Chapter 33: Bloodline |
He looked at Ilo, who stood at the front.
Before he could even ask.
Ilo had already respectfully taken the initiative to declare his identity.
“Great-Uncle Lei, I am Ilo. My father is Yula, the youngest grandson of Ancestor Ze.”
Lei gave a slight nod, a ripple stirring in his heart.
Then, under Ilo’s escort.
Lei headed toward the Royal City.
Along the way, Recipients of Divine Grace stationed within their respective territories continuously rushed over upon hearing the news.
Without exception, the moment they saw Lei, they respectfully knelt and paid their respects, addressing him as “Great-Uncle Lei.”
Caused waves to surge within Lei’s heart, stirring countless emotions.
He had not expected that the descendants of his brothers and sisters.
Would be scattered across every corner of the dynasty like stars, forming such a vast family.
When he arrived at the Royal City.
The scene reached its peak!
On both sides of the road leading to the royal palace, Recipients of Divine Grace from every branch of the royal family knelt in rows.
That expanse of dazzling gold, those sincere cries of “Great-Uncle Lei,” converged into an invisible yet immense force that struck deeply at Lei’s heart.
When he stepped into the solemn great hall of the palace.
The newly crowned Solar King, Yula, personally led a group of great nobles and ministers, kneeling deeply before him.
Their bloodline was closer to Lei.
They were essentially the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Wa, Ya, and Ze.
Faced with such an incomparably grand and solemn scene.
Lei completely understood.
He understood why Ze had never worried.
That if he were to pass first…
Lei would come to seize the Divine Grace Technique.
Because this bond of blood.
And the ties between them far exceeded his imagination!
Even though he had never met them before.
When these descendants who shared the same bloodline.
Knelt so sincerely before him.
His heart, hardened by faith.
Ultimately softened, unable to resist.
“You… are Yula, correct?”
Lei’s gaze fell upon Yula, who held the inherited Priest wooden staff, his voice gentle.
Yula raised his head, his expression respectful.
Even carrying a trace of barely noticeable tension.
“Yula greets Great-Uncle Lei.”
He knew very well.
As the last Authority Holder in this world.
If Great-Uncle Lei wished to forcibly take the Divine Grace Technique, no one in the entire Solar Dynasty could stop him.
This was the absolute authority of an Authority Holder.
But before his grandfather passed, he had told him.
Only by moving him with familial affection…
Would there be a sliver of possibility.
Thus, what Yula gambled on.
Was this attachment to family and bloodline.
Something even Lei himself had not fully realized.
He believed.
That this web woven by blood.
Would be enough to hold this Great-Uncle Lei back.
And successfully preserve the foundation of the Solar Dynasty!
“Rise, children.”
Lei looked at the crowd, his tone gentle.
Following his words.
Everyone in the hall finally stood up.
But they still lowered their heads respectfully.
Not daring to meet the gaze of this legendary great-uncle.
“Take me to see… Ze.”
“Great-Uncle, please follow me.”
Yula immediately stepped aside to lead the way.
Accompanied by Yula and several great nobles.
Lei arrived at a newly built memorial hall.
Ze’s body had not yet been buried and was currently placed within a coffin carved from crystal.
Around the coffin were countless glittering gemstones, simulating the appearance of a starry sky.
Lei stood before the coffin, gazing at Ze’s remains.
Ze’s expression was peaceful, as if he were merely asleep.
Decades of estrangement and conflict…
At this moment, all turned into a silent sigh.
It was as if he once again heard, when Ze had left.
That lonely murmur.
“Lei, in this world…”
“Only the two of us remain.”
And now, even Ze was gone.
Leaving him alone to walk this world.
“Ze…”
Lei called softly.
So softly that only he himself could hear it.
“You won.”
He stood there.
As if turned into a statue.
In that instant, memories surged forth!
From the struggle for survival in the tribal era, to the high spirits after obtaining Divine Grace, to the later divisions and confrontations…
The experiences of the past flowed through his mind like a revolving lantern.
Yula and the others stood quietly to the side, not daring to disturb him.
After an unknown amount of time.
Lei turned around and looked at Yula…
And at the descendants of Apollo behind him, whose eyes carried both unease and hope.
His gaze slowly swept across the crowd.
“Yula.”
“Great-Uncle.”
Yula immediately stepped forward, bowing slightly.
Waiting for Lei’s instruction.
He knew clearly.
That this last Authority Holder.
Had already seen through their carefully arranged “welcome ceremony” woven with blood ties.
Yet strangely.
Faced with their calculations.
Lei felt no disgust at all.
Perhaps, this was the power of blood.
“Let’s go. I will send Ze off on his final journey.”
“As you command, Great-Uncle.”
Yula responded respectfully.
He directed several high-ranking great nobles to lift the coffin carrying Ze’s body.
The solemn and sorrowful funeral procession.
Began to move toward the family burial grounds outside the Royal City.
At this moment, the Recipients of Divine Grace kneeling along the roadside.
Looked at the coffin that symbolized the end of an era, their faces filled with genuine grief.
Many even burst into tears on the spot.
Immersed in this thick atmosphere of sorrow.
Even someone as strong-willed as Lei.
Could not help but appear downcast.
Fragments of his past with Ze…
Whether good or bad, all surged into his heart at this moment.
Just then.
A particularly burning gaze, entirely different from the others filled with grief, caught Lei’s attention.
He turned his head to look.
Among the crowd, there was a Recipient of Divine Grace.
At this moment, he was staring fixedly at Ze’s coffin.
There was no sorrow in his eyes.
Only hatred that seemed about to overflow!
However, the moment that person’s gaze met Lei’s.
He quickly lowered his head.
Blending back into the kneeling crowd…
And disappeared from sight.
Lei frowned slightly but did not pursue it further.
That conspicuous golden hair and golden eyes.
Made him assume this was a descendant of one of his brothers or sisters.
Who simply harbored resentment toward Ze due to some personal grievance.
As for the reason behind that hatred.
He guessed it was likely because some of Ze’s iron-handed methods during his reign had affected that person’s interests.
“I’ll have Yula handle it after the funeral.”
Lei thought to himself.
He then set aside this minor incident and refocused his attention on the funeral before him.
At this moment, Shan.
Could still feel his heart pounding wildly!
That brief exchange of gazes with Lei just now.
That invisible pressure had nearly suffocated him!
He had never expected.
That besides the deceased Ze, the Solar Dynasty still had another Authority Holder as terrifying as this!
Fearing his identity would be exposed, Shan did not dare to remain.
Taking advantage of everyone’s attention being on the funeral.
He quietly withdrew from the crowd.
He prepared to leave the Royal City as soon as possible.
And return to his “territory” to make further plans.
Soon, the procession arrived at that hillside.
Where generations of ancestors, along with En and Wa, were buried.