Coiling Dragon

by welyjesch

  “Stop lying. I have no interest in hearing your lies. Will you or won’t you hand it over? If you don’t, then don’t blame me for acting.” The Chief Sovereign of Light gave his final warning.

  “Mr. Augusta.” A voice rang out.

  The Chief Sovereign of Light swept his gaze across. Within his Godrealm, a figure slowly began to materialize. This man had long, blood-red hair, and was dressed in a blood-colored robe. Linley, seeing this, felt secretly delighted. “The Bloodridge Sovereign!”

  “Boson?” The Chief Sovereign of Light frowned.

  “Mr. Augusta.” The Bloodridge Sovereign smiled. “I already heard the news. Everything was caused by false information. But not long ago, it was already determined that the Overgod mission wasn’t necessarily real, and that the news that Linley was in possession of the nine soul pearls was also false.”

  The Chief Sovereign of Light gave him a cold glance, then waved his hand and made the green paper face the Bloodridge Sovereign.

  The Bloodridge Sovereign gave it a glance, seeing the words on it. He couldn’t help but feel shocked. “This is the Overgod decree?”

  “Is it still false? Clearly, the information is real. I imagine that this sort of news wouldn’t be randomly made up. Linley definitely has the nine soul pearls.” The Chief Sovereign of Light stared coldly towards Linley. “Linley, I’ve already told you that you have only two choices. Hand it over or die. You decide.”

  The Chief Sovereign of Light completely ignored the Bloodridge Sovereign’s presence!

  “Chief Sovereign.”

  Linley raised his head and said, “I told you that I don’t have the nine soul pearls, yet you refuse to believe me. And so you will kill me? But I have to tell you something; I have other divine clones in other places. Even if you kill me, you won’t be able to open my interspatial ring. Thus, even if I have the nine soul pearls and you kill me, you still won’t be able to acquire it. What’s more, I don’t have them!”

  “Divine clones?” The Chief Sovereign of Light frowned. “Where?”

  “A material plane.” Linley said honestly.

  “My Yulan Plane.” Beirut smiled.

  “Hmph.” The Chief Sovereign of Light gave Beirut a cold glance.

  “Excellent. You actually hid your divine clones in a material plane. You are quite clever.” The Chief Sovereign of Light said coldly. “You claim that you don’t have the nine soul pearls. Remove the binding you have over your interspatial ring and let me investigate it. Do you dare?”

  “If you search it and don’t find it, will you leave, Chief Sovereign?” Linley asked.

  “Don’t waste my time.” The Chief Sovereign of Light’s face sank.

  “Fine. Since you, Chief Sovereign of Light, insist on searching my interspatial ring just based on your suspicions…then I, Linley, will today let you inspect it.” With but a thought, Linley divided his body into two, simultaneously retrieving two interspatial rings. After removing the bindings, Linley raised his head to look at the Chief Sovereign, then laughed calmly, “I imagine, Chief Sovereign, you know that I currently only have these two divine clones present. You can go ahead and investigate these interspatial rings.”

  Linley then tossed them towards the air, towards the Chief Sovereign of Light.

  Book 20, The Crown’s Riddle – Chapter 32, I’d Rather Die! A Change of Events

  Linley had so straightforwardly handed over his interspatial rings that the Chief Sovereign of Light was rather suspicious. “Can it be that it truly is as I suspected; Linley had taken the nine soul pearls back to the Yulan Plane?” When he had heard Linley say that Linley’s divine clones were not present and had returned to the Yulan Plane, the Chief Sovereign of Light had a bad feeling.

  But the Chief Sovereign of Light still bound the rings with blood and inspected them both. “There really is nothing here!”

  “Chief Sovereign, are the nine soul pearls that you seek within?” Linley said in a clear voice, his head raised.

  “Hmph.”

  After removing his binding, the Chief Sovereign of Light casually tossed the two interspatial rings to Linley. Right at this moment, energy once more began to tremble and swirl about in the surrounding area as a blurry figure appeared, then solidified. Clearly, yet another Sovereign had created an energy clone.

  The Sovereigns of the Infernal Realm were scattered everywhere. For them to arrive in a short period of time was unlikely. Still, given that their divine sense covered the entire region, the Sovereigns could form energy clones at any time.

