The Innkeeper - Chapter 1502

Chapter 1502: Augur of Heaven I
Licanderoth gave Lex an understanding smile, as if he knew perfectly well that no one was going to reveal their personal strategies – especially to a stranger.

“Actually, there is another reason why I wanted to meet with you as well. Seeing as how your time within the resort is limited, I won’t waste anymore of it with pleasantries. As I’m sure you know by now, the Seraphim employ a foreign policy of friendliness, or baring that, neutrality.

“We run a resort where everyone is welcome, and like to make friends rather than enemies. Yet in this universe, it is incredibly difficult to make only friends and no enemies at all. I’m sure you are already aware of our past enmities with the Angels, yet that is a conflict in the past. For a very long time, both sides have been more than content to maintain the status quo, as it were.

“Yet the Seraphim have another enemy – one who we cannot ignore, and cannot tolerate. It is a hate so deep that neither is content to exist while the other survives, and over the years we have done everything in our power to fight and destroy them.

“Unfortunately, friends are just friends, and that does not mean we can use them to fight our battles. Nor is our enemy without allies of their own, which makes the situation even more troublesome.

“That is why, at every opportunity we get, the Seraphim try to ally with the enemies of our most hated enemy. As it happens, Lex, I believe you fall perfectly into such a category.”

“I’m afraid there’s been some kind of misunderstanding,” interrupted Lex. “The Midnight Inn does not have any enemies, and despite what some of my recent actions may suggest, the Inn does not proactively act against others either. Any action I took was done so independently, and does not reflect on the Inns stance.”

“Oh no, no, I am well aware of that. I am not approaching you as a representative of the Midnight Inn, Lex Williams. I am here, talking to you, for you. One of our most hated enemies goes by the name HOA, or the Heavenly Overlords Association. I believe you personally made a threat against one of their members, and yet you live to this day, unharmed despite being a mere immortal.”

Lex narrowed his eyes as he recalled her. He dared not think of her name, even within the protected walls of the Seraphim Resort, for the power of a Demi-Dao Lord was not something he could treat lightly. She was the second daughter of Ra he had ever met, and was the hidden boss behind Sanguis Pluvia. She was the one behind Damian, his wretched grandfather who Lex so looked forward to meeting.

Lex was in perfect control of himself, emitting not the slightest hint of the killing intent he was feeling, yet Licanderoth seemed to sense it anyway. The Seraphim smiled, as if his purpose had been accomplished already.

“It seems that we may have something to discuss after all,” said Lex in an even tone. “What can you tell me about the HOA, and what exactly do you want from me?”

“About the HOA, I can tell you a lot. Similarly, there is much that I want from you. But there is not much I will actually ask of you. Deities, as you may or may not know, usually cannot leave their realms. They are also intrinsically linked to their own system of faith or belief, without which they cannot exist.

“The Seraphim, who are directly linked to Heavens, have a strong relationship with Deities. More specifically, we have a relationship of superiority, in a way. More often than not, a Deities lore will include stories of some Heaven or Hell, even if they have no real link to it. If a Deity grows powerful enough, and does manage to connect to a Heaven, it is usually under the terms of the local Seraphim.

“This way, the Seraphim and the Deities form a mutually beneficial relationship. Yet the HOA is an association of Deities who, through various heinous acts and sacrilegious means, broke free of the restraints of their realms while retaining a modicum of their original power. What’s worse is that, often enough, a means of their survival is acting like a parasite towards certain Heavens and Hells. The worst part is that since they’ve broken free of the traditional confines of the Deities power structure, they can set up their belief systems in various realms, making them practically impossible to kill.

“One such means for them to do this is by taking advantage of traditional Deities who have a normal relationship with Heavens and Hells. If they’re happening to parasite a Heaven or Hell, they can use its connection to the various realms connected to it, and spread their faith there.

“Even though they are severely weakened from the original state, such Deities remain one of the beings closest to true immortality in the universe, even harder to kill than a Dao Lord. Naturally, while their actions make them natural enemies of Hellions and Seraphim, they are also formidable allies to have, and so many powers are more than willing to protect them

“Not all Deities who do such a thing have joined the HOA, but it is undeniable that the HOA is the largest organization of such Deities. As such, they are always trying to undermine the power and influence of the Heavens, and are similarly always being targeted by those they have harassed.”

Lex did not frown, but he sure as hell was frowning internally. Even for someone like him, who went against common sense and logic all the time, learning that one of their sworn foes was essentially an unkillable that even Dao Lords could not necessarily eliminate, was something completely bizarre.

“Now, there’s good news and there’s bad news as far as the HOA goes. As a law of the universe, all Deities are hard locked to the Demi-Dao Lord realm. No matter how much their faith spreads, and how much divine energy they accumulate, they can never truly become a Dao Lord.

“That means the Deities within the HOA are all Demi-Dao Lords, and are severely weakened at that. So, despite their nearly unkillable state, the amount of harm they can do is limited. That’s the good news. The bad news is, there is a very distinct possibility that as the Era changes, and the universe enters its next phase, the limit on the Deities power realm is lifted.

“After all, what is the universe if not the largest realm? If seen through such a perspective, then just as the maturity of a realm limits the highest achievable realm, the maturity of the universe may similarly be limiting the highest achievable realm for cultivators and Deities alike. As such, before the Era changes, the fight between the HOA and us must conclude.”

Lex leaned back into his chair and thought about what he had just heard. The timeline for fighting the HOA was pretty big from his point of view. Yet if he considered how long it might take him to reach the Dao Lord realm, he wasn’t certain it would be enough.

After all, Lex was basically taking for granted that he would become a Dao Lord. Even if he took that as true, there was no guarantee that it would be a quick or easy process. He could not even imagine what kind of tribulation he would face to become a Dao Lord. He doubted it would be a quick one, considering that Cassandra began her assent into that realm so long ago, and yet she had made no noticeable progress.

“You have convinced me that the HOA is a menace,” Lex admitted candidly. “Yet you have not yet told me anything about her and her relationship with the HOA, not to mention what exactly you want from me.”

At this point, Licanderoth was not quick to reply. Instead, he leaned back and looked at Lex for a moment, as if considering his words carefully. Lex had once unlocked a sixth sense, one that seemed quite useless compared to all his other abilities. Yet it seemed to come in handy at uncanny times. The sixth sense allowed him to sense the emotions of others, and this went beyond his own ability to simply determine their feelings based on their micro-expressions and energy signatures. It was truly mystical and unexplainable.

At this moment, he could tell that Licanderoth was feeling both fearful and conflicted, which was not the emotions Lex had been expecting.

“Originally, the request I wanted to make of you was quite simple. Yet after your… unusual experience in the Heavens Guidance, I thought of another possibility. I admit, do not know whether I should address it or not.”

“Don’t hold back,” said Lex. “Weren’t you the one who said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Then among friends, there is no need to hold back.”