Linley still couldn’t completely understand that sort of pride and arrogance.
If Linley was in control of the clan, he probably would have his clansmen all hide themselves within the Skyrite Mountains and wait for the day when they had a 90% chance of success in gaining revenge before going and battling with the enemy.
“Perhaps…it’s because I never experienced the glory days of the Four Divine Beasts clan.” Linley said to himself.
The arrogance of the Four Divine Beasts clan came from countless years of being mighty. Countless years of glory. The illustriousness of the clan had long ago been embedded in the hearts of every single Elder.
“Enough.” Gislason laughed loudly. “Just look at those looks on your faces. Today is a day of celebration. Why are we all discussing those things? Come, let’s have a toast. Enough of that topic. Today, let’s just drink to our heart’s content and have a good celebration, a celebration for Linley’s victory!”
“Yes, let’s celebrate!” All of the Elders raised their wine glasses while looking towards Linley.
Linley couldn’t help but feel the blood boiling in his veins. He, too, raised his glass, and each and every single member of Squad Thirteen, seated at the margins of the palace, all raised their cups as well.
“Cheers!” Gislason said brightly.
“Cheers!”
Everyone in the palace replied, and they all downed their wine in one gulp.
During this banquet, nobody else raised any dispiriting matters. There had been far too many brutal, vicious happenings over the past few years. A good celebration was long past overdue. But this sort of happiness only made Linley feel all the more aware of the dreary sadness hidden behind this formerly unsurpassably powerful Four Divine Beasts clan!
The dreary desolateness of an ancient clan which had fallen.
But although they had fallen, the clan still had their pride! Even in the face of despair, they wouldn’t compromise at all! Anybody who wanted to attack the clan in their moment of weakness would have to pay an enormous price as well!
The celebratory mood of the banquet finally came to an end, and each of the Elders left. Linley and the members of Squad Thirteen were about to leave as well.
“Linley. Stay.” The voice of the Patriarch came from the front of the palace.
Linley couldn’t help but feel puzzled, but he immediately instructed the members of Squad Thirteen, “You can go back first.”
“Yes, Captain.” Melina and the others all flew back.
Linley returned to the palace. The many platters within the palace were currently being taken away by the serving maids at high speed. Patriarch Gislason walked down from his position at the front of the palace, then instructed, “Linley, let’s chat inside.”
“Yes, Patriarch.”
Linley followed Gislason into a side room next to the palace.
The side room wasn’t very large. After Linley walked into it, he only heard a ‘squeak’ as the door actually closed automatically.
“Sit.” A hint of a smile was on Gislason’s face.
Linley sat down, then asked, “Patriarch, is there something you need?”
“I made you an Elder, but I didn’t expect that during the Conclave of Elders, they would actually have you go to Bloodbath Gorge. By the time I found out about it, I couldn’t order you to come back.” Gislason sighed. “You are only a God. It isn’t very appropriate to have you in Bloodbath Gorge.”
Gislason valued Linley very highly. One reason was because of Linley’s connection to his father, the ‘Azure Dragon’, while the other reason was because of the power which Linley had displayed.
“I originally thought that my younger sister wouldn’t give you any assignments, but who would’ve thought that she did?” Gislason continued.
“The other Elders are all fight on behalf of the clan. How can I be an exception?” Linley said.
Gislason’s eyes lit up. Laughing, he nodded. “Actually, my younger sister and I were both mistaken about each other. I had thought…that my younger sister wouldn’t send you to do battle. But my younger sister thought…that I had already given you Sovereign’s Might, and so you would be able to protect yourself. That’s why she sent you off.”
“Sovereign’s Might?” Linley said, puzzled.
“Right.”
Gislason nodded as he spoke. “Generally speaking, anyone who can become an Elder of our Four Divine Beasts clan would soon afterwards be bestowed a drop of Sovereign’s Might. But there must be an explanation given for this bestowal of Sovereign’s Might. You have to have accomplished some sort of meritorious deed, at least. That matter between you and Emanuel? That was just causing trouble. Although you became an Elder, it wasn’t appropriate for me to bestow a Sovereign’s Might upon you right away.”
“But this time, you can be considered to have rendered great merits.”
With a flip of his hand, Gislason revealed a drop of azure ‘water’. Contained within that azure water drop was a power that made one’s heart tremble.
“Today, I bestow upon you this drop of water-type Sovereign’s Might.” Gislason said. As he spoke, the drop of Sovereign’s Might floated towards Linley. Linley, watching that drop of Sovereign’s Might float towards him, was utterly stunned.
Bestowing Sovereign’s Might to him?
He himself already had two drops. But of course, at a time like this, Linley couldn’t refuse.
“Thank you, Patriarch.” Linley hurriedly stretched his hand out, accepting this drop of Sovereign’s Might.
Gislason laughd and nodded. “Now that you have a drop of Sovereign’s Might, even if you run into some sort of critically dangerous situation, you’ll be able to stay alive. But Linley, unless the situation is truly critical, you cannot waste this drop of Sovereign’s Might. If you are forced to use it, you need to wipe out the enemy.”
Linley lowered his head to look at the drop of Sovereign’s Might.
This was a drop of the power of a Sovereign, but could it truly be used to save his life? Would it be able to defend against the soul attacks of others? Linley still clearly remembered that scene of how that Mosley executed his innate divine ability.
“Patriarch, can it be that Sovereign’s Might can be used to defend against soul attacks?” Linley hurriedly asked.
As Linley saw it, a Sovereign’s power should be to a Sovereign what divine power was to a Deity. It shouldn’t have much to do with the soul.
“Of course it can.” Gislason laughed.
“How?” Linley said, puzzled. “It shouldn’t be possible for ordinary material force to block soul attacks, right?”
Gislason laughed even harder. “Linley, are you under the impression that a Sovereign’s power is just the ‘advanced’ version of ‘divine power’?”
“Isn’t it?” Linley said, puzzled.
“Wrong.” Gislason shook his head. “Sovereign’s Might is very unique. For example…it can actually strengthen our bodies.”
Gislason took a deep breath, then said seriously, “Linley, that year, my father explained to me that after he became a Sovereign…his body only contained a single type of energy. Sovereign power!”
“What do you mean?” Linley said, puzzled. “Of course a Sovereign would have Sovereign power.”
“What I mean is…Sovereigns don’t even have spiritual energy!” Gislason said.
“Wha?!” Linley was stupefied.
The soul was a person’s foundation. Anyone who had a soul would naturally have spiritual energy.
“Or, to be more precise, Sovereign power is the same as spiritual energy!” Gislason laughed. “Thus, Sovereign’s Might is capable of not just being a material energy source, it can also be used an energy source for the soul.”
“Ah!?” Linley was shocked.
“You can rely on it to unleash material attacks, but you can also use it to unleash soul attacks. Naturally, you can also rely on it to block against soul attacks.” Gislason said.