Coiling Dragon (Pan Long)

“Patterson!”

Linley silently uttered this name to himself. His mother had been taken away by Patterson’s men years ago, and now, eleven years later, his father had been injured and killed by Patterson’s men as well over the course of his investigating his mother’s whereabouts.

The murderous intention in Linley’s heart was hidden, like the lava in the bottom of a primed volcano. But one day, it would erupt.

“Boss, let me kill this Patterson for you.” Kneeling next to Linley, the little Shadowmouse spoke mentally.

“Don’t move.” Linley shouted back mentally.

Linley remained kneeling inside the main hall, while one noble after another came inside, paying their respects to Linley’s father.

……

That night’s banquet, Linley didn’t attend for a single moment. He remained kneeling inside the hall, observing the rites of filial mourning.

Many of the nobles eventually left Wushan township late in the afternoon, hurrying back to Fenlai City. But there was still a number who remained behind at Wushan township.

For example, Cardinal Guillermo. For example, Delia.

…..

Ritual filial mourning had to last for seven days.

That night, Linley ate some random food, then returned to his bedroom, preparing to begin his training.

“Linley, do you plan to take revenge for your father?” The white-robed Doehring Cowart appeared by his side.

Linley glanced at Doehring Cowart. “Grandpa Doehring, I absolutely must take vengeance for the death of my father. Although I know that it was Duke Patterson who sent people to pursue and kill my father, aside from taking my revenge, I also need to investigate what happened to my mother, and find out if she is alive or dead.”

Killing Patterson was easy.

But killing him in a way which would prevent anyone from finding out was much harder. After all, after killing Patterson, Linley needed to continue searching for his mother.

Doehring Cowart nodded slightly. “You can make your own decisions in your personal affairs. Only, I hope you won’t act rashly. After all, your current strength is still too weak, compared to the real top-tier combatants. Even Patterson…all of his soldiers combined are a force that you cannot handle.”

Linley nodded slightly.

Patterson was the younger brother of Clayde. How could he not have a large number of subordinates?

“I expect within a year or so, I should be able to reach the seventh rank as a warrior. I can’t waste any more time.” Linley sat cross-legged on the ground. The Dragonblood battle-qi in his body once more began to circulate throughout his entire body, and all of his muscles and bones began to tremble.

Linley could feel his muscles and his bones slowly rise in power, as the tiny Dragonblood cells also began to merge with his muscles and bones, raising their durability and toughness.

Once one first began to train in accordance with the Secret Dragonblood Manual, the pace of improvement was very fast.

In this training state, Linley didn’t notice the passage of time at all.

At roughly around eleven at night.

“Knock!” “Knock!” “Knock!”

The sound of knocking on the door. At the same time, a familiar voice. “Linley. It’s Delia. Can I come in?”

Linley was startled.

“Whew.” Linley let out a deep breath. All of his trembling muscles returned to normal, and the Dragonblood battle-qi in his body was once more retracted to his dantian region. Linley looked towards the direction of the door. In his mind, he couldn’t help but question, “Why did Delia come here to speak with me so late at night?”

As he wondered to himself, Linley verbally responded, “Come in.”

Pushing the door open, Delia stepped inside.

Upon seeing Delia, Linley’s eyes couldn’t help but brighten. At this moment, Delia’s golden hair was bound in a simple way. Those few tassels hanging down made her light purple dress seem all the more graceful. Linley had to admit…Delia was a very mesmerizing person.

Especially given that she was in the primary line of descent for the Yulan Empire’s Leon clan. Delia had an aura of nobleness which Alice couldn’t match.

“Linley, are you okay?” Delia asked in a gentle voice as she walked over to Linley’s bed and sat down. She stared at Linley with concern.

Linley couldn’t help but feel warmth in his heart. Smiling, he said, “I’m fine.”

Delia nodded. “In Fenlai City, I heard about your father’s passing. I was a little worried. But…you really are as resilient as I’ve always felt you are.”

“Thank you.”

