by welyjesch
“Right. Why do you want to kill him?” Garvey also looked at him.
Emanuel stared furiously at Linley, his eyes spitting fire. He was angry. Angry that Linley didn’t know what was good for him. “I was willing to offer a drop of Sovereign’s Might, but he still wasn’t willing. He forced my hand.” Emanuel had already made his decision.
“Elder Emanuel, why are you so angry? It seems as though I should be the angry one.” Linley laughed coldly. “If push comes to shove, we can just fight to the end, until ‘either the fish dies or the net breaks’!”
Emanuel’s heart clenched.
What did he fear, right now?
Not Garvey’s interference. He was afraid that Linley would publicly announce the fact that he had the Azure Dragon ring. Once this was made public…even if the clan didn’t confiscate it, there was no way it would go to Emanuel.
“Fine, Linley.” Emanuel snickered. “Aren’t you the fierce one.”
“Me, fierce? It is that you go too far.” Linley replied.
The nearby Garvey as well as the black-robed men were mystified. They didn’t know what Linley and Emanuel were talking about.
“Elder Emanuel, I, as a junior, would like to offer you a few words!” Linley stared at Emanuel, a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips. “Sometimes, it’s best not to be too greedy. Greed can cause you to lose your life. What belongs to you is yours. What doesn’t belong to you will never be yours.”
Emanuel began to laugh from rage.
“Kid, I’ll send your words right back to you.” Emanuel said furiously. “Don’t be too greedy. Greed can cause you to lose your life!”
“Oh? Lose my life?” Linley began to laugh. “Most venerable Elder, you are a powerful Seven Star Fiend, while I am just a mere God. I admit that my power is inferior to yours, and it wouldn’t be hard for you to take my life, but you can’t go too far and be too abusive.”
“What are you two talking about!” Garvey said angrily.
“Emanuel.” Garvey said, “If Linley truly has acted untowardly, you can go ahead and speak to the Assembly of Elders, who will definitely carry out a punishment against Linley.”
Emanuel took a deep breath, then said slowly, “Linley, the offense you have given me is unpardonable. I…issue you a challenge to a life-and-death duel!”
“Life-and-death duel?”
Garvey and the black-robed men on the corridor were all stunned. Garvey stared, astonished, at Emanuel, then sent with divine sense, “Emanuel, what are you doing? He’s just a God. If you really want to kill him, just report this to the Assembly of Elders. Why a life-and-death duel?”
But how could Garvey know that Emanuel wanted to personally kill Linley and rob him of his Azure Dragon ring?
Those black-robed men all looked at Linley, a hint of pity in their eyes.
“Can I ask, what is this life-and-death duel?” Linley’s voice rang out.
Immediately, Elder Garvey and the others were all amazed. Linley didn’t even know what a life-and-death duel was?
Garvey let out a secret sigh, feeling grief for Linley. In the end, he explained, “Linley, there are many people in the clan. With so many people together, it’s impossible for there to be no conflicts at all. Once the conflicts reach a certain level where neither side will rest until the other is dead, then these conflicts will have become irreconcilable. Although the rules of the clan state that clansmen are not permitted to kill each other, when the hatred grows too great, sometimes even the mediation of the clan is useless.”
“At this time, the only option is a ‘life-and-death duel’!”
Garvey said solemnly, “The life-and-death duel is a brutal duel, with two people taking part and the duel only concluding upon one side’s death. But of course, if the winner spares the loser’s life, that’s permitted as well. However, generally speaking, in a life-and-death duel, both sides won’t end it until the other is dead.”
Hearing this, Linley now understood.
He couldn’t help but feel his rage grow. “This Emanuel really doesn’t want to leave me any options at all.”
“Can it be that I have to accept his challenge?” Linley asked.
“You can refuse it.” Garvey said. “However, even if you refuse it, he can still make an application to the Assembly of Elders. Once the Assembly of Elders approves it, even if you refuse…you still have to take part in the life-and-death duel.”
“Haha…” Linley began to laugh. “Assembly of Elders?”
