Blood Peak Continent, Azure Mansion, Tianji Mountain Range.
In the reception hall of Azure Dragon Clan Leader Gesilesen's residence, Gesilesen was sitting with a thin, bald old man, chatting and laughing.
"Gesilesen, why so modest? Haha, back in the Sea of Chaos, when you and I and several others took on that Demon Mission together to kill Valentine... the rest of us were just there for show. It was you who turned the tide, ultimately using your Azure Dragon Clan's innate divine ability and your overwhelming physical attack to take Valentine down in one fell swoop. I remember it vividly!" The bald old man said with a laugh.
"Haha, Baigelifu, that was so many years ago." Gesilesen replied modestly, though his face was still full of smiles.
"True, it was a long time ago. But you were already that powerful back then. I'd wager your current strength now far surpasses mine." The old man's words clearly dripped with flattery.
But whether flattery landed well depended entirely on who was saying it.
If an ordinary Highgod said it, Gesilesen would have found it annoying. But this was a Commander-level powerhouse whose strength was no less than his own, and who happened to be an old acquaintance. Hearing such words from a man like this filled Gesilesen's heart with deep satisfaction.
"Haha, don't say that." Gesilesen grinned widely.
The bald old man, Baigelifu, sighed. "I came to visit my old friend, and also hoping to meet that Grand Perfection powerhouse of yours. Looks like my luck isn't great."
Hearing this, Gesilesen immediately laughed. "Baigelifu, the Plane War ended only a hundred years ago. Lin Lei probably hasn't even returned from the Netherworld yet. Don't worry—once Lin Lei comes back and you visit again, I'll definitely introduce you. Lin Lei... although he's a true genius of our Azure Dragon Clan, he's a good person at heart. He loves making friends." Gesilesen spoke with unmistakable admiration.
The bald old man rose to his feet with a smile. "Alright, then I'll wait for another chance. Sorry to have taken up so much of your time... I should be heading back. We'll catch up again when I'm free."
"Anytime." Gesilesen stood as well to see him off.
"No need to see me out." The bald old man smiled and gave a nod, so Gesilesen remained at the doorway of the hall, watching as the old man flew away.
A moment later, someone walked in from outside—it was the Azure Dragon Clan's Elder Jiawei.
"Clan Leader, has Commander Baigelifu left?" Jiawei entered with a smile.
"Yes." Gesilesen smiled faintly.
Jiawei couldn't help but grin. "Clan Leader, that makes... what, the ninth supremely powerful figure in recent decades?"
Not long after the Plane War ended, Commander-level figures had begun making pilgrimages to the Four Divine Beast Families. Most of them truly wanted to meet Lin Lei. When they couldn't, they'd settle for building rapport with the clan leaders. The Four Divine Beast Families now... in the eyes of those Commanders, held an entirely different status.
"Hmph." Gesilesen sneered. "Nine already! These Commanders are only showing up because our Four Divine Beast Families produced a Grand Perfection expert. They're all here to curry favor! Back when our families were in crisis, when the Eight Great Families were squeezing us to the brink of destruction... aside from Mr. Beirut, who came to our aid? Nobody!"
"Just that Baigelifu." Gesilesen snorted. "He and I used to get along well enough. When our Ancestor was still around, he visited often. But after the clan declined and we were being oppressed to the verge of annihilation—where was Baigelifu then? Now he shows up to rekindle old friendships."
Help during a snowstorm is scarce, but compliments during good times are plentiful.
Now that the Four Divine Beast Families had produced a Grand Perfection expert, their status was naturally transformed.
After all, among gods, Grand Perfection meant invincibility! The Eight Great Families that had once oppressed the Four Divine Beast Families, though powerful, could all be destroyed by a single Grand Perfection Highgod.
"That's understandable." Jiawei smiled. "But Lin Lei actually reaching Grand Perfection... I still find it hard to believe."
At this, Gesilesen's eyes brightened and he laughed. "It's not just you—I can hardly believe it myself! Almost everyone in the clan couldn't accept the news at first. When Lin Lei originally left the family, he was merely a powerful Seven-Star Demon, approaching Commander level. Who'd have thought that in just a thousand years he'd reach Grand Perfection? If it weren't for person after person coming here, all saying the same thing—and these are supremely powerful figures who couldn't possibly be lying—I still wouldn't believe it."
"Grand Perfection..." Jiawei sighed in admiration.
Ever since word of Lin Lei's Grand Perfection status had spread among Commander-level figures, causing a steady stream of powerhouses to visit the Four Divine Beast Families...
The clan members naturally felt the shift in their family's standing!
With a Grand Perfection expert, the Four Divine Beast Families' position now far surpassed anything before. Now, apart from Sovereigns, no one dared provoke them—and what Sovereign would lower himself to bother with a mere family?
"Jiawei," Gesilesen suddenly said.
"Clan Leader?" Jiawei looked at him questioningly.
Gesilesen asked quickly, "Are the signal warriors at the mountain range's edge all in place?"
"Completely arranged." Jiawei smiled. "Rest assured, Clan Leader. If Lin Lei returns from the Netherworld, the moment he reaches the mountain range's edge, news will reach you and the other three clan leaders immediately. All the welcoming arrangements are ready too—the newly built residence and everything."
"Good." Gesilesen nodded with a smile. "This absolutely cannot go wrong! Lin Lei originally came from the Yulan Continent plane and never had the strongest sense of belonging to the clan. Then there was the Fuerhan father-and-son affair... Although Lin Lei still treats the family reasonably well, thanks to Baruch and the others, we need to make up for everything!"
"Understood." Jiawei nodded.
In the eyes of Gesilesen and the Grand Elder, Lin Lei—now a Grand Perfection expert—was even more important than Beirut!
Beirut was powerful, yes, but he was ultimately an outsider. When the family faced crisis, Beirut wouldn't necessarily intervene.
But Lin Lei was one of their own!
Though there had been rifts in the past, he was still a blood descendant of the Azure DragonThe request was rejected because it was considered high risk