  “Augusta.” The newcomer was dressed in a long, silver robe. He stared at Augusta with his violet eyes.

  “Shinji.” The Chief Sovereign of Light glanced at him.

  Upon seeing this person, Linley felt his heart rise. “The Starmist Sovereign!” Linley had seen this person before; this was the Sovereign who controlled the Infernal Realm’s Starmist Sea.

  “What a lively place this is. Even you came, Augusta. Shinji, Boson!” A warm voice rang out as a blurry violet energy began to solidify then transform into a human figure. It was a beautiful woman dressed in loose, faint violet robes. A familiar aura emanating from her caused Linley to have a thought.

  “This aura seems so similar to Reisgem’s.” Linley mused to himself.

  “Linley, long time no see. After you left the Amethyst Mountains, a mere few thousand years passed, but you’ve had such accomplishments.” The beautiful woman smiled as she looked at Linley. Her eyes seemed to contain some sort of astonishing charisma that could move a person’s soul.

  “Sovereign.” This time, when Linley bowed, it was with true sincerity and true respect. The Redbud Sovereign had indeed helped him greatly.

  “Haha…there really are quite a few people here. Are all of you here for the Overgod mission?” A clear voice rang out, and fiery energy solidified in the air, then condensed into a slightly plump man. His fiery red hair was casually mussed, and fire could be seen faintly flickering and swirling around him. In the center of his forehead, there was the seal of a golden flame.

  “Oh, so many have arrived already.” A black energy condensed.

  One Sovereign energy clone after another appeared in midair. Linley could only recognize just three or four of them; he didn’t recognize the vast majority of them.

  “So many Sovereigns.” Beirut had a hint of a smile on his face as he sent to Linley, “Linley, for so many Sovereigns to simultaneously appear is something which might not be seen in a trillion years.”

  “There are indeed many Sovereigns here.” Linley swept them with his gaze. In the air above him, more than fifteen Sovereigns had appeared!

  Logically speaking, there should only be seven Destruction-type Sovereigns in the Infernal Realm, but fifteen had appeared. A Sovereign of Fire. Of Water. Of Light. Of Earth…indeed, it was quite lively. With the majestic presences of so many Sovereigns present, even Linley felt some pressure.

  “I feel miserable.” Bebe sent to Linley.

  “Try and endure it.” Linley himself could do nothing.

  The Sovereigns began to chat amongst themselves.

  “Mr. Augusta, you have the Overgod decree?” The Sovereign with the golden flame seal on his forehead said hurriedly. The various Sovereigns were all staring at the Chief Sovereign of Light.

  The Chief Sovereign of Light let out a calm laugh. He didn’t try to hide it. Waving his hand, that green paper appeared, hovering above his palm. “This is the Overgod decree. There’s no need to hide the information within.” The Chief Sovereign of Light forthrightly allowed all of the Sovereigns to view the green paper. “Clearly, the news that spread in the Infernal Realm in the past was real!”

  The group of Sovereigns hovered there in midair, chatting amongst themselves.

  An Overgod mission! Although some Sovereigns didn’t dare dream of completing it, others wanted to give it a try! Even if the ones who didn’t dare make an attempt still cared greatly about this matter. After becoming Sovereigns, they no l
onger had many pursuits. Overgod missions were ones they cared about greatly.

  “Chief Sovereign, you’ve already inspected my interspatial ring. Now, Chief Sovereign, do you still doubt my words?” Linley said clearly.

  “Inspected? Hmph. Only two of your divine clones are present. Others remain hiding in the Yulan Plane. If you aren’t afraid of Sovereigns inspecting you, why have your divine clones hide there?” The Chief Sovereign of Light clearly wasn’t going to let Linley off that easily.

  “Linley’s divine clones went to the Yulan Plane?” Quite a few Sovereigns immediately called out in surprise.

  “Perhaps the information in the Overgod decree really is true. Then Linley might truly be holding the nine soul pearls.” This was what some Sovereigns began to believe.

  Linley looked at the group of Sovereigns in the air above him, then turned his gaze to the Chief Sovereign of Light. “Chief Sovereign, the Yulan Plane is my homeland. What’s the problem with me returning to my homeland? Can it be that after I successfully became a Paragon, I can’t even go home?”

