"Absolutely not — this, I..." Di Lin wanted to say that he couldn't accept this divine spark.
But this divine spark was simply too important to Di Lin.
"My Lord Di Lin, please don't concern yourself too much with it. As you know, I'm capable of becoming a god on my own. I think you need this divine spark more than I do," Lin Lei said diplomatically. "Then it's settled, my Lord Di Lin. I'll be heading back now."
Di Lin saw that Lin Lei was about to leave and couldn't help but reach out to stop him.
"Lin Lei, I truly don't have anything more valuable to offer you." Di Lin looked at Lin Lei and spoke with unprecedented solemnity. "But today, Lin Lei, I will remember this favor of yours. From now on, if you ever need anything, I, Di Lin, won't hesitate for even a moment."
Lin Lei smiled.
"Then, my Lord Di Lin, let's say our farewells here."
...
When Lin Lei returned to Dragon Blood Castle, he told Dilia, Wotton, and the rest of the group about the arrangements made by the Martial God and the High Priestess. Especially Wotton, the five Buc brothers, and Cecil — they were all incredibly excited when they heard the news.
Whether it was the five Buc brothers or Cecil, all of them bore deep grudges against the Church of Light.
Wotton had always wanted to go with Lin Lei for revenge. In the past, he hadn't been strong enough, but now that Wotton had reached the Saint Realm, once he transformed he became a Saint Realm Dragon Blood Warrior — his strength was practically on par with Gates and the others.
Night. A crescent moon hung in the sky.
Lin Lei got out of bed, threw on a robe, and walked out onto the balcony, gazing at the vast expanse of darkness.
"Tomorrow... tomorrow I'm going to have a final showdown with the Church of Light." Lin Lei couldn't fall asleep tonight, no matter how hard he tried.
For reasons he couldn't explain, scene after scene from his childhood kept flashing through his mind. Tomorrow he would finally confront the Church of Light — the goal he had striven for all this time was finally about to be achieved. The thought made Lin Lei's heart race with excitement.
"Lin Lei." Dilia walked over to his side. "Thinking about the assault on the Holy Island tomorrow?"
Dilia would be departing with Lin Lei tomorrow. Although she hadn't fully refined the divine spark yet, she was at least a Grand Mage of the Wind System, and even that half-baked 'Domain of God' could sometimes come in handy.
"Yeah. Tomorrow. I've been waiting for this day for a very long time." Lin Lei's emotions surged. "It's a shame Grandpa Derinkoort... won't be here to see it."
"If your Grandpa Derinkoort were still alive, he would be so proud of you," Dilia comforted him. Dilia knew all about Derinkoort.
"My mother died. My father died. Even Grandpa Derinkoort, who always took care of me and watched over me, died in the end." Lin Lei looked toward the west. "It's all because of the Church of Light! That so-called Church of Light that claims to be righteous, claims to care for all people — they destroyed everything!"
Lin Lei shook his head and let out a bitter laugh. "And I'm just one of countless families they've ruined. The five Buc brothers, the Rebecca sisters... their families were all wiped out! All because of the Church of Light!"
Lin Lei's fury surged within him.
"Lin Lei, don't think too much about it. Everything will be resolved tomorrow," Dilia said comfortingly. She understood all too well... what could make an eighteen-year-old Lin Lei endure three years of bitter training alone in the desolate Magic Beast Mountain Range and five more years of secluded cultivation in a small village?
Without enough hatred, how could anyone have such resolve?
"That's right. Tomorrow, everything gets resolved." Lin Lei tilted his head and looked up at the night sky.
In a hazy moment... the image of his father, his Grandpa Derinkoort, and even the fading silhouette of his mother that lived in his memory seemed to appear faintly in the night sky, as if they were watching him!
On the morning of April 8th, the rising sun cast its golden light over Dragon Blood Castle.
"Roar~~" A low growl.
The massive, serpentine dragon body appeared and disappeared among the towers of Dragon Blood Castle. The castle guards were not the least bit surprised — three Saint Realm dragons lived in the castle, something quite a few guards already knew about. These dragons would leave and return from time to time.
It was also the source of the rumors that dragons were sighted near Dragon Blood Castle.
The spacious training ground of Dragon Blood Castle.
The powerhouses on Lin Lei's side had already gathered. This time, the ones departing for the Holy Island were: Lin Lei, Bei Bei, Dilia, Wotton, the five Buc brothers, Cecil, and the three Saint Realm dragons — thirteen in total.
As for Dragon Blood Castle, Black Lu would stay behind to guard it.
Every single person departing this time was a peak Saint Realm powerhouse, each of them no weaker than Haitings.
"Why aren't they here yet?" Wotton was getting anxious.
A large crowd had come to see them off. Among them, Hillman smiled and said, "Wotton, don't be so hasty. It's still early. Especially the ones from the Extreme East Great Grasslands — that's nearly ten thousand li away from us. Even flying, it takes quite some time."
"Desli and the others might arrive a bit earlier, but Tuleilei and his group will probably need much longer. Don't worry, everyone — let's wait a bit more," Lin Lei said. Though his words were calm, Lin Lei couldn't help but keep glancing toward the distant sky.
He had waited for this day for far too long.
"Brother, you look even more impatient than I am," Wotton said with a grin.
Lin Lei could only smile.
"Wow, they're here!" Bei Bei, who had been perched on Lin Lei's shoulder scanning the distance, suddenly cried out in delight.
Lin Lei and the others quickly spotted a large number of blurred figures hurtling through the distant sky, among which one streak of white light shone with particular brilliance. Lin Lei recognized it instantly — it was Desli, the fastest of them all.
"Hm?" Lin Lei suddenly looked surprised.
From the distant horizon, there were actually more than a dozen people flying in. Besides Desli, Bingcelin, Higginson, Miller, Ford, and Livingston — there were six others. The leader of the six was unmistakably Tuleilei.
"Tuleilei came too, along with his disciples?" Lin Lei found it strange that Tuleilei, who lived ten thousand li away, could have arrived so quickly. But he was thrilled nonetheless.