Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1004 - 1003 - Shadow Wave

The Eternal Blossom Sect was no more but their facilities still stood. Unlike Kun City, the elders had betrayed it from within quite effectively. The Shandor Syndicate had been well prepared and with the boost from the caravan from the Eternal Flame Sect, easily drove out or killed their foes.

The disciples had been all ensnared due to the unique nature of the sect. The Dao of Nature was not kind so battles between elders were not unheard of. Disputes aside, there was always the rivalry of instincts vs conscious thought egging them on.

Different races reacted strongly to others or simply dynamics of those in power being challenged by the next generation trying to rise up.

When the coup happened, it just seemed on a larger scale at first but when the fiery robes of powerful Immortals and other realms showed up, they knew things had become an invasion.

It was far too late when death began to spread from those fighting back.

Soul and World Realms could only look on as their seniors did their best but the very elders they hoped to rely on turned against them!

Some of the core disciples also betrayed them and a hellish nightmare was unleashed.

Both men and women were taken as slaves in less than a day for various revenge or other uses. The vast majority were corralled like lesser beasts of burden by people in dark robes as well.

The following months were hell. People were stripped, measured, and evaluated for their potential uses. Some were simple pleasure slaves but kept clean and intact from any abuse.

Others were considered for battle slaves and the myriad other uses slaves were put to.

It still took massive time and logistics to get the collars needed so there was still some freedom left but the disciples had given up hope.

Kun City had fallen like a warzone and the Gate was disabled. There was no one near enough to stop the inevitable anymore.

A small group of prisoners worked to keep up what morale they could. They were not naive but they had faced impossible odds before.

They were all the disciples that had suffered from broken meridians and had been stuck for centuries at their last cultivation level. They had not lost hope.

"Ethan, the pen master has been to Violet's area again." A frown crossed a young man's face with pale hazel eyes and raggedy brown hair. His robes were not in the best shape but his partially grown beard was neatly trimmed.

"His own superiors would eviscerate him if he so much as touched a slave with such potential. We might be able to help a bit here but their own strict rules protect us from the more hellish aspects of imprisonment." Ethan spoke the harsh truth.

For all that they tried to keep the spirit of their former brother and sister disciples up, they did not deny the bleak future facing them all.

The plain truth was that they were just hoping for a chance to break free.

It was their small group that had suffered due to lacking the proper physiques that had been cured by Maester Cord that they refused to stop. He had proven there was still a way forward when they thought nothing could be done!

"Still, she is only a 17 year old Soul Realm. We cannot keep letting him scare her half to death." The lanky fellow with troubled blue eyes made Ethan smile. The truth was his fellow disciple was smitten by Violet long ago when he was lost.

He was only 20 himself, not much older!

"Fine, we can–" It was only due to the sermons of Maester Cord but Ethan felt the world go wrong. His hazel eyes narrowed as the shadows around their small fires and stark fences around them moved!

Shadows should only move in concert with a person or object in motion with a lightsource casting them, but these were moving INTO the light!

He was about to speak when he saw a plate deftly removed from the belt of one of the guards! It was all over so fast he thought he was imagining things!

He slowly got up and a spark lit in his heart. He signaled to his group to stay down as he slowly walked towards one of the camp fires he saw movement earlier. It was the fire of a small group of aether beasts that had attained semi-human form only in the Sky Realm.

They were part of the ancient ape tribes far to the southwest in the jungles that thrived there.

Their bodies were normally covered in fur but now had clear patches in almost random places.

The leader was a woman at the peak of the Sky Realm. She was holding a little boy who was at the peak of the Body Refining Realm. He was a human who had been saved from bandits a few years ago by that very woman.

"Aisha, what was that?" He kept his voice low as he knelt by the fire. Her dark eyes only glanced at him before a smile spread on her dark face.

"He has come." Ethan was confused. He who? Who had come?

Before he could ask more, balls of fire were suddenly exploding in the sky at the walls of the sect! The guards all became stern but held their positions. Their job was to guard the new slaves and they were very good about it.

He had hoped they would run off but where battle was expected, a searing ball of bright light lit up the sky. Night became day and dark shadows were cast everywhere!

Ethan felt something pull on him but it was not human! It pulled him into shadow.

[Have no fear, these are my friends.] A very familiar voice filled his head and tears fell from his eyes. Maester Cord! He had come back!

The darkness was stifling but he did not resist. After an interminable amount of time he came tumbling into crystal lights!

It was the underground cave system used for training earth element cultivators!

It was a massive cavern that was swiftly filling up with people.

[Do not dally! Come to the back and move! Time is of the essence!] The voice came to his head and he looked up to see a massive tear in space with an emerald haired man waving. His crimson robes were pristine but his aura was felt from across the room!

Ethan rallied people and they recognized him. As more of his fellow disciples showed up, they were able to organize things quickly. The ground rumbled suddenly as dirt fell from the ceiling.

"Going a little overboard but effective." His words reached Ethan but he did not take the time to question as finally the numbers began to thin. He had been counting and was shocked at how nearly all the prisoners had been rescued!

He became grim as one particular group was not present.

"Maester Cord, the slaves taken for cultivation cauldrons, they are not here." The man looked at him and Ethan felt a tremor of fear. The rage in those eyes was something he knew never to cross.

"I was too late. They were dead months ago. The ones who did it are no longer in this world." Ethan had a strong suspicion of what those explosions had been.

New tears formed as several of his friends had been in that group. He bowed low and stepped into the spatial tear.

The world shifted much faster as he came out into a place he had only heard rumors of. He could never afford to set foot in it!

The Golden Vermillion Inn, even in the terrible times they lived, was glorious. The Qi quality was amazing and the suits were exquisite. They were currently overflowing with people but that was normal.

"Stop gawking. If you are healthy, follow the green path!" A demoness with cobalt eyes got his attention and the world froze. She was gorgeous! Her lavender skin and dark violet hair were entrancing to him.

He had met a few demons in his life but he had never really felt a reaction like that!

He was suddenly grabbed forcibly by that dream demoness and tossed like a ragdoll down the green lit path.

"MOVE!" He finally snapped out of it and began to walk under his own power. The reality was still settling in. He was free!

He was about to leave the massive courtyard when the tear vanished! Where was Maester Cord?!

The very air of the inn seemed chaotic but he saw no one panic so it must have been part of the plan. It was only then that the night sky seemed to wink out as a wave of shadows washed over the area.

He jumped back as it broke apart into creatures that were part snake and part insect. He had seen them before in drawings but never in real life!

"That is enough. Take them to the infirmary then return to your cages." A stern voice broke his concentration enough to realize unconscious people were being carried by the beasts!

Maester Cord was standing there in the center of chaos as a calm island. His eyes scanned until they landed on Ethan and he moved forward.

"Your group did well. Thank you. My plans only worked so quickly thanks to your actions. Go and get some rest as I will be needing your help soon." The pat on his shoulder seemed to solidify it.

They were free! The fear, pain, and suffering all seemed to catch up with Ethan as he let tears fall. The man in front of him did not judge and only smiled as he gently patted his head.

Ethan was not alone in weeping and grieving. All looked at the man with emerald hair as a god at that moment. He moved a sea of shadows to save them all!

They would follow him into Hell if he asked but instead he went around healing them and gently talking to them. Ethan thanked the spirits from the bottom of his heart.

Real hope lived again.