Chapter 5: The Demon Medal
The tallest peak in the mountain range where the Black Dragon Tribe was located pierced the heavens like a sharp sword. Atop this peak sat an ancient black castle, constructed entirely from "Black Jade Stone." Legend had it that the owner of this castle was very fond of Black Jade Stone.
"Whoosh!" The black-robed figure known as the "Demon" coldly glanced down at the panicked residents of the Black Dragon Tribe below, then flew straight toward the black castle. The castle gates were wide open, and someone immediately led the Demon inside with deference.
The numerous residents of the Black Dragon Tribe, witnessing this scene, began to murmur among themselves.
"The Demon is going to see the chieftain. He’s not coming to kill the chieftain, is he?"
"Your true form is a six-eared donkey—you’d be stupid even if you became a god. Think about it. If the Demon really came to kill the chieftain, would the chieftain still order the gates opened and treat him with such respect? I think the chieftain must have some important matter to invite a Demon over."
The residents of the Black Dragon Tribe continued their discussion.
On the mountainside, Lin Lei sat on a rock, listening to the议论. His brow furrowed as he looked up at the black castle atop the highest peak. Dozens of massive black dragons circled around the castle.
"The owner of this black castle is the Black Dragon Tribe's chieftain, 'Sturtan'—the most powerful being in the tribe," Lin Lei thought to himself.
Having been in the Black Dragon Tribe for two months, Lin Lei had gained some understanding of it. Although the tribe was just one of countless insignificant tribes in "Hell," even such a small tribe had a strict hierarchy.
The lowest were those like Lin Lei—poor, low-grade gods. They had no income and no backing.
The middle tier were the gods who herded the Garled black dragons. Not all black dragons in the tribe could be herded, and only a small portion were. While most of the earnings from herding had to be turned over to the chieftain, herding Garled black dragons was still one of the fastest ways to earn wealth.
The upper tier was the tribe’s army!
Composed entirely of mid-grade gods and trained by the chieftain "Sturtan," becoming a member of the tribal army meant the chieftain would grant them wealth once every ten thousand years.
Outside Lin Lei’s residence on the mountainside, only Lin Lei, Dilia, and Bei Bei were present.
"That Demon is really powerful," Bei Bei praised.
"The chieftain’s strength won’t be weak either," Lin Lei said thoughtfully.
Dilia glanced at Lin Lei and said, "Never mind Hell—even here on the Purplejade Continent’s 'Ye Mu Prefecture,' which spans over a billion miles, tribes like this that claim a mountain region are countless."
Thinking about the terrifying expanse of Ye Mu Prefecture, one could easily imagine how many small forces like the "Black Dragon Tribe" existed.
In Hell, the Black Dragon Tribe was indeed as insignificant as an ant, far too numerous.
"But even in such a small tribe, there are so many mid-grade gods. Although I’ve never met Chieftain Sturtan, I think he must be a high-grade god to have accumulated most of the tribe’s wealth and become chieftain!"
Lin Lei suddenly realized something.
In Hell...
Gods were merely ordinary residents. Perhaps one in every ten gods was a mid-grade god. High-grade gods, however, might be only one in ten thousand. Though the probability seemed low, considering Hell’s massive population, the number of high-grade gods was staggering.
"This is truly Hell—the Hell where the powerful are everywhere!" Lin Lei thought, a shiver running through him.
"Boss," Bei Bei said casually, chewing on a blade of grass, "Grandpa told me that in places like Hell, becoming a god by refining divine sparks won’t get you high status. You have to become a god independently and fuse the profound mysteries of the Laws. The stronger your power, the higher your status!"
Lin Lei agreed in his heart.
"Lin Lei, I won’t hold you back," Dilia suddenly said beside him.
Lin Lei looked at Dilia, understanding her thoughts. Dilia was a very strong-willed woman. He smiled and pulled her into his arms. "Dilia, hold me back? Actually, of the three of us now, I’m the only low-grade god. I should be the one holding you back."
Dilia felt warmth in her heart. She knew that Lin Lei, who possessed a soul-defense sovereign artifact, was the one with the greatest potential among them. Once he erupted, especially against enemies skilled in "soul attacks," Lin Lei could completely suppress them!
"You two, right in broad daylight—ugh, I can’t watch this!" Bei Bei called out, covering his eyes.
"You brat," Dilia laughed, scolding him.
At that moment, the silver-haired elder Pafet flew over from the distance. Seeing Lin Lei and the others, he called out cheerfully, "Lin Lei! How have you been since coming to our Black Dragon Tribe?"
"Not bad," Lin Lei immediately stood up, smiling. "At least we haven’t encountered any danger."
Pafet sighed, "Indeed. If you were out there, you’d know... in Hell, bandit gangs that ambush and rob travelers are everywhere. Usually, mid-grade and low-grade gods don’t dare travel through Hell alone."
"Not even mid-grade gods?" Bei Bei’s eyes widened.
Pafet sat down on a nearby stone bench and nodded. "That’s right, not even mid-grade gods. The bandit gangs in Hell are usually made up of mid-grade and low-grade gods. Do you think a group of mid-grade and low-grade gods can’t handle one mid-grade god? They have numbers on their side!"
"Then why don’t high-grade gods become bandits?" Bei Bei continued.
"Haha," Pafet chuckled. "High-grade gods in Hell are considered true upper-class figures. Why would they need to take such risks as bandits? Whether nurturing a high-grade divine artifact, refining magic crystals, or joining a major family as a core member, they can live quite comfortably."
Lin Lei nodded slightly.
It was the same as on the Yulan Continent—true powerhouses, like some ninth-level experts, disdainfully avoided being bandits. However, on the Yulan Continent, even some notorious bandit gangs had a few strong members among them.