Coiling Dragon

by welyjesch

  Linley took a careful look at the infant in Delia’s arms. That pouting face, that tiny body and head…he looked so similar to how Taylor and Sasha had been.

  “Let me hold him.” Linley’s heart was beating rapidly.

  No matter how powerful an expert was, upon becoming a father and holding his son for the first time, he would feel excited, nervous, and agitated.

  Holding the infant in his arms, he could feel the slight weight of his son against him. Although infants were very light, especially to a powerful expert like Linley, to whom this sort of weight was nothing, Linley felt as though this light weight was pressing down against his heart.

  “Son. My son!” Linley couldn’t help but shout in his heart, “This is my son!!!”

  Holding his son, Linley had that sensation of his blood being passed down, of life continuing.

  “Linley, what’s the child’s name? Have you come to a decision?” Delia said.

  “We’ll call him Wade.” Linley looked dotingly at the child in his arms.

  “Wade…Wade…say ‘Father’?” Linley said, gently stroking his son’s little nose. The skin was so soft. But perhaps Linley hurt him as he touched him, as Wade, who had just stopped crying moments ago, began to bawl loudly again.

  Delia immediately stretched her arms out to take him back. “He’s just a newborn, and yet you want him to call you ‘Father’. The child’s crying already. Quick, let me hold him.”

  “It’s fine. The son of Linley doesn’t need to be pampered that much.” Linley said. “Let me hold him for a while longer.”

  Holding his son ‘Wade’ in his arms, Linley felt utter joy in his heart. The feeling of holding his son in his arms was even more exciting and happy for him than the feeling of holding a Sovereign artifact.

  Seeing how reluctant Linley was to part from Wade, Delia couldn’t help but laugh.

  Linley lowered his head to look at his son. He felt as though he could never get tired of looking at him.

  “Waaaaaaa….” Wade cried for a while, then stopped crying. His big guileless, pure eyes, containing no artifice at all, stared at Linley. This was the first man he had seen after his birth!

  He didn’t know yet that this was his father!

  He was the son of Linley! It was guaranteed that his life would not be an ordinary one!

  “Linley, why haven’t you come out yet?” Cesar’s voice rang out.

  “Boss, hurry up and carry your son out. We uncles want to hold him too!” Bebe called loudly. At this moment, Linley and Delia, within the room, came to their senses. They couldn’t help but grin at each other, then walked out while holding the child.

  As soon as they walked outside, Bebe, Clervaux, and the others all rushed forward.

  “Lemme hold him!” Bebe said jubilantly.

  Their son was born. Linley and Delia felt utter bliss as they played with their son. They were in no rush to return to the Skyrite Mountains at all. But although they weren’t in a rush, the intelligence agents of the eight great clans, especially those eight Elders, were frantic.

  None of them had any idea how long Linley would stay here before returning.

  However, they obviously couldn’t go and tell him to hurry up. They just had to watch as Linley spent every day enjoying his time with his son.

  “Milord, our men are always in wait and always watching. But it’s been a year already. When will this come to an end?” The intelligence agents of the eight great clans were watching day and night, not daring to slack off at all.

  “Linley is currently holding that infant right now. Are we supposed to just watch and wait until the infant grows up to become an adult?”

  Just watching every day was indeed tiring, especially since they didn’t even know how long they would have to keep doing it.

  “Don’t be impatient. I’ve already reported this to the Patriarchs, and the eight Patriarchs sent back a single word in response; ‘Wait’! No matter what, we are not to arouse Linley’s notice. He can’t always stay in Meer City. There will be a day when he comes out!”

  “Yes, milord.”

  The intelligence agents had no choice but to grit their teeth and keep watching.

  On the streets of Meer City. Linley and Delia were walking shoulder to shoulder, with their son ‘Wade’ being taken care of by Kamina. The reason they had come out today was to buy some nutritious foodstuffs. Wade was still young. When he started to grow, he would need to eat many things.

  “When we return later to the Skyrite Mountains, there won’t be so much food available for sale.” Linley laughed. “We should have bought enough this time.”