  “You can. Of course you can.” The Chief Sovereign of Light said coldly. “Then would you dare have your other divine clones emerge from the Yulan Plane and come to the Infernal Realm?” As the Chief Sovereign of Light viewed it, there was no way Linley would let someone else carry a treasure like an Overgod talisman. Nine out of ten, Linley carried it on one of his interspatial rings.

  Linley stared at the Chief Sovereign of Light, then shook his head. “I will not.”

  Hearing Linley’s words, the Chief Sovereign of Light couldn’t help but laugh coldly. “Oh. It seems that the nine soul pearls truly are on your other divine clones.”

  “Linley doesn’t dare let his divine clones return to the Infernal Realm? It seems there really is something amiss.”

  That group of lofty Sovereigns watched and laughed calmly as this unfolded. They couldn’t be bothered to interfere. As for the Bloodridge Sovereign and the Redbud Sovereign, they just watched silently, not saying a word.

  “Chief Sovereign.” Linley laughed calmly. “You are an exalted Chief Sovereign, but just on the basis of a manufactured rumor, you were ready to attack me. Indeed, the Overgod mission might be real. But the information claimed that the ‘nine soul pearls’ and the ‘Overgod decree’ were on me, whereas now, the Overgod decree is in your hands, Chief Sovereign!”

  The group of Sovereigns turned to look at the Chief Sovereign of Light, as though they were watching a diverting play.

  “The Overgod decree is useless to you. It’s understandable for you to toss it aside.” The Chief Sovereign of Light said calmly. “Linley, you will bring your divine clones here. Otherwise…”

  “Otherwise what?” Beirut spoke out. Beirut raised his head to look at the Chief Sovereign of Light. “Almighty Chief Sovereign, what, are you planning to threaten a Deity?”

  The Chief Sovereign of Light lowered his head, giving Beirut an icy look. Beirut continued to smile.

  “Linley, bring your divine clones over and allow me to inspect them.” The Chief Sovereign of Light said calmly. “After inspecting, I naturally won’t act against you.” Given how many Sovereigns were watching, for now, the Chief Sovereign of Light didn’t want to shed all pretense of cordiality and attack a Highgod Paragon.

  “Chief Sovereign.” Linley raised his head, staring coldly at the Chief Sovereign. “It isn’t that I don’t believe you; only, your words make me unable to believe you. Just now, you threatened me; how could I possibly dare bring my divine clones out? If I bring all of my divine clones but end up being killed by you, I, Linley, wouldn’t even have the chance to curse at you.”

  The Chief Sovereign of Light’s face sank as he heard this.

  “There is no way I will bring my divine clones out from the Infernal Realm. However, my divine clones definitely are not in possession of the nine soul pearls.” Linley said clearly. “I, Linley, can swear it! Overgod of Fate, if the divine clones of myself, Linley, which are currently in the Yulan Plane are in possession of the nine soul pearls, then let my soul be dissipated and let me die!”

  Linley stared at the Chief Sovereign of Light.

  “Hrm?” The Chief Sovereign of Light frowned slightly.

  The surrounding Sovereigns either secretly chatted through divine sense or began to chat openly.

  “Can it be that he truly doesn’t have it?” The Chief Sovereign of Light was puzzled.

  “Can it be that it is on Linley’s friends or family?” The Chief Sovereign of Light mused. He couldn’t help but glance at Bebe, by Linley’s side. He barked, “Linley, perhaps the nine soul pearls are not on you, but you probably hid them on your friends. Such as the person next to you.”

  The look on Linley’s face became ugly.

  “Chief Sovereign, if you want to investigate, then investigate.” Linley looked towards Bebe. “Bebe, give your interspatial ring to the Chief Sovereign of Light.”

  “Yes. Boss.” Bebe didn’t hesitate.

  Seeing how straightforward Linley was, the Chief Sovereign of Light just said icily, “No need to continue with this game of charades. I know that neither he nor you are holding it. If he did, he would probably be in the Yulan Plane as well! Linley, as I see it, those nine soul pearls must be in the Yulan Plane. Either on your divine clones, or on your family members.”

  The Chief Sovereign of Light had no idea that those two talismans were right on Bebe!

