novelraw Chapter 1015 - 1014 - True Maidens
Chapter 1015 - 1014 - True Maidens
The pair left the tavern after a few more rounds. Lind even bought a few for the place which made him very popular but they moved on.
"You are disturbed. Why?" Delenn had become adept at reading him so he told her the truth. She was stunned but also suspicious.
"It is possible the badge was guiding you subtly. If it detected another branch of the legacy it may have influenced you to come to it. Just because it is a Ruin does not mean it has lost all function. Even more so as it is a Divine Ruin." He nodded as they moved through the street but then he slowed as he looked at the towers.
"What are they like up here?" He did not need to explain who he was referring to. The reaction of the various people when they were mentioned made him think they were not the same Maidens he was used to.
"They are the only sect to not have the 'Eternal' moniker by choice that is on par or better than many of them. They are prideful and powerful warriors. If my father were to go to war and heard the Maidens could be opposing us, he would reconsider it." That made Lind arch an eyebrow.
His confusion was clear as she pointed up.
"My Empire has connections to Radiant Tiers and even a handful of Sovereign Tiers but our main power is here. That is true of most of the Supreme powers. The higher layers are not conducive to sects or empires in the conventional sense. Yet, some do exist. The Heavenly Maidens are one of those." Lind found that a bit odd.
Why would only some powers exist the higher up one went and not more?
"I can't speak for the 4th layer, but the 3rd layer is nothing but clouds and mountains. You can see some in the distance. They stretch beyond our vision and are all above the clouds. It is a place of pure flying so there are not many areas a sect or kingdom can set up." He was intensely curious about that! He also had some ideas but pushed it aside as Delenn revealed something he had suspected.
"The Heavenly Maiden Sect goes all the way to the peak of the Celestial Fields. There are only 2 other sects like that. The Divine Sword Sect and Obsidian Dagger Sect." Another familiar name came up but a new one was added.
He had never heard of the third one but she knew that. Given the dark overtone he could guess what it was.
"Demon?" She nodded.
"They are not terrible as a sect but brutality is long associated with them. Of the 3, most fear the Heavenly Maiden Sect." Lind could believe that given his past experience but it still did not explain the reactions people were having in front of him.
"Do you know what a True Maiden is?" The new term confused him and she could see it.
"I feel like the branches that survived in the last million years lost a lot of their legacy. They restored or held onto what they could but the constant war with the Fiends on top of surviving and spreading to newly spawning mortal realms strained them." Lind nodded.
It happened all the time. The Blood Empire had been crushed in his own mortal realm but it was possible demons could resurrect it if they tried. It would not be exactly the same but the broad strokes could be achieved.
"So what is a True Maiden then?" Delenn slowed and seemed to consider something.
"They are gifted individuals with supreme combat skills. One is usually bestowed with the title after killing in a ratio of at least 100 to 1." Lind actually balked at that. He had done more but it was against Fiends.
He was naturally inclined to wipe them out far more easily than others. He had fought more numbers but he was a dragon.
His size alone could aid him in that endeavor. Delenn made it sound like True Maidens were not an uncommon thing!
That kind of combat skill reminded him of Fey.
If there were such disciples intentionally in the sect, he could understand why they were feared.
Fey was called the Goddess of Life and Death for good reason. It did beg the question of how many such women could exist but in the long history of the sect and reaching the Immortal Realm would allow such beings to exist at the same time or train replacements.
"So they are the source of the fear?" Delenn nodded but then shook her head.
"In battle, they are terrifying but that is not the true power they wield. They are able to use a grade 8 array." Lind froze in the starlit street.
Grade 8 was a Divine Array! How could Immortals use a Grade 8 Array at all?!
She seemed to anticipate his question.
"The very same True Maidens are given cypher keys to activate the arrays. They are 1 time use but if ever invoked, none can stand up to it." He realized it was a last resort array but the fact she knew about them meant they had been used!
"Why?" He could not be more specific but she only shrugged her broad shoulders.
"No one knows why they invest in such a powerful formation for their sects but this is the final layer it can be used. It is also said it suffers from the restrictions of Heaven and Earth so its power may be much greater the farther up you go. I only know what is recorded in my empire's history." She slowed as she actually waved her hands around them.
"Crescent City was not always like this. Supposedly, a rival empire once stood here. It was only a high power but it was an enemy to us. They were also arrogant men who dismissed the authority of the Maidens." Lind felt a headache in his skull but it was not over. "They could get away with it so long as they still gave respect but a young master decided a Soul Realm Maiden would be part of his harem."
