Book 12, The Descent of the Gods – Chapter 3, Dividing the Treasures
Dragonblood Castle. Within the underground pocket dimension.
Linley’s wife, Delia, was listening to him talk about the events of the Necropolis of the Gods. As she listened, she felt fear for him as he described encountering the Ba-Serpent on the third floor…
Felt worry for Barker’s near-death experience.
Felt shock at the frightful power of the Flame Tyrant on the sixth floor.
Felt terror at how Linley had nearly died under the tendrils of Queen Mother Lachapalle.
“A million Abyssal Blade Demons!” Delia, hearing what Linley had encountered on the eleventh floor, was totally petrified. “When we sent our army to fight against the Radiant Church and the Cult of Shadows who had joined forces against us, I saw an army of five hundred thousand. Five hundred thousand soldiers already composed a sea of people, endless and uncountable.”
“Right. They were boundless and inexhaustible in number.”
Linley couldn’t help but think back to that scene. At that time, as soon as the experts had exited from the underground area, nearly a million Abyssal Blade Demons, covering the skies, had simultaneously charged down while chopping down with long range energy blades. What an apocalyptic scene that had been. That was what had caused the second of the three Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions to die.
“Continue telling me more. How did you escape ,and how did you manage to acquire divine sparks in that sort of environment.” Delia was nervous.
Delia knew very well that right now, having only partially begun to fuse with the divine spark, she could only be considered a half-god. Even her ‘Godrealm’ was incomplete, and she wasn’t able to actually apply any of the profound mysteries in the Elemental Laws at all. If she had been on the eleventh floor of the Necropolis of the Gods, most likely those massed Abyssal Blade Demons would have slaughtered her.
Linley immediately continued, describing how the experts had risked everything to charge towards the tunnel. He described how in the end, he had gone to block those Abyssal Blade Demons, and then how he had been pursued underground before finally coming to understand the ‘Profound Truths of Velocity’.
“Whew.” After Linley finished his story, Delia finally dared to let out a breath and relax.
Delia raised her head to look at Linley.
Delia still remembered how, those years in the past, Linley had been the indomitable young genius magus of the Ernst Institute. And now, Linley was an ultimate expert who was capable of dominating a million Abyssal Blade Demons. Delia couldn’t help but feel proud of her husband.
“What are you looking at?” Linley laughed.
“Looking at you.” Delia’s current expression was like that of a innocent young girl.
Linley began to laugh. “Right, Delia. What do you think I should do with these three divine sparks? All of those experts had hinted interest towards me. But of course, after having been lectured by Lord Beirut, perhaps they have changed their minds.”
Linley had to admit that Delia was much stronger than him in terms of managing human relations.
“Linley, jeeze…” Delia couldn’t help but laugh in resignation, shaking her head. “You really…I don’t even want to lecture you any longer. In the Necropolis of the Gods, of the humans, Desri, Olivier, Fain, Rosarie, and Tulily remain. Of these five, Desri has the best relationship with us, right? And according to Beirut, Olivier’s potential is very high!”
“But think about it. Fain received a Pearl of Life, while Tulily and Rosarie each received a divine artifact. Olivier and Desri, on the other hand, received nothing.”
Delia laughed as she looked at Linley. “Olivier’s potential is high, while Desri is on good terms with us. Both are worthy of being pulled closer to us. But…neither of them received anything.”
Linley opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say.
“Linley, your status is now different compared to the past. You are the pillar of our Baruch Empire. You can’t make decisions so casually any longer.” Delia said. “Look, right now, in the human societies of the Yulan continent, the two most powerful are the Yulan Empire and the O’Brien Empire, because they possess the War God and the High Priest.”
“Only with a Deity will an Empire have longevity.”
“Even if you become a Deity, Linley, most likely, compared to the likes of the War God, it will still be hard for you to overcome them. After all, they have been Deities for a long time.”
Linley nodded slightly.
The power of the War God and the High Priest was indeed far greater than he could hope to fathom for now.
Delia sighed. “Desri himself lives in the borders of our Baruch Empire, and his daughter has married your good friend, Reynolds. You should pull Desri closer to our side and let us all become one family.”
“But of course, while pulling others close is important, strengthening our own people is even more important.” Delia said. “Thus, I think that of the three divine sparks, one of them needs to go to your little brother Wharton, or to one of the Barker brothers.”
