Book 17, Indigo Prefecture – Chapter 5, Baruch
When Linley heard them mention the ‘Baruch clan’, his heart relaxed. His ancestors in the Baruch clan were in the Infernal Realm after all, and they really were here. For a moment, a hundred emotions mixed in Linley’s heart.
“Right, right. The Baruch clan.” Bebe was unspeakably delighted. “Boss, we finally found them.”
“Linley.” Delia felt happy for Linley as well.
The nearby Olivier, O’Brien, Tarosse, and Dylin were all smiles as well. The Baruch clan, in the Yulan continent, was so very famous, but this was the first time they had heard others speak of it in the Infernal Realm.
“Linley, congratulations.” Dylin laughed.
“There’s no mistaking it this time.” Cesar and the others laughed as well.
Linley was jubilant. He had been guided by the teachings of his clan since he was young, and Linley clearly knew what the ancestors of the clan had done. And now, today, he was finally going to meet with the ancestors of his clan.
“Milord, I belong to the Baruch clan. Please hurry and take me to see the ancestors of my clan.” Linley couldn’t help but say.
“Impudence!” Captain Yeer let out a cold snort.
Linley was startled.
“Do you know what status his lordship has? Him, personally take you there?” Captain Yeer was very unhappy that this person in front of him didn’t understand the differences in status between them. “As for whether or not you belong to the Yulan branch, everything will be made clear soon. Don’t be too happy too early.”
The middle-aged man chuckled. “Yeer, you can make the trip yourself.” After speaking, the middle-aged man turned and flew away.
Yeer looked coldly at Linley’s group. “All of you, listen up. Later, when we enter the inner reaches of the Skyrite Mountains, don’t fly around randomly. Follow me! If you bump into or disturb the high level members of our clan, when they look for someone to blame, I won’t be able to protect you.”
“Understood.”
But Linley could sense how strict ranks were within the Four Divine Beasts clan.
“Follow me.” Yeer flew up ahead, while Linley’s group immediately followed. The Skyrite Mountains were exceedingly vast, and the eastern part of them was the place where the Azure Dragon clan’s clansmen lived.
Linley and the others travelled through the ‘dragon passageway’.
The dragon passageway was fifty meters wide, while the edges of it were carved draconic scales. This tens of thousands of kilometers long, coiling dragon passageway, rose and fell as it winded through the mountains. Countless estates and castles were erected by the side of this dragon passageway, with human figures visible within all of them.
“Boss, there’s so many people here.” Bebe’s eyes rolled in their sockets. “As I see it, the Azure Dragon clan has to have at least a million people in it. Boss, as I recall, your clan seems to be unable to produce many children.”
Linley chuckled.
Indeed. The more powerful a race or clan was, the smaller their population was.
“But as time goes on, the accumulated population will still be a large figure.” Linley said casually.
Hypothetically, a new generation might be born every hundred years.
Each member might have one or two children. As time went on, especially as hundreds of millions of years passed, how many clan members would a clan have? After all, upon reaching the Saint level, one wouldn’t die of old age.
Only by being killed.
“After being born, we still have to survive.” Captain Yeer said from up ahead. “In the past, our Four Divine Beasts clan was very powerful and was capable of protecting all of our descendants. Naturally, our population grew greater and greater. But now, it isn’t so simple.”
Linley couldn’t help but grow puzzled.
What exactly had caused the Four Divine Beasts clan to fall?
“That castle is so beautiful.” Delia said gently into Linley’s ears. Linley turned and saw a completely blue castle, with only variations in the deepness or lightness of the coloration, creating a very unique, beautiful appearance that was indeed quite mesmerizing.
“Remember, just fly on Dragon Avenue and don’t fly elsewhere.” Yeer warned.
Bebe snorted, and Linley couldn’t help but look towards Bebe and laugh. “Bebe, our clan’s rules are a bit strict. When we are back to our own residence, things will be better.” Linley was currently in a very good mood.
“I know.” Bebe sent back through divine sense.
While chatting, Linley, under the guidance of Yeer, arrived through Dragon Avenue at a very ordinary two-story building created halfway up a mountain. This two story building had a white-haired elder slouching over a chair with half-lidded eyes, seemingly quite relaxed.
