elder, after hearing the order from the clan leader of the Bagshaw clan, ‘Bakwill’, began to wield his blade and charge towards Linley.

  Seeing the saber blow strike down, the two elders both held their breaths.

  But then, they saw from the scryer recording that Linley was able to use just his right leg to kick against that saber, smashing that Seven Star Fiend directly into the ground. Moments later, the scryer recording came to an end.

  “Formidable!” The handsome man sighed in praise.

  A stunned look was in the eyes of the bald man as well. “Just by relying on his body, he was able to resist a full force material attack from a Seven Star Fiend. For his body to be so incredibly strong…even in our clan, there are few who are at this level.”

  “You and I are not, at least.” The handsome man agreed.

  Although the Azure Dragon clan’s members were indeed strong in Dragonform, to be as strong as this…very few in the Azure Dragon clan could accomplish it. For one’s Dragonform to be at this level of power wasn’t just a matter of lineage; it also required other factors.

  “It isn’t just that his body is tough. Did you see that globe of earthen yellow light surrounding his body? Everyone trapped within it will have their movements be affected. Even that red-robed elder of Miluo Island was affected as well.” The bald man said solemnly.