“The second divine spark should be reserved for Desri.”
“As for the third divine spark, for now, just hold on to it, in case we suddenly need it. For example, if the War God or the High Priest were to come and ask for it on behalf of a disciple. Or for example, if Dylin or Cesar came. Both are possible. Dylin has his sons, while Cesar has that Rosarie. For them to owe us a debt is a good thing for us.”
Hearing Delia’s analysis, Linley felt as though the mystery bedeviling him had suddenly been resolved.
“Alright, Delia. We’ll just do what you said.” Linley nodded.
Delia continued, “Linley, as for your ten divine artifacts, three red warblades, and a thousand regular Abyssal Blade Demon blades…as I see it, the thousand Abyssal Blade Demon warblades should temporarily be stored. They can be considered the guardian treasures of our Empire. After all, every single one of them is comparable to your adamantine heavy sword. In addition, if we were to take them all out at once, a great tumult would be caused in the continent.”
Linley nodded.
“As for the thirteen divine artifacts, including those red warblades, that’s much easier to dispose of. Divide them out within the family, or perhaps you can give one or two of them to Desri. The divine artifacts are easy to divide up.” Delia said.
Linley began to laugh. “Alright. However, there is one item amongst the thirteen which you have to take.”
“What?” Delia asked curiously.
Linley, with a flip of his hand, retrieved a set of divine battle armor from his interspatial ring. “Delia, this divine battle armor is yours.”
“Uh?” Delia was stunned momentarily, then she immediately said, “Linley, you are the pillar of our Empire. You should be the one to wear this divine battle armor.”
Linley began to laugh. “No need, Delia. First of all, I already have a Pearl of Life. Secondly…once I reach the Deity-level…you need to understand that the ‘Earth Saint Armor’ spell can be used at the Deity-level as well. At that time…the defensive power of my ‘Divine Earth Armor’ will definitely be on par with your divine battle armor.
“Then give it to Wharton. After all, I’m fusing a divine spark.” Delia said.
Linley shook his head. “No need. Didn’t you say it yourself? One of the three divine sparks will be reserved for our own people. In a few days, I’ll go ask Wharton if he is willing to fuse a divine spark. If he is willing, then he will become a Deity. If he isn’t willing, then after I finish a final matter, I will give my Pearl of Life to him.”
“A last matter?” Delia started. “Linley, are you saying…?”
Linley nodded slightly. “I have been looking forward to this for a long, long time. Although right now, I don’t have complete confidence, they definitely don’t have the ability to injure me.” Linley’s eyes flashed with a hint of fierce light.
………..
Wharton had already retired and given up the throne to his son, Cena Baruch, who was the new Emperor of the Baruch Empire.
After learning that Linley had returned, Wharton had immediately flew back and returned to Dragonblood Castle, and Linley’s daughter, Sasha, had returned as well. All five of the Barker brothers reunited here, and now, all of the people who had followed Linley so many years ago were together in the hall.
Linley asked Wharton if he was willing to absorb the divine spark to become a Deity. After all, Wharton was himself already a Dragonblood Warrior Saint.
But Wharton’s response made Linley feel resigned.
“Big bro, if I were to fuse with the elemental divine spark you want to give me, after I become an earth-style Demigod, would I still be able to continue training in the Elemental Laws of Fire?”
“You cannot. Once you become an earth-style Demigod, your ability to sense other elements will drop greatly, while your ability to sense earth elemental essence will greatly rise. Earth-style Demigods will find it virtually impossible to gain insights into the Elemental Laws of Fire.”
“Big bro, do you have a fire-style divine spark?”
“I do not.”
“Then I won’t use it.”
Wharton’s response had been very simple and blunt. As it turned out, upon reaching the Saint level, Wharton had begun to walk on the path of the Elemental Laws of Fire. Although Wharton had just begun to gain insights, he truly enjoyed the sensation of understanding the Elemental Laws of Fire.
Linley didn’t argue with him.
He understood his little brother, because he, too, liked the feeling of his soul becoming one with the earth or with the wind. He liked feeling the wind’s freedom and the earth’s vastness. To Linley, training in the Elemental Laws of Wind and Earth was a sort of spiritual relaxation and enjoyment.
If someone were to give Linley a fire-style divine spark and then tell him to go fuse it, Linley wouldn’t b