“Hanuman [Ha’ne’man].” Yeer laughed.
The white-haired elder opened his eyes, then laughed and stood up. “Oh, Yeer, it’s you. Why’d you come to my place today?”
“We just met a member of our clan who has our lineage. Please help out by going with us for an investigation and a registration.” Yeer explained.
“Which one?” The white-haired elder turned to look at Linley’s group.
“Him!” Yeer pointed at Linley, who laughed and said to the white-haired elder, ‘Mr. Hanuman, I am Linley. I come from the Baruch clan of the Yulan Plane!”
“Oh, Baruch clan? The branch from the Yulan continent. I know.” Hanuman’s eyebrows danced, and he began to laugh. “Our Azure Dragon clan is also known as the Redding clan. Virtually all of our branches refer to ourselves as the ‘Redding clan’, and only a very few branches who don’t know the real name will casually choose a name for themselves. Your Baruch clan is one of them.”
Linley could only grin.
The first generation of his clan, Baruch, didn’t know of the Azure Dragon clan, nor that they were members of the Redding clan. Thus, he had founded his Baruch clan.
“For you to be able to report that you are a member of the Baruch clan…I trust that you are a member of our clan.” Hanuman shook his head helplessly. “However, the clan has rules. We must undergo a strict test, therefore…I need you to go meet with your ancestors.”
“Meet with my ancestors?” Linley was beginning to grow excited.
“Right. You have to meet them in order to completely ascertain your identity.” Hanuman then looked towards Yeer. “Yeer, your role is done. You go take care of your business. I’ll accompany them.”
Yeer nodded, then left.
“It’s rare to encounter a lost clan member who returns to us, even in a thousand year span.” Hanuman sighed. “Let’s go. Follow me. Let’s go meet the ancestors of your branch.”
Linley hurriedly followed him, while the group behind Linley began to chat amongst themselves.
“The Four Supreme Warriors of the past…the Dragonblood Warrior, ‘Baruch’. It’s been nearly six thousand years since I’ve seen him.” Cesar had a rare smile on his face. “I wonder how those old fellows are doing these days.”
O’Brien nodded as well.
“Old fellows?” Hanuman, walking up ahead, turned and frowned. “The oldest member of the Yulan continent branch is just six thousand years old. And you call him an ‘old fellow’? In our clan, I don’t even know how many members have trained for hundreds of millions of years. The Yulan continent branch, in our Redding clan, is a very young branch.”
“Very young branch?”
Linley’s group looked at each other.
In the Yulan continent, thousands of years of history definitely could be considered a very long history. But in the Infernal Realm, thousands of years was just ‘very young’. Compared to the other branches, which were hundreds of millions old, they were indeed very young.
“Old sir,” Bebe called out, “We see many castles and estates everywhere throughout the mountain ranges, with so many people. Old sir, do you clearly remember where the Yulan continent’s branch lives?”
“How could I not!”
Hanuman stared. “Even with my eyes closed, I, Hanuman, can easily find the residences of any of our Redding clan’s various branches or of our ultimate experts.”
“But we’ve been flying on this Dragon Avenue for so long. How come we aren’t there yet?” Bebe muttered.
Hanuman couldn’t help but frown at Bebe. “Kid with the straw hat, in this group, it seems you are the most talkative.”
“Bebe.” Linley said softly.
“Hmph.” Bebe let out a low snort, not daring to say another word.
Only now did Hanuman say, “The Yulan continent branch is a very weak branch. These weak, small branches are located deep in the border areas. That’s why it takes some time to fly there. We haven’t even flown a tenth of the way there.”
After flying for a long time, and after having seen more than a hundred thousand patrolling soldiers, Linley’s group finally reached their destination.
“Here we are.” Hanuman immediately flew out of the Dragon Avenue. “Follow me.”
Linley’s group had also discovered that not too far away, there was a large gorge. Hanuman was flying straight for that gorge, and so Linley’s group followed him in as well. The gorge had fog and mist within.
While descending through it, they passed through the foggy mist and could vaguely see some small buildings up ahead.