Linley continued, “Delia, is there something you wanted to discuss, this late at night?”

“You idiot.” Next to him, Doehring Cowart was secretly cursing at Linley.

A beautiful girl had come over this late at night to talk with you and comfort you. And you actually were asking her what she wanted?

Delia laughed, slightly nervously. But then she regained her usual calmness. “What, if I don’t want something, I can’t come over to chat with you? I’ve known you since our very first year together at the Ernst Institute. Since when did you decide to keep me at such a distance?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Linley hurriedly said.

Delia couldn’t help but laugh in delight, but then she let out a long sigh. “Linley, there really is something I want to talk to you about, which is why I came over so late at night.”

“Go ahead.” Linley couldn’t help but begin mentally guessing at what Delia was going to say.

Delia said helplessly, “Linley, you should know that this is year 9999 of the Yulan calendar. In eight more months, it will be year 10000 of the Yulan calendar. The first day of each year, the entire Yulan continent celebrates the Yulan Festival. You can imagine how important an event the celebration of the 10000th Yulan Festival will be.”

Linley nodded.

But Linley didn’t understand why Delia was saying these things.

“Although the entire Yulan continent holds the Yulan festival in high importance, our Yulan Empire holds it in even higher esteem.” Delia continued.

Linley understood why. After all, the first year of the Yulan calendar was the year when the Yulan Empire had unified the continent. The 10000th Yulan Festival would naturally be an extremely important day within the Yulan Empire.

“My clan has sent out an order. For this Yulan Festival, I must return home. For this Yulan Festival, our Yulan Empire will carry out an empire-wide celebration. Naturally, we main-branch descendants of the Leon clan must return to participate.” Delia looked at Linley. “Linley, the Yulan Empire is very far away from the Holy Alliance. This round trip will most likely take one or two years. Tomorrow, I’ll have to leave and return to my motherland.”

Linley understood Delia’s meaning.

In other words, within this next year or so, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to meet with Delia again.

Staring at Linley, Delia bit her lips, then suddenly said, “Linley. Before I leave, can I hug you?”

“Hug?” Linley was stunned. He stared at Delia.

Linley knew very well how Delia felt towards him. But because the two of them interacted too often, ever since the first year they studied together at the Ernst Institute, in Linley’s mind, Delia had become a close female confidante. And especially after that affair with Alice, Linley’s heart had been frozen and locked.

Seeing the look in Delia’s eyes, Linley nodded.

A smile appeared on Delia’s face, and she immediately reached out with her arms, embracing Linley by the neck, then pulled herself firmly against Linley’s body. Delia pressed her face gently against Linley’s face as well.

Linley seemed to be able to feel their mutual breaths…

He could also smell the enchanting fragrance on Delia’s body. In particular, when their faces touched, he could feel the warmth of her skin…all of this caused Linley to feel a very unique sensation.

“Linley. Thank you.” Delia murmured into Linley’s ear.

Linley didn’t make a sound.

Releasing him, Delia slowly rose to her feet, her eyes still locked on Linley’s. But halfway to her feet, Delia came to a halt. There was only two inches of distance between her eyes and Linley’s.

Suddenly, Delia bent down.

Delia’s lips just so happened to land and brush against Linley’s, causing Linley to be stunned.

Delia didn’t give Linley the chance to react, as she then quickly stood up. Taking one last look at Linley, she quickly ran out of Linley’s bedroom.

“Boss, you just got kissed by force!” From the opposite side of the blanket, Bebe popped his tiny head out, staring at Linley.

“You. Go back to sleep.” Linley mentally shouted at Bebe.

Bebe let out a few disgruntled squeaks before returning to the blanket. But Linley still stared at the closed door through which Delia had left. His nose still seemed to be filled with the fragrant aura of Delia’s perfume. His face seemed to still feel the warmth of Delia’s face.

Rubbing his lips, Linley felt a soft, warm feeling in his heart. The feeling was very similar to the feeling he had that night, when he had hidden with Alice on her balcony and talked the night away.