Emanuel himself was a member of the Assembly of Elders. If Emanuel went to apply for a life-and-death duel, how could it not pass?
“Linley, if you regret it, it isn’t too late yet.” Emanuel laughed coldly. “My conditions haven’t changed. I can spare your life.” Emanuel’s request was to use a drop of Sovereign’s Might in exchange for the Coiling Dragon ring.
Linley looked at him. Simply looked at him, with eyes as cold as ice.
“It isn’t too late for me if I regret it?” Linley had a hint of a satirical smile on his face.
“Right.” Emanuel nodded.
“Emanuel, I’ll tell you this.” Linley snickered. “I refuse your life-and-death challenge!”
“Your refusal is futile.” Emanuel said.
Linley snickered. “I’m refusing right now. As for whether or not the Assembly of Elders will approve your request, I can’t be bothered to care. I’ll tell you one thing as well…Emanuel, if you regret it now, it isn’t too late for you. In the future, even if you regret it, it will be too late.”
After speaking, Linley turned his head and left, his face a frozen mask.
Linley truly had the urge to kill now!
“Originally, I wanted to continue my peaceful life until becoming a Highgod. Emanuel, you forced me!” Linley wouldn’t hesitate any longer. If he truly had to participate in a life-and-death duel, he would definitely kill Emanuel!
Seeing Linley’s back as he walked away, Emanuel laughed coldly.
“Refuse? Will your refusal matter?” Emanuel chuckled. “When the time comes, it won’t matter even if you regret it.” Emanuel shook his head, then left, not paying any attention to Garvey.
Garvey let out a sigh.
“What a pity for this genius. He is going to die.” Garvey didn’t think Linley had any chance at life. Emanuel was a fourth generation member of the clan. His father was a third generation member, while his paternal grandmother was of the second generation.
In the entire Azure Dragon clan, there were only two members of the second generation, a pair of siblings, brother and sister. The first was the Patriarch of the Azure Dragon clan, the son of the ancestor, the ‘Azure Dragon’. The other was the sister of the Patriarch.
In the clan, Emanuel’s status wasn’t that high, but his influence was significant.
As for Garvey? He had come countless tens of thousands of generations later. Although he was also a Seven Star Fiend, his influence was naturally inferior.
Late at night. The Violet Moon hung high in the sky.
Linley flew by himself on Dragon Avenue. He clearly remembered the way back home.
“This Coiling Dragon ring.” Linley lowered his head, glancing at it. In his mind, he couldn’t help but think back to so many scenes from his childhood.
Because of the Coiling Dragon ring, he had met Grandpa Doehring.
Because of Grandpa Doehring, he had become a powerful expert.
Over the many years, because of the Coiling Dragon ring, he was able to compensate for the difference in his soul when compared to Highgods. Because of the Coiling Dragon ring, he dared to do battle against Seven Star Fiends. Unconsciously…
His entire life had become intertwined with the Coiling Dragon ring.
“Nobody should even dream of trying to take my Coiling Dragon ring from me.” Linley said softly.
“If I truly am forced to take part in a life-and-death duel.” Linley’s gaze was cold and clear. “I will definitely kill that Emanuel. Right now, he
is the only one who knows that I have this Coiling Dragon ring. He definitely won’t be so stupid as to spread the news. If I kill him, no one else will know about it.”
That very day, Emanuel returned and immediately went to find the three Elders who were in charge of managing the ‘life-and-death duels’.
Ordinary duels could be agreed to by three Elders.
“Emanuel, why did you summon the three of us in such a rush?” Two men, one woman. The three were dressed in resplendent azure armor with golden patterns, and a billowing cape covered with complicated magic runes.
Three Elders.
“There’s a God who has offended me. He holds me in no regard at all.” Emanuel said angrily. “I am going to kill him. I’m applying for a life-and-death duel. The three of you, help me out and approve this request.” As he spoke, he handed over a piece of paper.
The three Elders glanced at the paper, then looked at each other.
This was a joke, right?
An Elder was going to engage in a life-and-death duel to kill a God?