  “Of course we bought enough. These things we bought cost us tens of millions of inkstones. It’s more than enough for Wade to eat for over ten years.” Delia laughed. “Compared to Sasha and Taylor, the food which Wade will eat while growing up will be much better.”

  “Wade doesn’t know that he has an older brother and sister right now. When he grows up and knows more, we’ll tell him.” Knowing that he had his son by his side, he felt full of energy in everything he did, be it training or eating!

  Just as Linley and Delia were chatting mentally on the way back, they suddenly saw someone…

  “Eh?” Linley stared, astonished, at a distant figure. It was a member of the Azure Dragon clan. All of the clansmen had emblems of the clan, and they could all sense each other’s presence. This was why Linley sensed this person in front of him.

  In Meer City, Linley had already run into quite a few members of the Azure Dragon clan. But this was the first time Linley had run into someone he knew.

  “Elder Linley.” The other person had discovered Linley as well, and hurriedly reached out with divine sense.

  “Elder Tewila.” Linley immediately responded with divine sense.

  Linley and Tewila had both changed their appearances, but they looked exactly the same as they had when they last left. Naturally, the two could easily recognize each other.

  Tewila smiled while walking over and saying through divine sense, “Elder Linley, you didn’t return with us last time. Did something happen?”

  “I’m truly sorry. I really didn’t expect that in the month I had been at Meer City, my wife would become pregnant.” Linley laughed while sending back. “At that time, I came to the decision that I would return after my child was born.”

  “Ah! Congratulations, congratulations.” Elder Tewila hurriedly sent back.

  Linley was all smiles as well.

  “Right. Elder Tewila, are you escorting the metallic lifeform this time?” Linley asked. “The clan sends a batch every half year. It’s only been a year and a half, but it’s your turn again?”

  “Nothing for it. In the past four, five hundred years, we’ve lost too many Elders. The clan has too few Elders now, and most have entered Bloodbath Gorge.” Tewila said helplessly. “Thus, there’re only a few Elders on rotation for escorting the metallic lifeform.”

  Linley now understood.

  Linley knew that the clan had suffered tremendous losses over the past five centuries. As for exactly how many Elders had been lost, however, Linley had never asked in detail. However…in the first two hundred years, they had lost five Elders. Most likely, over five hundred years, more than ten Elders had been lost.

  “Tewila, when will you head back? We were just preparing to head back ourselves. Let’s go together.” Linley laughed.

  “Oh. We’re heading out in two days.” Tewila was very happy as well. “Elder Linley, if you head out with us, then it will be much safer with us having joined forces.”

  “Very well. We’ll meet in two days at dawn.” Linley said.

  “Definitely. However, when the time comes, make sure you show up this time.” Tewila laughed.

  “That won’t happen again.” Linley laughed.

  Two days later. Dawn. The gates of the estate. Delia was holding little Wade, bidding farewell to Tarosse and the others, Linley and Bebe by her side.

  “Tarosse
, no need to send us off.” Linley laughed.

  “In the future, you must often come visit. I love this little Wade.” Tarosse laughed.

  Bebe laughed as well. “By the time you come again, Wade will be all grown up.”

  After bidding farewell to their friends, Linley, Delia, and Bebe took little Wade to head directly towards the gates of the city. This scene, in turn, was noticed by a figure located within a distant, tall building who was watching through a window. “Linley’s group…seems to be preparing to head out.”

  Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 44, Catching a Ride

  The gates of Meer City. The intelligence station for the eight great clans’ intelligence agents.

  “Milord, Linley’s group of three, along with an infant, have already headed out. They will reach the city gates soon.”

  “Oh? They even brought the infant out? It seems they really are prepared to leave the city. However, there’s no rush. Let’s take it slowly. After you see Linley’s group reach the city gates, only then should you make the report to the eight Elders.” The speaker was a seemingly honest-looking youth.

  This honest-looking youth was standing in front of a window, a casual look on his face as he glanced downwards.

