Book 20, The Crown’s Riddle – Chapter 25, A Sudden Shockwave
The hazy light of the Blood Sun seemed to cover the entire Lotte tribe with a layer of bloody gauze.
The entire Lotte tribe was deathly silent!
The battle with Brodie had caused nearly ten percent of the God-level warriors of the tribe to perish. Although this didn’t sound like a large number, ten percent represented the lives of hundreds of Gods. Fortunately, this was the Infernal Realm, and everyone was accustomed to slaughter and death. Thus, the Lotte tribe quickly returned to normal, and the former ‘number two expert’ of the tribe, the escort captain ‘Bolan’ [Bo’lin], became the new chief.
“I don’t understand. How could that kid Brodie have become so powerful? Last time, when he fled the tribe, he was just a God. Even I could’ve killed him with ease! His strength was quite average. But after ten short years...just ten short years! Inconceivable. How could he have grown so powerful? Just before starting the battle, the chief himself said that Brodie was nothing more than a divine spark Highgod. But the chief, a Six Star Fiend, died to him!
All sorts of discussions were currently going on within the Lotte tribe.
“Some of those dead brothers of ours have some surviving divine clones. They all said that Brodie’s body contained an unusual energy that was able to devour souls!”
“I saw it as well. It was a ray of green light which killed the chief! I used the scryer technique to record it down.”
“Hey...let me tell you something. I was fairly close to Brodie, and I was able to find through divine sense the source of that green light. It was a caltrop-shaped red diamond he was holding in his hand. As I see it, the reason Brodie became so strong has to have something to do with that unusual diamond which emanated that green light!”
Brodie had already taken his wife and flown away long ago. This was the reason why these tribesmen now dared to discuss these things.
“I heard that curly brown-haired elder was named ‘Barriman’, and that he wanted to buy the scryer recordings of Brodie massacring the tribesmen earlier?” A tall, skinny, white-haired youth asked.
“Right. Just yesterday, Lord Barriman returned once more to buy the previous scryer recordings. He was willing to pay a million inkstones for each recording. He really does live up to his reputation as a true expert who even Chief Allott received with sincerity. He really is generous in his actions. Right, tell me, why do you think Lord Barriman purchased the scryer recordings from us?”
“Hmph.” The tall, skinny, white-haired youth let out a chuckle. “Doesn’t that go without saying? He definitely wants to accumulate enough scryer recordings, the more detailed the better, and then auction them off to the Fiend Castles! Brodie, a Highgod who fused with a divine spark, while holding that unusual diamond, was able to kill a Six Star Fiend. I’ve never heard of such a terrifying treasure. That diamond definitely is an incredible treasure. For Brodie to have such power when wielding it...if it was a Seven Star Fiend or a Lord Prefect who had the treasure, how mighty would it be? As I see it, Lord Barriman wants to rely on this information to earn a huge fortune.”
Few idiots were able to become Deities. The guesses of the tribesmen were correct; the Six Star Fiend, ‘Barriman’, could be considered an expert in the Infernal Realm. He knew about the Overgod missions, and he understood...that this red diamond might be the legendary Overgod talisman, the ‘red caltrop diamond’!
An Overgod talisman! What sort of treasure was this!
But Barriman also knew that whether the Overgod mission was real or false was hard to say. Thus, Barriman collected as much detailed information as he could, totaling tens of scryer recordings, then offered them at a sky-high price to the Fiend Castle! In addition, he actually dared to guarantee that the red caltrop diamond which he, Barriman, had located, was as valuable as a Sovereign artifact, even if it wasn’t an Overgod talisman.
The price...
Was one trillion inkstones!
This price, to the Fiend Castles, wasn’t worth mentioning. But a fairly wealthy Seven Star Fiend’s entire net worth might be only around a trillion inkstones or so. And what’s more, it was uncertain as to whether or not the ‘Overgod mission’ was even real. If he set a price which was too high, the Fiend Castle could simply send its own people to investigate independently.
The deal was made!
The Fiend Castle spent a trillion inkstones and purchased this intelligence report.
The Fiend Castle’s staff members verified the report, and then were convinced that the red caltrop diamond which emanated that green light was definitely a unique treasure. All of the Fiend Castles of the Infernal Realm thus received a copy of this report.
The Redbud Continent. The third floor of a city’s Fiend Castle.
“What sort of intelligence report do you need?”
The staff member behind the counter said calmly.
