Chapter Fifty-One: Hogge's Revenge

After becoming a god of the wind element, Qian Kun left his divine avatar to continue meditating on the mysteries of speed, while his true body did not immediately depart the micro-plane space. Instead, he turned his attention to comprehending the laws of fire, focusing on the simplest aspect: the mystery of the fire element.

Having already gained some insight into the laws of fire while studying fire magic, Qian Kun spent only a few months before fully grasping the profound mysteries of fire, thus ascending to godhood in the fire element as well.

Without pausing, Qian Kun then proceeded to comprehend, one after another, the mysteries of earth, water, and light elements. Spending several months to over half a year on each, he successively achieved godhood in the earth, water, and light elements. After leaving five divine avatars in the micro-plane space to continue cultivating and understanding the mysteries of their respective elements, Qian Kun finally allowed his true body to leave and return to Fenlai City.

By the time Qian Kun returned to Fenlai City, more than four years had passed since his last departure. The city itself appeared unchanged, but at Ernst Institute on the outskirts, Linley, now in his fifth year, was renowned alongside Dixie as one of the two exceptional prodigies of the academy, their fame spreading far and wide.

“Linley?” Qian Kun mused to himself after overhearing the maids occasionally mention the name upon his return. Having never met Linley, he merely pondered it briefly before resuming his rigorous cultivation, paying little heed even when King Clyde of Fenlai would visit, finding such matters beneath his concern.

But on this day, as Qian Kun sat meditating on the mysteries of the laws while soaking in the springwater garden, he suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow in mild astonishment as he turned toward the direction of the royal palace. “Hmm? This aura… Hog?”

“Could it be that he’s uncovered the cause of his wife’s death and has gone to seek revenge on Clyde? After years of bitter training in Dragonblood Battle Qi, reaching the eighth warrior rank wouldn’t be hard, but I doubt he’s reached the ninth. Even transformed as a Dragonblood Warrior, he’d be at best at the peak of the ninth rank. To seek revenge on Clyde like this is far too reckless!” Shaking his head in silent lament, Qian Kun’s figure flickered and vanished from the springwater pool.

That night, the royal palace was thrown into chaos. A monstrous, draconic figure had stormed in, unleashing a frenzy of slaughter and throwing the entire palace into pandemonium. Though Clyde was a ninth-ranked warrior, he was no match for this mysterious dragon-man. If not for the protection of a Destiny Guard defensive magic scroll, he would have been slain alongside another ninth-ranked warrior, Caesar.

Protected by Destiny Guard, Clyde fled the palace in disgrace, hoping to reach Qian Kun’s estate for sanctuary.

But Hog, transformed into a Dragonblood Warrior, was in a frenzy and pursued relentlessly, intent on killing Clyde.

Their chase turned Fenlai City upside down, alarming even the experts of the Radiant Church. Pope Haydings himself intervened.

On the main street outside the palace under the cover of night, just as Destiny Guard’s protection on Clyde shattered and Hog, sword in hand, was poised to deliver the killing blow, an invisible force suddenly descended, enveloping Hog and making him feel as though he’d sunk into a mire, completely immobilized and unable to so much as twitch.

Amid Hog’s furious, anguished roars, Clyde, retreating in terror, looked up to see Haydings and couldn’t help but exclaim in delight as he respectfully saluted, “Your Holiness!”

“Dragonblood Warrior? You must be from the Baruch clan,” Haydings ignored Clyde, narrowing his eyes at Hog.

Hog, however, bared his teeth in a ferocious glare, his eyes bloodshot, refusing to answer.

Haydings continued calmly, “There’s a genius student at Ernst Institute named Linley. He’s also from the Baruch clan. I’m curious—what is your relationship to him?”

At this, Hog’s expression shifted, unable to maintain his composure.

Seeing his reaction and evasive gaze, Haydings smiled, very much in control, and with a thought, released Hog from his restraints. “Come with me.”

“Your Holiness!” Clyde’s face changed at Haydings’ attitude toward Hog, and he tried to protest.

Before he could finish, Haydings shot him a displeased look, and the now-freed Hog once again lunged madly at Clyde.

With a crisp sound, Haydings casually waved his hand, sending Hog flying into the air to crash down on the stone-paved street, shattering the stones beneath him. Hog’s body oozed blood, and his once-impenetrable scales seemed terribly fragile under Haydings’ seemingly effortless blow.

Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps signaled the arrival of palace guards, two red-robed archbishops, and an Inquisitor leading the Radiant Church’s forces, all bowing respectfully to Clyde and Haydings.

“Gilmer, take him away,” Haydings ordered one of the red-robed archbishops.

Nodding, Gilmer instructed several Inquisitors who had come with him, “Take this demon away!”

As four Inquisitors moved forward to seize Hog, a shadowy figure suddenly appeared among them, grabbing Hog and preparing to leave.

“How dare you snatch someone from under my nose!” Haydings bellowed in fury, his figure flickering to block the shadowy figure’s path, striking out with a golden, glowing palm that caused the surrounding space to freeze, making evasion impossible.

With a deep thud, the shadowy figure’s hand, radiating black light, collided with Haydings’ palm, borrowing the force to retreat with Hog, vanishing into the darkness.

“A practitioner of the darkness laws—someone from the Church of Darkness? Does the Church of Darkness have a mysterious expert I know nothing about?” Haydings, shaken and forced back a distance before regaining his footing, looked grimly in the direction where the shadow had vanished.

Moments later, in the springwater garden, a shadowy figure descended from the sky and, with a casual wave, tossed the bloodied, now-human Hog into the spring pool.

“Who…who are you? Why did you save me?” Hog asked through gritted teeth, staring in confusion at the figure cloaked in black.

With a wave, Qian Kun removed the black cloak, smiling at Hog. “What’s this? After a few years, you don’t recognize me?”

“Lord Qian Kun?” Hog’s eyes widened in astonishment as he recognized him.

“I’ve been in seclusion here in Fenlai City recently, and sensed your presence, so I went to take a look,” Qian Kun said, shaking his head. “I didn’t expect you to be so bold, storming the Fenlai royal palace to kill Clyde. Have you considered, even if you killed Clyde, could you possibly escape Fenlai alive? If you died, what would happen to your two sons?”

Hog’s face twisted in pain at these words. “Lord Qian Kun, I know I was reckless. But Clyde killed my wife—I can’t die in peace without avenging her!”

“Couldn’t you have waited?” Qian Kun said with a hint of exasperation. “At the very least, you should have waited until you had the strength. You’re a Dragonblood Warrior; you could one day become a powerful Saint-level Dragonblood Warrior. By then, would revenge be so difficult? If I’d known you valued your life so little, I wouldn’t have helped you become a Dragonblood Warrior.”