Things had reached this point, and Burlo was seething with frustration. "Both of the Hales brothers are dead. This ambush cost us two Seven-Star Demons on our side. Not a single Seven-Star Demon from the Four Divine Beast Families has fallen. And on top of it all, I used a drop of Sovereign God's power!"
Humiliation!
When news of this got back, the other clan members would look down on him without question, and the Clan Master would certainly be displeased.
"But that man... he has a Sovereign artifact." Burlo glanced at Derinkoort. Fury raged within him, yet he had no choice but to submit. Resistance meant death—that was beyond doubt.
"Judging by your transformation, you must be from the Ashcroft family of the Underworld." Derinkoort spoke from his lofty vantage with casual indifference. "When you go back, pass along a message to your Clan Master. Tell him that this time, out of respect for him, I'm letting you live. But if your family dares to lay a hand on my friend 'Lin Lei' again, well... ha ha ha. You can imagine the consequences yourselves. Remember—don't touch Lin Lei. As for anyone else, I couldn't be bothered."
Burlo's heart shuddered.
Emanuel's expression darkened as he shot a glance at Derinkoort. "This giant... he has ties to Lin Lei, not to my family." Derinkoort's words were perfectly clear.
The slaughter between the Eight Great Families and the Four Divine Beast Families—he would not interfere.
Lin Lei was full of confusion.
"Derinkoort and I... if anything, we merely exchanged words when he broke free. When you get right down to it, our relationship isn't that deep. Is it really worth picking a fight with the Eight Great Families just to save me?" Lin Lei couldn't understand.
Could he really be that charismatic?
Derinkoort lending a hand in a pinch was one thing, but threatening another family's Clan Master—that was hard to fathom.
"Yes, I will be sure to pass the message along." Burlo's voice was laced with fury, yet outwardly he bowed his head in submission. By now he had fully reverted to human form, and even the small snake coiled around his ear no longer dared to flick its tongue.
"Get lost!" Derinkoort waved his hand dismissively.
Burlo transformed into a streak of light and shot deep into the mountain forest, vanishing from sight.
After flying roughly twenty or thirty miles, Burlo immediately dropped to the ground. His aged, wrinkled face was twitching, and his eyes flickered with the vicious, resentful gleam of a viper.
"Go back and report that not a single Seven-Star Demon was killed, while we lost two of our own?" Burlo seethed.
For any other elder in the family, failing a mission like this wouldn't be a major issue. But he was Burlo—an ace of the clan. For him to produce such a result would invite endless gossip from the other Seven Great Families.
He could not afford to lose face like this.
Once one possessed the long, nearly eternal life of a supreme powerhouse, matters of 'face' became paramount.
"No—that Derinkoort will likely leave eventually. Once he does... I can simply turn back and launch a surprise attack." Burlo's eyes lit up. He might not dare to kill Lin Lei, but killing Emanuel was still on the table.
"Whoosh~~~"
The Sovereign God's power turned invisible and spread outward for dozens of miles, enveloping Derinkoort, Lin Lei, and Emanuel, who were still conversing.
Sovereign God's power could deliver physical attacks as well as soul attacks.
Divine sense scanning was, in essence, the dispersal of spiritual power. Since Sovereign God's power could perform soul attacks and soul defense, it could naturally also serve as 'divine sense scanning'—and far more effectively at that. Its range was vastly greater as well. Of course, no ordinary powerhouse would be willing to expend Sovereign God's power for something as simple as scanning.
Scanning with Sovereign God's power was like scanning with the eyes of a Sovereign God himself. Naturally, Derinkoort, Lin Lei, and Emanuel noticed nothing at all.
"Hey, little fellow. You head back first." Derinkoort waved at Emanuel with complete nonchalance. "Lin Lei and I haven't seen each other in ages and have things to discuss. Hurry up—do you really need to hang around and listen to our conversation?"
Emanuel didn't dare say much.
"Lin Lei, I'll be heading back now." Emanuel smiled at Lin Lei and gave Derinkoort a respectful bow, though Derinkoort merely snorted in response. This left Emanuel feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"Take care on the road, Elder Emanuel," Lin Lei said with a faint smile.
"You be careful traveling alone, Elder Lin Lei." Emanuel looked cordial enough, then flew off into the distance.
"Traveling alone?" Burlo observed this scene through his Sovereign God's power, and a smile spread across his aged face. His muddy, yellowed eyes narrowed. "Quick—the Sovereign God's power is almost depleted. I need to seize this last window and kill that one called Emanuel."
Burlo immediately transformed into a beam of light and gave chase.
A single drop of Sovereign God's power existed in liquefied form and could last for a fair amount of time. Even without it, Burlo could easily kill Emanuel. With it... Emanuel had no capacity to resist whatsoever.
Emanuel was flying alone toward the Four Divine Beast Families' territory, his expression deeply gloomy.
This time, his goal of having Lin Lei's most powerful body killed had not been achieved. That was a secondary concern—the real problem was that he had gained nothing whatsoever and had burned through a drop of Sovereign God's power.
"A drop of Sovereign God's power—I only had that one!" Emanuel's heart churned with unwillingness.
Sovereign God's power should at least yield some result when used. But what had he gained?
"The Ancestor is dead, and our clan's reserves of Sovereign God's power dwindle with every use. Besides, the Sovereign God's power is kept under the Clan Master's personal custody. The Clan Master has always had issues with me... how could he possibly give me another drop?"
Emanuel flew onward, his mind churning.
"It's all that Lin Lei's fault. If he had used a drop of Sovereign God's power to kill Burlo together with me, that would have been a tremendous service. The Clan Master would surely have rewarded me with another drop of Sovereign God's power." Emanuel's resentment simmered.
And just then—
"Hm?" Emanuel was suddenly struck by a sharp premonition and turned his head. A bolt of black light, fast as lightning, was hurtling straight toward him. The terrifying aura radiating from that black light made Emanuel's face go white in an instant.
"Sovereign God's power!" His eyes bulged wide.
"Boom!"
Emanuel's entire body exploded. A divine spark plummeted earthward.
Only then did a figure materialize in midair—bald, ancient. It was none other than Elder Burlo.