Linley and Wharton had been separated for nearly seventeen years.
Seventeen years ago, shortly after the Yulan festival of that year, Wharton had left Wushan Township by the side of Housekeeper Hiri and headed towards the distant O’Brien Empire. At that time, Linley was only ten, while Wharton was six. The two brothers had been very innocent and knew so little about the outside world. And back then, they were supported by Hogg, who had protected them like an old hawk looking after its chicks.
But now, Hogg was long dead. Of the two brothers, one was a Count of the O’Brien Empire, while the other possessed the terrifying power of the Saint-level.
Within the Count’s manor.
Linley, Wharton, Housekeeper Hiri, Hillman, Nader, the Barker brothers, Zassler, Jenne, Rebecca, and Leena were all gathered together.
Two rectangular tables had been covered with wine and food.
Wharton and Linley were engaged in conversation regarding what had happened in recent years. Although Wharton had gotten general information regarding Linley from the Dawson Conglomerate, when he personally chatted with Linley, he couldn’t help but grow anxious as he listened.
So close. His big brother had come so close to dying.
“During those three years of training in the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, followed by the six years of training in the Northwest Administrative Province, although I encountered several dangerous battles, in the end, I arrived without suffering any major harm.” Linley laughed. “In the past, I was worried about the Radiant Church. But now? Although I don’t have the power to raid their headquarters yet, I have more than enough power to protect myself.”
The Radiant Church had been established in the Yulan continent for many years now.
For it to be on par with the O’Brien Empire as one of the premier powers of the Yulan continent, it definitely had a terrifying amount of hidden power. From the fact that the War God’s College was able to send out three personal disciples who were all at the Saint-level, one could determine that the Radiant Church must surely have quite a number of Saint-level experts of its own.
“Big bro, you, you’ve reached the Saint-level?” Wharton was shocked and excited. Wharton knew how difficult training could be. Although he himself had an extremely high density of Dragonblood in his veins, he was still only of the eighth rank, and even in Dragonform was only at the peak of the ninth rank.
The density of the Dragonblood in Linley’s veins was lower than in his own.
But for Linley to be able to claim that he had more than enough power to protect himself surely meant that Linley had reached the Saint-level.
“After Dragonforming, I indeed am at the Saint-level.” Linley said with a smile.
Hillman and Housekeeper Hiri, seated at the same table, exchanged glances, excitement in their eyes. Housekeeper Hiri’s voice was hoarse with excitement. “I’ve taken care of three generations of Baruch clan members now. The Baruch clan has finally produced a Saint-level combatant.”
The Saint-level was simply on a whole different level.
If a clan had a Saint-level in it, as long as that Saint-level did not die, then the clan would never decay or weaken.
“Wharton.” Linley looked at Wharton. “When I was in the Northwest Administrative Province, I paid attention to your affairs. It seems that you and that Imperial Seventh Princess…”
Wharton nodded honestly. “It’s true, big brother. I truly wish to marry Nina, but right now, the situation is very complicated. Right after Caylan gave up his pursuit of her, Blumer appeared.”
On the road over, Linley had already learned of this issue.
After all, right now, there are many rumors regarding Wharton, Nina, and Blumer.
“Blumer. I’ve heard people in the streets of the imperial capital discussing Blumer. He seems to be the personal disciple of the War God, and is the younger brother of Olivier.” Linley laughed calmly.
Wharton nodded, a hint of worry appearing in his brows again. “Big bro, you don’t understand how famous Olivier is within the O’Brien Empire. Olivier is simply too powerful, terrifyingly powerful. Nine years ago, he already possessed the power of a peak-stage Saint-level. And now…who knows how powerful he has become?”
Linley patted Wharton on the shoulders. “Wharton, don’t inflate the deeds of others and downplay your own abilities.”
Wharton nodded.
Housekeeper Hiri sighed emotionally. “Young master Linley, you’ve never lived in the imperial capital. Perhaps you don’t fully understand how influential the War God’s College is. Even the Emperor himself would be extremely courteous to the personal disciples of the War God’s College. The personal disciples of the War God have an extremely exalted status.”
Hillman said seriously, “After all, there have been over a hundred generations of Emperors since the War God founded the Empire. Many of the Emperors in the history of the Empire have never even met the War God. But the personal disciples of the War God? They are qualified to meet him. Tell me, who does the War God care more about?”
Linley now understood.
Good point.
A hundred plus generations had passed. Although the War God was the ancestor of Johann, after five thousand years, who knew how many descendants the War God had? How much affection would the War God truly have for each individual descendant of his over the past hundred generations?
Just judging from the fact that many Emperors had never even met the War God, one could tell what the answer to that question was.
By contrast, personal disciples were different. The War God would even personally instruct them.
“It isn’t that I’m inflating the deeds of others. It’s that I truly am not confident.” Wharton was frustrated. “I really don’t know what I’ll do if Nina ends up being given to Blumer.”
Wharton truly could not accept this result.
“F*ck his grandmother, if that Emperor dares to do such a thing, then we bros will go over and abduct the princess and bring her over to be your woman.” Gates immediately said.
The entire hall immediately grew silent.
Wharton stared at Gates in shock, then looked at Linley. “Big bro, who is this?”
Only now did Linley come to his senses. He had been so excited at his reunion with his little brother that he had focused on chatting with him, and had totally forgotten to introduce Zassler and the others.
“Haha…”
Linley rose to his feet. “Wharton, let the servants leave first. The attendants outside can leave as well.” Linley was about to introduce these people in his group to Wharton.
There was no need to hide anything from one of his own.
“Understood.” Although Wharton didn’t know what Linley wanted to talk about, he immediately followed Linley’s instructions and dismissed the servants and attendants.
Linley first walked in front of Jenne, Rebecca, and Leena. Sighing with emotion, he said, “Wharton, in the past, our mother was forcibly abducted by the Radiant Church, precisely because her soul was pure. Rebecca and Leena had been abducted for the same reason.”
Hearing these words, Wharton felt an emotional resonance in his heart.
“When I was in the Northwest Administrative Province, I rescued them. This one is Jenne. Wharton, you need to treat these three girls as you would a big sister or little sister.” Linley instructed.
Wharton nodded.
“As for this gentleman…” Linley walked towards Zassler. Actually, whenever Wharton and the others looked at Zassler, they felt their hearts tremble. His thin, skeletal body and his dark green eyes caused fear in the hearts of whoever saw him.
“This is Zassler, an Arch Magus necromancer of the ninth rank. He is the oldest member of my group, and is already over eight hundred years old.”
Linley’s words caused Wharton, Housekeeper Hiri, Hillman, and Nader to all be astonished.
Necromancer? This was a legendary type of magus. And an Arch Magus necromancer of the ninth rank? It was far harder for a magus to advance than a warrior, due to the high requirement for spiritual energy. By contrasts, warriors didn’t require much spiritual energy.