“Information regarding the Overgod mission. Ten million inkstones, right?” A silver-haired, cyclopean youth said coldly while handing over ten million inkstones and his Fiend emblem.
The intelligence agent behind the counter verified the Fiend emblem. His attitude instantly became more respectful, and he immediately brought out a scroll and scryer recordings.
After viewing the scryer recordings and the scroll, the silver-haired cyclopean youth turned and prepared to leave. But the staff member suddenly said, “Mr. Sigu, our Fiend Castle just received some information regarding the Overgod talisman, the ‘red caltrop diamond’. This information is absolutely real. The diamond mentioned by the report, even if not an Overgod talisman, is definitely a spiritual treasure comparable to a Sovereign artifact.”
“Oh?” The silver-haired cyclopean youth turned his head suddenly. “Either an Overgod talisman or a treasure comparable to a Sovereign artifact?”
“Right.” The staff member nodded with complete confidence. “This is absolutely true.”
“What is the price of this report?” The silver-haired cyclopean youth said coldly.
“To someone like you, Lord Sigu, the price isn’t that high. Only ninety billion inkstones!” The staff member said with a smile.
This price....caused the silver-haired cyclopean youth to frown as well.
The Fiend Castle was quite clever in setting prices. Ninety billion inkstones meant that the price was within the tens of billions. If they set the price at a hundred billion, that would be on a different level and give people a different type of feeling. The report that they had purchased for a trillion inkstones would thus only have to be sold at ninety billion inkstones for eleven or twelve times in order for them to recoup their investment.
“Fine.” The silver-haired cyclopean youth waved his hand and removed an interspatial ring, then tossed it over. “There are ninety billion inkstones within this.”
“Lord Sigu, please wait a moment. This sort of important report is being carried by the governor himself, who carries it with him. I will ask him to provide it. Please wait.” The staff member was very courteous. Sigu was a Seven Star Fiend.
Generally speaking, the intelligence agents would only recommend this sort of information to someone who reached the Six Star Fiend or Seven Star Fiend level. Those who were too weak didn’t have the money to buy information of this level.
Moments later, the silver-haired cyclopean youth received the intelligence report.
He flipped through the contents of it while also viewing the dozens of scryer recordings.
“Something which allows a Highgod who fused with divine sparks to defeat a Six Star Fiend?” The silver-haired cyclopean youth was shocked. He didn’t hesitate at all, immediately flying out of the Fiend Castle at high speed.
As a Seven Star Fiend, the silver-haired cyclopean youth instantly raised his speed to the highest limit as he flew towards the Muja Continent!
The Fiend Castles were spread throughout the Infernal Realm. The Infernal Realm had many experts, and quite a few of them were able to purchase this sort of information. Many of them, upon seeing the detailed contents of this report, began to converge towards the Muja Continent. Unfortunately...the Infernal Realm was simply too vast!
It would take too long for people from other continents to hurry to the Muja Continent.
But fortunately, the experts also travelled quite quickly.
Jadefloat Continent. Graceseal City.
Linley’s group was leisurely wandering about the city. Afterwards, they habitually arrived at the third floor of the local Fiend Castle, and Linley once more purchased information regarding the Overgod talisman.
Linley flipped through the intelligence report, then turned to leave.
“Lord Linley, I have another set of valuable information regarding the red caltrop diamond in specific.” The intelligence agent said hurriedly. After having inspected Linley’s Fiend emblem, he already knew that Linley was a Seven Star Fiend.
“Oh, valuable information? Regarding the red caltrop diamond? Why did you separate it from the other related reports?” Linley laughed as he looked at the intelligence agent.
“Boss, the Fiend Castle really knows how to make money.” Bebe sighed.
“All businessmen are evil, you know.” Yale chortled merrily. Yale had been the manager of the Dawson Conglomerate; he knew quite a bit about business.
The intelligence agent laughed awkwardly, “Lord Linley, ordinary people aren’t qualified to view this intelligence report, and the price we paid to acquire it was astronomical as well. We can’t operate at a loss, you know. Our Fiend Castle has already verified the information in this report, and we are able to vouch...that this red caltrop diamond, even if it isn’t an Overgod talisman, is something comparable to a Sovereign artifact.”
“Oh?” Linley’s eyes lit up.
“Lord Linley, are you willing to buy it? The price isn’t high, just ninety billion inkstones.” The intelligence agent said hurriedly.
Ninety billion inkstones, to the current Linley, truly was nothing.
