Sudden Change
Listening to the mission leader’s complaints, Leylin remained silent.
The large-scaled tribe that he had massacred was not a fire elemental tribe. However, they had obviously been influenced by the fire elemental Morning Star to the extent that they formed a faith that worshipped fire.
It might have to do with them being of a different race, but Warlocks obviously did not give them preferential treatment, nor were they tolerant towards them. Though the Warlock Union claimed to take in those with all bloodlines, that was merely talk. It sounded nice to listen to, but those who believed that were fools.
Leylin knew how things worked in the union. If they were a race protected by a Morning Star, they might have some status in the Warlock Union, and could help their own people.
However, if they were a race without the protection of a Morning Star, then they would probably have to struggle pitifully, enduring exploitation and oppression.
After all, the leader of the Warlock Union was a mighty bloodline Warlock!
They did not think themselves human, but nor did they think themselves to be of another race. Hence, their attitudes towards completely different races seemed rather hypocritical. Especially for beings like these who hadn’t even joined the union and sided with the enemy; there was no consideration for them.
Of course, Leylin did not bother with these trivial matters. He had taken on and successfully completed the mission, and had thus gotten the rewards. It was that simple.
The time spent on investigation and combat was already annoying him. In addition, with his experience from his previous world, he was beginning to feel concerned.
Why would a Morning Star-ranked fire elemental elder appear here? He had even bewitched many tribes to be on his side. If not for them finding out and eliminating him in time, this entire region was likely to have fallen into chaos soon.
And yet that wasn’t what worried him the most. The other party had already begun spreading a religion, and that put him on his guard.
Recruiting believers and propagating religious beliefs was a very dangerous signal. Leylin, who had experience from his previous life, understood the gods that the westerners worshipped purely based on some misinformation, legends, or even utter nonsense.
This act of preaching was evidently different from that of high-ranked Magi, and it wasn’t the sort of primitive worship of uncivilised communities. Real gods, and not only one at that, were spreading their own religions!
It was not just the worship of fire. A plot was also afoot to revive Beelzebub, the Sovereign King of Gluttonous Desires. It all gave Leylin a very bad premonition.
Even though Leylin rarely bothered with religion in his previous world, he wouldn’t get this wrong. Of course, this was just a conjecture, he had no idea what the real World of Gods was like after all. Most documentation from the ancient era did not touch on this.
The appearance of the World of Gods was the beginning of the ancient Magus World’s decline. Hence, the amount of books that had survived that era were the fewest. This was why Leylin had yet to gather much data on it despite his status.
This could, therefore, be a misunderstanding on his part, but Leylin did not want to continue down that line of thought.
No matter how superficial his thinking might be, he knew that the real gods in the World of Gods were, at the very least, at rank 6 and above. They were existences who had grasped a certain power or law, and such great strength was what Leylin needed to look up to. The moment he were to be caught up in giant complications like this, only death awaited him. With his current strength, at least, he would amount to nothing.
Leylin had always stood by the motto that one could only accept responsibility equivalent to their strength. That was how he had been able to live till now. He knew himself well; the games and contests between the gods and Magus world? Let the higher ranks take care of it. In any case, there were still many Breaking Dawn Monarchs in the central continent!
Rejecting the burly man’s sincere attempts at urging him to stay, Leylin travelled through the astral plane, instantly arriving back at Phosphorescence Swamp.
Blue light flashed, and Leylin’s figured broke through the enormous astral gate.
“The feeling of long-distance teleportation is really...” Leylin shook his head and laughed. The spatial pressure that had almost killed him while he was at rank 2 was like a cool breeze to him right now, not affecting him much.
“Welcome home, master!” A green elf similar to the tower genie from before flapped its wings and flew above Leylin.
“En!” Leylin nodded. The A.I. Chip linked with it, and he then knew all the recent events in the Magus Tower like the back of his hand.
The large astral gate behind him stopped humming, and the light from the blue flames above it began to fade.
After the light completely dissipated, the astral gate returned to its state of an unadorned stone gate. The teleportation from the Morning Star area required the astral gates of both sides to be linked simultaneously. Leylin had obviously entrusted this task to his loyal tower genie.
“You did well!” Leylin nodded in praise.
“It’s my honour to serve master!” The tower genie had inherited the A.I. Chip’s partial intelligence, and had an icy expression. There were no fluctuations in its voice.