“This place contains your Yulan branch, as well as some other branches.” Hanuman said. “This gorge has in total more than ten thousand people.”
“Baruch!” Hanuman suddenly shouted loudly.
“Baruch!” “Baruch!” “Baruch!” The entire gorge reverberated with this shout, and Linley’s group was badly startled by Hanuman’s sudden shout.
They landed on the flat ground in the gorge.
From afar, dozens of figures flew over at high speed, the leader being a muscular man with powerful, protruding chest muscles and a sleeveless shirt. His brown hair was rather mussed, and his eyes flowed with wisdom.
“Haha, so it is Mr. Hanuman.” The muscular, brown-haired man laughed in a loud voice.
A group of people followed him from behind. Most of them had long brown hair, with a few having golden hair or blue hair.
Linley stared at this group of people.
“He is Baruch? The founder of my Baruch clan?” Linley’s heart felt as though it had been struck by a massive hammer. The dozens of people who had flown over were mostly men, with a few women as well.
Linley, seeing them, had a familiar feeling appear in his heart.
“Baruch.” Hanuman laughed. “Today, I’ve come because a member of our clan says that he is from the Yulan continent and that he is from your Baruch clan.”
Linley’s eyes were shining.
Indeed, the man in front was Baruch! The founder of the Dragonblood Warrior clan!
“From the Yulan continent?” Baruch was stunned, and then wild joy appeared in his eyes.
“Someone came from the Yulan continent? And says that he is of our Baruch clan?” A muscular, handsome youth by Baruch’s side hurriedly spoke out as well, while at the same time, he swept the group of people behind Hanuman with his gaze.
As though he sensed something, his gaze fell on Linley!
This was the call of blood ties.
But Baruch’s gaze fell on another person – Cesar!
“Cesar! It’s you!” Baruch was amazed and delighted.
“Haha, Baruch, I didn’t expect that after you suddenly disappeared, you old fellow, you actually had run off to the Infernal Realm.” Cesar laughed as well.
“O’Brien?” Baruch then looked at the War God, ‘O’Brien’.
“Baruch, long time no see.” O’Brien greeted him as well.
Hanuman intentionally said in an unhappy manner, “Hey? I’m here today to verify this person’s status and see if he is a member of your clan. Baruch, give me a hand and help me confirm his identity.”
“Oh.” Only now did Baruch come to himself.
“He is Linley.” Hanuman laughed. “He says he is of the Baruch clan.” As he spoke, he pointed towards Linley.
Immediately, the group of people behind Baruch all turned their gazes towards Linley. These elders had gazes filled with incomparable ardor. They hadn’t been back for thousands of years. The return of a descendant of their clan naturally made them excited.
Actually, upon seeing Cesar and O’Brien, Baruch was already certain that this ‘Linley’ should definitely be a descendant of his clan.
“Please help verify him.” Hanuman said.
Baruch nodded, then looked at Linley. “Linley, right? If you are a member of my Baruch clan, then you should know…that in our clan’s ancestral hall, there are recordings regarding the generations of ancestors of the clan.”
Linley opened his mouth and began to speak.
“Baruch, the very first Dragonblood Warrior of the Yulan continent. In the year 4560 of the Yulan calendar, outside the walls of the city of Linnan, Baruch did battle against a Black Dragon and a Titanic Frost Wyrm. In the end, he slew both the Titanic Frost Wyrm and the Black Dragon, causing his fame to be spread across the world. In the year 4579 of the Yulan calendar, along the coastline of the northern sea of the continent, Baruch did battle against a Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor. On that day, the waves crashed unceasingly and nearby cities crumbled, but after a vicious fight lasting a full day and night, Baruch finally executed the Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor….finally, Baruch founded the Baruch clan, and became the first leader of the Baruch clan!”
“Ryan Baruch…”
“Hazard Baruch…”
Linley described the affairs of three ancestors in succession. Baruch and the group of people behind him were all so excited that their eyes turned moist.
“Right. Right.” Baruch said hurriedly.
Baruch strode forward and immediately enfolded Linley into his arms. “Child, welcome home.”