"Where did you get this ring?" Gaiseresen suddenly asked in a deep voice, his gaze so fierce it could kill.
Andrew sighed, "I obtained it in the Material Plane I was born... Later, after learning about the Four Divine Beasts Clan, I also guessed that this ring was most likely left in the Material Plane after the Azure Dragon Sovereign fell."
Gaiseresen lowered his head and remained silent for a while. Andrew didn't disturb him, but simply drank his wine alone.
"Lord, I hope you can keep this a secret for now." Gently placing the Azure Dragon Ring in front of Andrew, Gaiseresen said wistfully. He glanced at his clansmen at the banquet, a sorrowful expression on his face.
Andrew nodded in agreement. At the banquet, he and Gaiseresen sat at a separate table, some distance from the others. In addition, the two deliberately kept their conversation quiet, so the others did not hear their previous conversation.
"Rest assured, Clan Leader Redding, I understand." Andrew said solemnly, "This Azure Dragon Ring..."
Gaiseresen took a large gulp of wine. "Now that the Azure Dragon Ring has been obtained by the Lord of the Manor, it means that Father has chosen you. No one can change Father's choice."
Seeing his reaction, Andrew didn't mince words and took back the Azure Dragon Ring. He could tell that Gaiseresen held the Azure Dragon in high esteem; otherwise, he wouldn't have said that, especially since Andrew wasn't a member of the Four Divine Beasts Clan.
Even if damaged, a Soul Defense Sovereign Artifact is priceless. If it weren't for Gaiseresen's deep affection for the Azure Dragon Sovereign, he wouldn't have given away such a treasure, no matter how generous he was.
For Andrew, the Azure Dragon Ring was now dispensable. With his soul cultivation, he was not afraid even of Paragon Soul Attack. The reason he accepted the Azure Dragon Ring was firstly to show his attitude. Andrew frankly admitted his connection with the Four Divine Beasts Clan, which also indicated to Gaiseresen that he would intervene in the war against the Eight Great Clans.
Secondly, in Andrew's hands, the Azure Dragon Ring has already been repaired by one-tenth. Andrew estimates that even if his soul power stops growing, the Azure Dragon Ring will be able to be repaired in another thousand years. Once repaired, the Azure Dragon Ring will be a complete Soul Defense Sovereign Artifact, and even if Andrew himself doesn't use it, he can give it to his family.
Gaiseresen forced down a few drinks and left. Andrew didn't mind; he understood Gaiseresen's feelings. Soon, Andrew saw another acquaintance— Elder Bru had arrived.
After a century apart, Elder Bru has become even colder.
"You still came." Elder Bru glanced at Herbert and the others, sensing the strong aura of the Azure Dragon emanating from them, but there was no joy in his eyes. In his view, although these people possessed the Azure Dragon Bloodline, they had no relation to the Four Divine Beasts Clan.
Blu sneered, "Lord of the Prefecture said he wanted to end this war. Has the time come?"
Andrew's face darkened, and he put down his wine glass. Silence fell around him. Everyone present had heard what Blu said, and they were all puzzled as to why Blu had reacted this way.
" Blu, are you blaming me?" Andrew looked at the indifferent Blu and said in a deep voice.
Blu replied coldly, "The affairs of the Four Divine Beasts Clan are never for outsiders to interfere with. Why should I blame you?"
Andrew remained noncommittal about what Blu said. He knew in his heart that Blu was the kind of warrior who was so proud that he disregarded his own life. It was difficult to communicate with such a person using rational thinking.
" Blu, I've always been a person who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. I will settle my grievances with the Four Divine Beasts Clan in my own way," Andrew said frankly. "My visit to the Four Divine Beasts Clan this time is not only to send my descendants for bloodline baptism, but also to fulfill my previous promise. I will not stand idly by in the war between the Four Divine Beasts Clan and the Eight Great Clans."
Blu listened, then sat down beside him expressionlessly, his attitude unchanged.
Seeing his reaction, Andrew couldn't help but guess that the Four Divine Beasts Clan must have suffered at the hands of the Eight Great Clans over the past century. He changed the subject and asked, " Blu, where is Bernistan now?"
"Dead," Blu said coldly. "Two years ago, during the battle with the Ashcroft Clan, his squad was ambushed and wiped out."
"Smack!"
Andrew put down his glass, his body trembled slightly, and a sense of loss washed over him. Thinking of Bernistan, Andrew gave a bitter smile. He and Bernistan had a good relationship; after all, they had been together for over two hundred years, especially during their time in the Amethyst Mountains, when Bernistan had been incredibly devoted and hardworking.
Herbert was deeply saddened by the news. Among the Lance Clan, besides Andrew, Herbert and Bernistan were the closest. Bernistan valued Herbert's talent highly, considering him a genius among the Four Divine Beasts Clan, and was particularly enthusiastic towards him. Bernistan had often told Herbert about the wonders of the Infernal Realm and had even guided Herbert's cultivation.