The golden-haired woman laughed. “Emanuel, as someone who has a revered position as an Elder, how can you possibly squabble with the likes of a God?”
“I am definitely going to kill him.” Emanuel said.
Another Elder, a silver-haired old man, laughed. “Emanuel, if you really want to kill him, just tell us the reason he offended you. We’ll send people to go arrest him. In accordance with the rules of the clan, we can execute him for having offended an Elder. Why the need for some life-and-death duel? You, a venerable Elder, are going to duel a God. Isn’t this laughable?”
“The three of you, just consider this being me, Emanuel, asking the three of you to help me out. Alright?” Emanuel said.
The three exchanged glances.
“Fine. We agree.” The three Elders each withdrew a feather quill, recording their names on the paper.
Emanuel, seeing this, laughed. In his heart, he said to himself, “Linley, it’s now too late for you, even if you regret it.”
Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 15, Life-And-Death Duel
The morning sun had just risen, and the sanguine light of the Blood Sun could be seen peeking through the thin mists of the gorge. Linley walked out from his room as well.
“The weather’s not bad.” Linley took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill his chest.
“Swoosh!” A human figure jumped down from above. “Boss, it seems you are in a good mood.” Bebe laughed. Bebe lived on the second floor of this building.
“Yes, a pretty good mood. It’s been eighty two years since we came to the Skyrite Mountains, and I haven’t had a good battle this entire time, nor have I killed anyone. But I’m about to go kill someone and about to have a good battle. Of course my mood is good.” Linley laughed.
Bebe was puzzled. “Boss, what do you mean by this?”
“No rush. You’ll know soon enough.” Linley said.
Bebe, seeing that Linley was intentionally being mysterious, couldn’t help but purse his lips. At this time, Delia also walked out from the room, and Bebe immediately went to greet her. “Delia, the Boss says that he is about to engage in a battle and kill someone. Do you know what this is about?”
“Is that so?” Puzzled, Delia turned her head to look towards Linley.
Linley chuckled. Suddenly, the sound of the wind could be heard. He immediately raised his head to look.
Multiple figures flew down from the skies, all dressed in the battle armor uniform of the Azure Dragon clan. Linley laughed calmly. “They are here.” Bebe and Delia raised their head to look, puzzled. They saw three azure armored warriors fly over.
“Linley!” The leader recognized Linley right away. Clearly, the Assembly of Elders, when giving the order, had provided a clear description of Linley’s appearance as well.
“Everyone, is there something you need?” Linley said.
The leader of the azure armored warriors sighed inwardly. He, too, didn’t understand how a God could have offended one of the lofty, high-ranked Elders. But he still said, “Linley, Lord Emanuel has issued a life-and-death challenge. The Assembly of Elders has already approved it. Come with us.”
“Right now?” Linley was rather surprised.
The approval of the application by the Assembly of Elders was something which Linley had predicted long ago, but for the duel to start immediately was outside of Linley’s expectations.
“The life-and-death duel will be held today during noon. Right now, you just need to get there in advance.” The azure armored warrior said. In his heart, he still felt some sympathy for Linley. After all, as he saw it…
Linley was a bottom-ranked figure of the clan, not too different from patrol warriors like them.
But although they sympathized for Linley, there was no way they could help out.
“Boss, what is it?” Bebe said frantically.
“Linley, what is this ‘life-and-death duel’?” Delia said urgently as well.
Linley laughed, “In our clan, an ‘Elder Emanuel’ insists on killing me. Fortunately, at that time, Elder Garvey was present, but in the end, Elder Emanuel still issued me a ‘life-and-death duel’. Either he dies or I die.”
“Elder?” Delia began to worry.
“Boss, are you confident?” Bebe asked.
They were certain of Linley’s strength, but the opponent was one of the clan’s Elders, after all. In the past eighty years, they had gained an understanding of the Assembly of Elders. To enter the Assembly of Elders, the first requirement was to reach the Seven Star Fiend level.