  “Chief Sovereign, you wanted to search me, so I let you search! You suspected my divine clones, so I swore an oath by the Overgods! You suspected my brother, so I let him give you his interspatial ring to search! And now, you suspect my family and friends! I imagine that even if I brought my family and friends before you for you to search, after you were unable to find it, you would probably say that I had hidden the interspatial ring in some location within my homeland, the Yulan continent.” Linley said in a low voice.

  The Chief Sovereign of Light was startled.

  “For the sake of avoiding all suspicion and trouble, why don’t we just be more straightforward about it. Chief Sovereign, go ahead and send a group of Highgods to my homeland, the Yulan continent, and search for it.” An ugly look was on Linley’s face. “I guarantee that my family, friends, and divine clones will make themselves available for your forces to search. You can even let your people search the entire Yulan continent. I have no qualms about this.”

  The Chief Sovereign of Light glanced at the nearby Beirut.

  Go to the Yulan Plane?

  As a Sovereign, he was unable to enter the Yulan Plane. If he sent a group of Highgods, wouldn’t they have to obediently follow Beirut’s rules?

  “Augusta, considering how far Linley is willing to go…forget it. That part of the information regarding the Overgod mission was real, but the other parts were probably false.” The Redbud Sovereign laughed as she spoke.

  The Chief Sovereign of Light stared coldly at Linley.

  In his heart, he was pondering, “Linley’s words…on the surface, he is asking me to go search, but if I send people there, they will be in Beirut’s sphere of power. How will they search? He’s just putting on an act and saying these things. He definitely wouldn’t entrust the nine soul pearls to an ordinary person. It seems the nine soul pearls are on Linley’s family or friends.” The Chief Sovereign of Light came to this conclusion.

  “Linley!”

  The Chief Sovereign of Light stared down coldly at Linley. “Don’t play these tricks with me. Have all of your family, friends, and divine clones come to the Infernal Realm. I, Augusta, swear that I will not kill you. But if you refuse…then you will die!”

  He was going too far!

  The Chief Sovereign of Light really was going too far by threatening Linley repeatedly. Quite a few of the surrounding Sovereigns all felt this way, but these Sovereigns weren’t willing to casually offend the Chief Sovereign of Light, and so they just watched.

  “Chief Sovereign, if I let my family and friends
come over while my divine clones remain behind, is that acceptable?” Linley laughed coldly.

  “Of course not.” The Chief Sovereign of Light didn’t hesitate at all.

  As he saw it, if Linley’s family and friends came, most likely the nine soul pearls would be given to Linley’s divine clones.

  “Haha…”

  Below, Linley began to laugh from ‘rage’. “Chief Sovereign and all of the surrounding Sovereigns, my actions have been clear for you all to see. I have, time and time again, held back and allowed this Chief Sovereign to search me. I’ve even sworn an oath by the Overgods and am even willing to let my family and friends come to the Infernal Realm. But you?”

  “Your intentions are clear. You insist on all of my divine clones coming out!”

  Linley’s rage was beginning to tower. “If I brought all of my divine clones here to see you, then wouldn’t my life and death no longer be under my own control? Most likely, by then, you’d kill me if you felt like it! I, Linley, am not that stupid. I, Linley, have already been sufficiently respectful to you today. Everything I’ve done, all of these Sovereigns have witnessed. If you want to continue threatening me, what more can I do? All I can do is tell you this; I’m not able to comply!”

  “If, by relying on your power as a Sovereign, you kill me, I’m not able to fight back. Attack when you please.” Linley stared coldly at the Chief Sovereign of Light. “In my heart, Sovereigns are lofty, exalted figures. I deeply respect and venerate Sovereigns, but Chief Sovereign, I just want to say one thing to you…don’t make me look down on you!”

  When Linley’s words came out, the Chief Sovereign of Light’s face turned black.

  Linley just raised his head, staring at the Chief Sovereign of Light, not willing to lower his head at all.

  Linley knew that the more he gave way, the more the Chief Sovereign of Light would advance and pressure him. To Linley…although handing over the nine soul pearls could save his life, he couldn’t hand them over! That was his hope of bringing Grandpa Doehring back to life! Even if he died, it would just be the death of his original body and a divine clone.