It must be understood that even an ancient clan like Salomon and Nisse’s had hundreds of trillions of inkstones. And the price of a single drop of Sovereign’s Might far surpassed a hundred trillion inkstones.
In addition, although the Four Divine Beasts clan which had previously spread its power throughout the greater planes had retreated from those planes, the wealth that they had acquired over the years hadn’t declined. Their wealth was truly astronomical. As the number one expert of the current Four Divine Beasts clan, Linley naturally wasn’t treated stingily by the Four Divine Beasts clan. They gave him with an interspatial ring filled with wealth. As to how much it held, Linley didn’t even try to calculate it.
To the current Linley, wealth didn’t mean anything any longer.
“Alright. I will buy this intelligence report.” Linley nodded.
“Lord Linley, please wait momentarily. I will immediately go make the request of the Lord Governor.” The intelligence agent was overjoyed, and he hurriedly left while speaking.
Linley’s group waited momentarily, and as they did, Bebe mentally spoke to Linley. “Boss, the price the Fiend Castle requested is so high, and they hid the report in such a secretive manner. Do you think that the red caltrop diamond they found might really be the Overgod talisman?” Bebe also knew that Linley was in possession of two of them.
“Possibly.” Linley nodded.
Although on the surface, he looked calm, in his heart, Linley was unable to repress his excitement and anticipation!
“I already have two of them and only lack a single one. Once the three come together, I can offer them to the Overgod of Life and make a request.” Linley knew that he could request an Overgod artifact, and that his request would definitely be granted. But Linley didn’t want it. He just wanted Grandpa Doehring to once more appear before him!
Footsteps rang out once more.
Several figures suddenly walked out, with the leader, a handsome, black-robed youth, hurriedly striding forward and bowing upon seeing Linley. “Greetings, Mr. Linley!”
“Governor...” His subordinates, including the intelligence agent, were all stunned.
The power level of the governors of the Fiend Castles were not all the same, but generally speaking, they were at least at the Six Star Fiend or Seven Star Fiend level.
“I heard that you wanted to take a look at this report, Mr. Linley. Lord Linley, please feel free. As for the fee? No need to mention it.” The black-robed youth behaved very modestly. Those ordinary staff members of the Fiend Castle, upon inspecting the Fiend emblem, would only take Linley to be a Seven Star Fiend. The governors of the Fiend Castles, however, all knew of Linley’s famous name.
Which of them would dare charge a Paragon-level expert ninety billion inkstones?
“Thank you, then.” Linley laughed calmly as he accepted the intelligence report. He understood that since they insisted on letting him view it for free, if he insisted on paying for it, it would actually make them feel awkward.
“These are scryer recordings pertaining to this intelligence report.” The governor, seeing that they hadn’t been laid out yet, couldn’t help but feel quite excited as he personally placed down one crystal ball after another.
Linley carefully read through the intelligence report, then viewed the scryer recordings.
After gaining a deeper level of understanding...Linley’s heart began to tremble!
“Nine out of ten says this is real! In addition, the size is completely identical.” Linley was incomparably excited, because the information he just saw from Barriman and the Lotte tribe had come from quite a few people using their divine senses to inspect the red caltrop diamond. These people knew how large the diamond was, and so naturally they had described it. “The size perfectly fits that caltrop-shaped indentation. And the power of it...”
When Linley thought about how he was going to acquire the third talisman and complete his task, he felt incomparably excited.
“Not good.” Linley’s heart trembled. “If I manage to acquire all three Overgod artifacts and the Overgod shows himself, the Sovereigns will definitely know the truth. Perhaps, in their rage, they might come to deal with me!” Linley began to worry.
“Bebe.” Linley sent mentally.
“Yes, Boss?” Bebe was startled.
“Hurry up and lead everyone out from the Jadefloat Continent’s teleportation array. Return to the Yulan continent for now. Afterwards, ask Lord Beirut to help out and arrange for those family and friends of ours who are living in the Skyrite Mountains to immediately return to the Yulan continent.” Linley instructed solemnly.
“Boss, what are you...?” Bebe was shocked.
“I’m just preparing against all possibilities. Given the status Sovereigns have, they probably wouldn’t be so shameless as to vent their anger against my family and friends, but I’m not willing to take that risk. Thus, it’s best to plan things out early.” Linley made his decision quite firmly. “After rescuing Grandpa Doehring, I will immediately return to the Yulan continent! At worst, in the future, I’ll just remain in the Yulan plane and never go to any of the Higher Planes or Divine Planes again.”