Linley sent mentally, “Delia, Bebe, don’t worry. If this was before my Ancestral Baptism, I wouldn’t be completely certain, but after having undergone the Ancestral Baptism, I have confidence.”
Delia immediately relaxed. She trusted Linley.
“Linley, is the reason he wants to kill you…because of the Coiling Dragon ring?” Delia sent through divine sense.
Linley nodded, sending back through divine sense, “I myself learned just now that this Sovereign artifact, the Coiling Dragon ring, had actually belonged to the ancestor of our Azure Dragon clan. Emanuel recognized it at a single glance.”
Bebe and Delia now both understood.
They both could understand the powerful allure of a soul-protecting Sovereign artifact. No wonder Emanuel was acting this way.
“Linley, can you leave now?” The azure armored warrior said.
These azure armored warriors actually weren’t in a rush. The life-and-death duel would only be held at noon. For Elder Emanuel, he would just come over from his residence when the time came. But Linley, as the person of lower status, had to arrive earlier.
“It doesn’t start until noon. Why the rush?” Bebe said unhappily.
“The three of you, what are you doing?” Several figures flew over at high speed. It was Baruch and several other clansmen. They, too, had begun to worry after seeing the azure armored warriors fly over. These azure armored warriors’ arrival definitely portended an important matter.
“Elder Emanuel is about to initiate a life-and-death duel with Linley. The Assembly of Elders has already approved it.” An azure armored warrior said.
Baruch and the others were stunned, their eyes filled with disbelief.
“The Elder and Linley?” They couldn’t accept this.
“A revered, venerable Elder…how can he challenge Linley to a life-and-death duel?” Hazard said furiously. Linley’s arrival had caused the status of their Yulan branch to rise considerably in recent days. In addition, all of them were fond of this descendant of theirs, Linley.
An Elder, challenging a God? This was too unfair!
“The Assembly of Elders has already approved it. There’s no way to change it.” The leader of the azure armored warriors said. “Unless you can ask the Patriarch to intervene.”
In the Azure Dragon clan, without question, the person of the highest status was the Patriarch. He was the son of their anc
estor, the ‘Azure Dragon’. When the Azure Dragon had been alive, he had naturally expended enormous amounts of effort in training and cultivating his son. One could imagine how powerful the Patriarch was.
In the clan, his word was supreme.
“Linley, what is it?” Tarosse, Dylin, and the others flew out. Others immediately began to explain the situation to them. Tarosse and the others were astonished as well that an Elder of the clan was actually challenging Linley to a life-and-death battle.”
“Don’t worry, everyone.” Linley said calmly, then looked at the azure armored warrior. “Let’s go.”
The leader of the azure armored warriors nodded.
“Can we go watch the duel?” Delia immediately asked.
The leader of the azure armored warriors glanced at the crowd, then nodded. “This is Linley’s last battle anyways. You can go watch it if you want.” As he spoke, the three azure armored warriors took Linley with them, flying into the air.
Delia, Bebe, Baruch, as well as even Tarosse, Dylin, and the others all immediately followed.
An Elder of the clan was going to initiate a life-and-death duel with a God. This news wasn’t actually known by many throughout the various levels of the clan. At the higher levels, however, this news spread very quickly, especially amongst the Elders themselves, who quickly learned of this.
“Emanuel, that kid…he’s going to engage in a life-and-death duel with a junior? Did I mishear something?” A muscular man with short azure hair said with a frown.
“Uncle, there’s no mistake. Emanuel really is going to have a life-and-death duel with a God.” The other person, a tall man with brown hair, spoke out. The two of them were dressed in that azure armor with golden embroidery, as well as the cape with unusual magic runes.
Both were Elders of the clan.
“Let’s go take a look.” The azure haired man said.
“Today, quite a few people will be watching.” The brown-haired man laughed.
“Will the Patriarch attend?”
“The Patriarch most likely doesn’t even know about this. I hear that today, he is together with the Indigo Emissary. This visit by the Indigo Emissary seems to be regarding a rather weighty matter.” The brown-haired man said, rather puzzled.