  He could very clearly see the gates from his current position.

  A long time later…

  The pupils of the honest-looking youth contracted. Within his field of vision, amidst the massive, thronging crowds, Linley’s group had appeared.

  “Oh, Linley, Linley, Linley. You finally show yourself. I thought you’d end up spending millions of years in Meer City, but it seemed as though you decided to just spend a year or so.” The honest-looking youth narrowed his eyes, a very innocent-looking smile appearing on his face.

  “Quick. Spread this news to the Elders.” The honest-looking youth immediately sent through divine sense.

  “Yes!”

  In a mountain forest roughly a thousand kilometers away from Meer City, there was a very ordinary stone house constructed there. This stone house was very wide, and it had eight prayer mats within the building. Eight gray-robed men were seated in the meditative position on those prayer mats, quietly awaiting.

  It had been more than a year!

  They had brought with them a murderous intent as they had prepared to kill Linley. However, they had ended up waiting here the entire time. Slowly, their killing aura had decreased.

  “If Linley doesn’t want to leave the city, who knows how long it will take? Ten years, a thousand years, ten thousand years?” A gray-robed man with long black hair and a beard said, rather upset.

  Without a specific timeframe, it would be easy for anyone to grow impatient while waiting.

  “Tempah!” A graceful voice rang out. “The members of your Reinales clan are still unable to be calm, it seems.”

  The bearded gray-robed man let out a snort, saying nothing else.

  “Someone is coming.” Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out. As soon as the words finished, a figure flew in at high speed. This person was one of the intelligence agents assigned to this place, who would be able to bring news to the eight Elders at any time.

  “Eight Elders, Linley, Linley is leaving the city!” An excited voice rang out.

  “Boom!” The eight gray-robed figures immediately rose to their feet. Even the most stolid of the eight, their leader, ‘Elder Zabu’, revealed a look of joy on his face. He immediately said, “Linley has finally shown himself. Everyone…remember, when attacking, immediately use your Sovereign’s Might. We must use full force and immediately kill Linley.”

  Outside Meer City. The Azure Dragon clan’s clansmen were gathering together. Because of the clan’s seal, everyone could clearly sense everyone else.

  “Elder Linley, you came fairly early today.” Tewila said through divine sense.

  Linley laughed and nodded. “I was afraid that if I came late, Elder Tewila, you would be angry with me.” Tewila’s gaze swept towards Delia and the infant ‘Wade’ in her arms, then he sent, “Linley, this is your son, right? He’s so pretty.”

  “When Wade was born, he looked like an old man.” Linley said. When someone praised his son, he naturally would be pleased.

  “Right. When are we heading out?” Linley asked.

  Tewila glanced around himself. “From the looks of it, we are almost all here. Let’s just wait a while longer. Right, Linley. Today, on our metallic lifeform, we have a very special guest.”

  “Oh, a special guest?” Linley was rather surprised.

  “Right. The Patriarch personally entrusted me with this task, ordering me to bring him to the Skyrite Mountains.” Tewila laughed. “Follow me. I’ll introduce you to him.”

  Linley, rather curious as to who this special guest was, followed Tewila’s lead. Linley saw that this special passenger was a seemingly skinny-looking youth with short golden hair, and a guileless smile on his face.

  However…when Linley looked at him, he had a familiar feeling.

  “Haha, Linley.” A clear and straightforward voice echoed in Linley’s mind. Linley was shocked into awareness. This was Phusro! This voice was Phusro’s voice!

  “You?!” Linley stared in amazement at the skinny youth in front of him, and the skinny youth winked, sending mentally, “There’s nothing for it. Your Patriarch said that due to my actions last time, the eight great clans probably know my appearance by now. I have to change my appearance, even when I’m riding on your metallic lifeform. Geeze…what’s there to fear? Even if a few Elders come, I’ll dispose of them by myself.”

  Linley couldn’t help but laugh.

  Phusro was a Sovereign’s Emissary. Linley had personally witnessed his might before, and even Bulo, after using a drop of Sovereign’s Might, was far from being a match for Phusro. It would be very simple for him to kill several Elders.