"Is he still dead?" Andrew asked, as if he were both asking a question and expressing his feelings. Andrew had anticipated this when Bernistan left. Andrew knew that Bernistan always put his family first and was willing to sacrifice everything for them. However, given the brutality of the war between the Four Divine Beasts Clan and the Eight Great Clans, Bernistan simply did not have the strength to protect himself.
Regardless of what Andrew was thinking, Blu coldly stated, "Every member of the Four Divine Beasts Clan is ready to sacrifice themselves for their clan at any time, Bernistan is no exception."
With a sigh, Andrew thought to himself that Bernistan had gotten what he wanted, and he probably had no regrets.
"It's a pity. I promised you I would help the Four Divine Beasts Clan solve this problem, but you won't be able to see it." Andrew slowly poured the wine onto the ground and said softly. He knew that Bernistan had completely disappeared; in this universe, the souls of Deity-level powerhouses cannot be reincarnated after death.
Three days later, Andrew met Gaiseresen again, this time accompanied by the other three patriarchs of the Four Divine Beasts Clan.
After dismissing everyone else, only Andrew and the four clan chiefs remained in the room. Andrew was quite familiar with Gaiseresen and Nadal, but he was meeting the Black Tortoise Clan Leader and the Vermilion Bird Clan Leader Andrew the first time. He sized them up; the Vermilion Bird was an elegant and beautiful woman with a gentle smile on her face that made her instantly likable. The Black Tortoise, on the other hand, gave off a sense of solidity and gentleness, like the earth itself, possessing the power to embrace everything.
The four of them were together, surrounded by the four elements of earth, water, wind, and fire, as if possessing a mysterious power. Andrew, curious, secretly spread his divine sense around them. His soul cultivation far surpassed theirs, so he was not detected.
"A strange feeling, a strange power..." Andrew discovered that there seemed to be an inexplicable connection between the four of them, faint and seemingly nonexistent. With a thought, Andrew thought of the Fusion Divine Ability of the Four Divine Beasts. As the bloodline closest to the Four Divine Beasts, the four clan leaders, although unable to use the Fusion Divine Ability, still had considerable tacit understanding.
In addition, the four Divine Power of earth, water, wind, and fire that Andrew sensed from the four people were somewhat different from usual. These Divine Power had a sense of being perfectly integrated, and were more refined and powerful.
"If they are truly the Four Divine Beasts, how powerful would they be if they unleashed their Fusion Innate Ability! Even Paragon cultivator would have to give way!"
Andrew was radiant, secretly imagining the scene of the Four Divine Beasts unleashing their Fusion Innate Divine Ability. Andrew had thought more than once that the Four Divine Beasts were the destined protagonists of this universe. According to Hongmeng, the universe Andrew inhabited was a Subordinate Universe, lacking the Five Laws, particularly the Laws of Metal. In other words, this universe was composed of the four elements of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire, and the Four Divine Beasts were the natural Controller of these four elements.
In fact, the Four Divine Beasts are indeed blessed with unique talents, each possessing a super supernatural power. Moreover, their innate Innate Divine Ability can be combined to form an invincible supernatural power.
Just imagine, four Lower Sovereign using their innate Innate Divine Ability to kill Highgod Sovereign —how incredibly powerful is that! Keep in mind that the Willpower of Highgod Sovereign is tens of thousands of times greater than that of Lower Sovereign! And in reality, the difference in strength between the two is even greater. The Divine Power of Highgod Sovereign is far greater than that of Lower Sovereign!
Imagine if the Four Divine Beasts were all Highgod Sovereign, and then they unleashed their Fusion Innate Divine Ability...
"I wonder if I can break through this universe," Andrew sighed softly.
The four men, Gaiseresen, noticed Andrew's expression, exchanged bewildered glances, and wondered what he was thinking.
Coming to his senses, Andrew gave an embarrassed smile, and Gaiseresen and the others didn't think much of it.
"I wonder what brings you here, Lord Lord?" Gaiseresen asked rather formally.
Andrew said, "I believe Clan Leader Redding has also noticed that my descendants all possess the Azure Dragon Bloodline. I have taken the liberty of visiting you today, hoping to use the Azure Dragon Clan's Dragon Transformation Pool to baptize these descendants."
Gaiseresen replied without hesitation, "That's no problem. The Dragon Transformation Pool will open in thirty years, at which time the clan lord's descendants can enter the Dragon Transformation Pool together!"
Andrew nodded, somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected Gaiseresen to be so easy to talk to.
" Clan Leader Redding. Besides the matter of the baptism of my descendants, I am also here to fulfill my promise. I said before that I would join this war when the time was right, and now I have come!"