He no longer had to imagine what happened.
Fools would not heed advice even if it could save their lives.
"The story went he made a deal with the Fiends to enslave her. My Empire and the Maidens went to war. The Fiends tried to take us all down but a True Maiden used her cipher key and the very landscape was remade in front of them all." Reshaping the landscape was possible at the Crystal Tier.
Just as the upper limit raised with each layer, the very land became far stronger as well. Still, a Crystal Tier at full strength could destroy a large mountain with ease. Yet he recalled the map of the local area and how there was a massive ravine at the wide end of the city.
The city actually wrapped around it hence its name.
He felt shocked as that ravine was thousands of kilometers across! It also had a depth of nearly 100 kilometers! It nearly went through to the other side!
That kind of power was terrifying!
Even as a single use item, grade 8 formations were something even he would not want to face with all his arsenal at his fingertips.
"There has to be more of a price than just a cipher key." He knew the restrictions of Heaven and Earth better than most. The exploration of 6 elemental cultivation path had made him wonder if he could use much higher grade items but getting them to lower realms was nearly impossible.
A grade 6 item would burst apart outside of a Ruin in a mortal realm. It would cause massive destruction if brought there.
He could only imagine how terrifying a grade 8 array was supposed to be.
The fact they gave any level of disciple access to it showed the level of power the sect gave to its members. Normally, an array of that power would be the last resort to save the sect or their lives of all the lower realm members.
"There is one last thing regarding the True Maidens and it is in regards to your identity token." Delenn seemed uncomfortable. Lind had a very dark thought but just nodded for her to continue.
They were almost to a change over in the quality of the area but Lind felt his instincts warn him.
He grabbed Delenn and pulled her back before a golden lightning bolt slammed into the stone pavers of the street. He was surprised at how resilient they were until he just barely made out the golden flare of sigils!
There was a weaving in the streets!
He also recognized the style from manuals he had read in the Sanctuary Empire's founding days!
"I was going to say, there is a good chance they sensed your token. If they find it in the hands of a man, they will assume he stole it and kill him for it." He looked at her rather harshly as he would have started with that warning!
"I don't suppose your identity token will buy us any ability to talk?" She shook her head.
"The Heavenly Maiden Sect is on par with my empire. They are one of the few powers that can fully ignore my authority." Lind sighed but accepted it.
His eyes swiveled as he sensed Qi flowing in a powerful Art!
He decided to go for broke.
"Storm Art: Cage of Lighting!" He actually shouted it out but it was a decoy. His harmony flew along the street and he took over the weaving! Golden light flared before startled screams came from around them.
Delenn looked at him in surprise.
"Since when can you take over someone else's weaving like that?" He smirked but said nothing. Anything he said would reveal what they were to anyone listening.
He felt someone try to wrest control from him but their ability was far below his.
He closed his eyes and used a real Art. Storm Art: Echoing Skies
{To all that can hear my voice: I am Triple Maester Taren Cord. I am also a guest elder of the Heavenly Maiden Sect. My imprint and blood are infused if you wish to check. I will let you go if I get an agreement to stop attacking me.}
His voice boomed over the late night. The angry shouts seemed to indicate they were not going to listen. Delenn motioned and he passed the focal point of the Art over her body.
{I am Delenn Ser Fionan. I swear to Heaven and Earth all this man says is true.} She produced her medallion and silence finally descended.
Lind waited before a voice finally came from directly above a building to their right.
"Let my Sisters go now and we will confiscate your token. That is the best offer we can give." Lind frowned. He then sighed as he summoned something else.
"I am afraid you do not have the authority. This token is not just any guest elder. I am a Guardian." The token shone with bright light and the emblem appeared before a projection went forth.
Anyone from his life would recognize the woman showing.
[I am Valkyrie, Sect Master of the Heavenly Maiden Sect. If you are seeing this, you will obey this man as if he speaks for me. He is a friend to our sect and if you are wise, you will not cross him.] The aura was clear to anyone that could recognize it.
He heard more angry shouts but they were quickly silenced.
"Release them. We will talk." A new voice spoke and he shut down the weaving. He was curious why they did not have a Law Maester ready if they were at war but he put on his 3 badges to save some time and put the token right next to them.
It was going to be a long night.