  “Haha, the Patriarch is doing this for the sake of the clan.” Linley laughed. “Right. How did you get involved with the Patriarch?” Last time, when Phusro had intervened and saved him, he hadn’t known the Patriarch.

  However, five centuries had passed. Anything could have happened in the mean time.

  “You don’t need to worry about that.” Phusro sent through divine sense. “My meeting with your Patriarch will be beneficial to you, not detrimental. That’s all that you need to know.”

  Linley laughed and nodded. “Everything else aside, you accompanying us back to the Skyrite Mountains alone is a great benefit.” With Phusro present, along with himself and Tewila, they were a force of sizable power.

  Phusro by himself was equal to multiple Seven Star Fiends.

  “In addition, I’ve never even see Phusro unleash all of his power.” Linley thought to himself.

  “Linley, who is this?” Delia and Bebe looked at the skinny youth, puzzled. Linley chuckled. “When we board the metallic lifeform, I’ll introduce you to him.”

  Phusro just winked deliberately.

  “Uh….waaaaa….” Wade, in Delia’s arms, reached out his pudgy fingers towards Phusro. Phusro had held Wade quite a few times before as well. Although Phusro’s appearance had changed greatly, Wade, who had been born less than a year ago, seemed to possess some special sense.

  “Wade, be good.” Phusro beamed towards Wade.

  Delia and Bebe were shocked. How did the skinny little youth in front of them know Wade’s name?

  “Everyone’s here. Let’s head out.” Tewila walked over, and as he did, an enormous silver metallic lifeform in the shape of a silver wolf appeared. A tunnel appeared in its flank, and the clansmen of the Azure dragon clan all entered the metallic lifeform.

  Linley, Phusro, Tewila Bebe, and Delia boarded as well.

  “Swoosh!”

  The metallic lifeform slashed through the air, turning into a blur and disappearing into the horizon.

  “The metallic lifeform is flying towards position two. It is flying towards position two!” The intelligence agents of the eight great clans quickly relayed this informat
ion.

  In mid-air, there were nine figures flying at high speed. Eight of them were dressed in long gray robes, while the last one was dressed in a long green robe. The green-robed man said hurriedly, “Eight Elders, Linley’s metallic lifeform was originally headed towards position two, but now they’ve changed directions slightly. They should be passing through position four. We’re still a few hundred kilometers away from that location. We’ll be there soon!”

  The eight great clans’ intelligence agents had expended an enormous amount of effort on this.

  With the gate as the center, they had fanned out and set up many gathering points within thousands of kilometers. No matter what direction the Azure Dragon clan’s metallic lifeform headed towards, they would be easily detected by those intelligence agents.

  As for that green-robed man, one of his divine clones was at the headquarters, and so he knew the location and route of the metallic lifeform at all times.

  “Excellent.” Elder Zabu laughed calmly and spoke mentally. “Everyone, we’re only a few hundred kilometers away. We’ll reach the metallic lifeform soon. When we do, immediately cover it with your divine senses and locate Linley. At that time…Annecy [An’ni’xi], you’ll be responsible for covering the Elder who is protecting the metallic lifeform. Everyone else, myself included, will all attack simultaneously, joining forces to kill Linley. We can’t give him any chance at all.

  “Yes.” The seven Elders assented.

  Of these eight Elders, three were in possession of Sovereign’s Might. Annecy was one of the ‘ordinary’ Elders without it.

  On this joint mission to kill Linley, three Elders would use their Sovereign’s Might, with four other Elders joining them. With such a tremendously powerful squad…even if Patriarch Gislason came, it would be hard for him to endure such an attack, much less Linley!

  “Actually, Elder Zabu, if you use your Sovereign’s Might, you’ll be more than strong enough to kill Linley by yourself. Even if we don’t use Sovereign’s Might, the joint attacks of seven Elders against Linley will result in a surefire victory.” The bearded Elder sent mentally.