“Delia…”

Shaking his head, Linley cast away all of these extraneous thoughts.

“Linley.” Doehring Cowart looked at Linley with interest. “When you were young and first entered the Ernst Institute, and first saw this Delia girl, didn’t I say to you, then and there, that this was a beauty in the making? I told you from the very beginning to chase after her. Feeling regretful yet?”

Linley frowned as he looked at Doehring Cowart.

“Alright, I’ll stop talking now.” With a twirl of his beard, Doehring Cowart transformed into a beam of light and retreated into the Coiling Dragon ring.

Linley didn’t think about this anymore. Once more seating himself cross-legged, he entered the meditative trance to distill mageforce.

Early the next morning, Delia led the delegation from the Leon clan away from Wushan township, but Linley didn’t send her off. He continued to kneel there in the main hall, maintaining his vigil and observing the rites of filial mourning.

In the blink of an eye, the seven days of filial mourning had passed.

In the Wushan township, aside from Linley’s bros, there were only two other major personages remaining: Cardinal Lampson and Cardinal Guillermo.

As Cardinals of the Radiant Church, Lampson and Guillermo didn’t have anything they had to attend to. After all, most small matters could be handled by their subordinates, making their lives very relaxed. These few days, they spent their time sightseeing around Wushan township, while occasionally going into Mt. Wushan itself.

Morning. The citizens of Wushan township were all watching on each side of the street.

The delegation from the Radiant Church and from the Dawson Conglomerate were beginning to depart.

“Boss Yale, Second Bro, Fourth Bro. There’s something I need to go discuss with Lord Guillermo’s party.” Linley told his bros, and then left the Dawson Conglomerate’s carriage, then entered the carriage of Lord Cardinal Guillermo.”

Lampson was in the carriage as well. The two Cardinals and Linley shared the carriage amongst themselves.

But this carriage had been specially designed for the Cardinals of the Radiant Church. It was extremely spacious. There was enough space for all three of them to even lie down and sleep, if they so desired.

“Linley, you’ve made up your mind?” Guillermo laughed as he looked at Linley.

Previously, Linley had told Guillermo that he needed to discuss the matter of joining the Radiant Church with his father. But now, his father had passed away. Naturally, there was no one else for Linley to discuss this with. By now, he should have an answer for them.

“Lord Guillermo, Lord Lampson. I am still young. I wish…to temporarily assist his Majesty, King Clayde. For now, I think it would be best that I not take up a formal position within the Radiant Church. If in the future, the Radiant Church has need of me, I can be enlisted into your service at any time.” Linley said.

Both Guillermo and Lampson laughed.

Serve King Clayde? Clayde was the ruler of the Kingdom of Fenlai, while the capital of Fenlai, was also the Holy Capital of the Holy Union. What’s more, the ruler of Fenlai was under the direct authority of the Radiant Church.

For Linley to serve King Clayde was the same thing as declaring his allegiance to the Radiant Church.

“Very good.” Lampson was the first to begin laughing. “Linley, this is an extremely wise decision.”

But neither Lampson nor Guillermo knew that the reason Linley had come to this decision was because he wanted to investigate his mother’s whereabouts. Only through inserting himself into the national affairs of the Kingdom of Fenlai would he have even more opportunities to deal with Duke Patterson in the future.

Guillermo laughed as well. “Then from this moment forward, you can be considered a member of our Radiant Church. Oh, right. You don’t have any incantations for earth and wind style spells of the seventh, eighth, or ninth ranks, or any of the forbidden spells, right?”

“Correct.” Linley nodded. “I was only able to develop the incantation for the Soaring Technique through analyzing magical theory.”

Guillermo said with satisfaction, “It isn’t too hard to extrapolate the incantation for the Soaring Technique, but it is still quite impressive that you were able to extrapolate it from the incantation of the Floating Technique. Linley, don’t worry. Once we return to the Church, we will send people to deliver all the incantations for spells of the seventh rank and higher to you.”