Leylin had long since gotten used to this. After all, one could not have very high expectations of a program. He was pragmatic; it would never betray him due to the A.I. Chip’s commands, and that was what was important!
Outside the astral gate were many laboratories and binding rooms. A few terrifying adamantine and mithril puppets, even Void Assassins on occasion, would appear in the corner every once in a while.
Streams of black air seemed to constantly flow down the walls on both sides, bringing with them a mysterious lustre and colour, causing the decorative oil paintings to change slightly.
This was the inner section of Leylin’s Magus Tower. With his own participation, as well as the ‘selfless’ financial aid from the Oakheart Clan, the construction was already completed.
On top of that, the other party had supplied a large amount of astral stones and helped Leylin build an astral gate of his own, the one he had just exited.
Based on the intelligence he had, the Oakheart Clan had practically exhausted their reserves and even sold off many properties to build the tower and gate. It was a huge setback for them.
Leylin obviously cared little about this. Instead, he was very satisfied with this Morning Star Magus Tower.
Furthermore, with the influence from his radiation, the entire Magus Tower had somewhat gained a life of its own. The tower body was now very harmonious, and automatically generated a few shadow servants, dark serpent tentacles and the like, perfecting the defensive abilities of the building.
Suddenly recalling something, Leylin told the tower genie, “Tell your mistress that I’m back, and that I plan to have dinner with her tonight!”
“Your will shall be carried out!” The tower genie bowed, and quickly retreated.
Evening, in the hall of the Magus Tower. There were brilliant lights and vibrant colours everywhere. A few high-ranked Warlock maids who were lucky enough to be selected to enter the Magus Tower were tense as they worked busily, laying the long dining table with intricate gold and silver cutlery, candles, and the like.
While everything was completed with nervousness, Leylin held Freya’s hand and walked in slowly.
“Your Grace! My Lady!” A few maids immediately bowed to Leylin and the woman at his side.
Beside him was obviously Freya of the Blood Serpent Family. She had married Leylin years ago, and now dressed like a noble. She looked very poised, and had an inborn noble temperament, though there was a trace of gloom between her eyebrows.
“I know what you’re worrying about...” Leylin couldn’t help but console her in a tender manner after noticing it, “But I think there might be a chance for my bloodline to become even more perfect, or perhaps advance to an even more powerful realm. Hence, my bloodline still isn’t mature, and the children borne of this will become a regret. None of us want to see this, do we?”
After listening to Leylin’s explanation, Freya seemed to feel better, revealing a smile that even enchanted the maids.
Leylin chuckled. His previous words were half-truths.
However, through the Scarlet Crescent ruins as well as the conversation with the Wisdom Tree, he now had an idea as to how he could solve the issue of his bloodline shackles. Hence, he was in no hurry to leave behind children.
If not, he would be harming his own blood.
When he advanced to a higher level, the descendants he had would definitely have a higher starting point and potential. This would be beneficial to both of them, and even if Freya were puzzled by this, Leylin would still persist.
“I’ll listen to you!” Freya pursed her lips and laughed, and then got Leylin to sit.
Within the Ouroboros Clan, Leylin was an existence that could hide anything from the masses. His will was the will of all the Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlocks in the Ouroboros Clan. Freya naturally did not say more.
Furthermore, in the deepest part of her heart, she was very trusting of Leylin; this would affect the Farlier Family, after all.
“By the way, how are Parker and Faisal? And Snoopy too; was his trip to the Demon Garden successful?”
Leylin spoke to Freya while eating the delicacies that the chefs had thoughtfully prepared. Most of the time, he was the one asking the questions, while Freya answered.
When the heartwarming dinner was over, and while Leylin was enjoying his black tea, Freya finally asked, “Leylin... How long are you going to stay here this time?”
A trace of anticipation flashed in her pupils.
“Probably longer. The missions from before are finished, and there are still a few experiments that have to be done in the Magus Tower...”
Leylin began to speak endlessly while beating around the bush. Freya’s palms were under her chin and her eyes were full of worship, almost emitting stars as she smiled gently and listened.
*Ka-cha!* This comforting moment did not continue for long before it was interrupted. When the sound of glass breaking was heard from Freya’s body, her expression changed drastically.
“This is the necklace Mentor, Duke Emma left for me. Inside is a thread of her soul flame!”
Freya yanked out a platinum necklace that had a large blue gem at the center. The blood-red flames leapt out, but at this moment seemed to have withered.