Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1018 - 1017 - Divine Ruin

Several streets over, a pair suddenly appeared but the space was more turbulent than normal before it settled back down.

While Lind had explained a lot, he had left off his ability to fly and tear through space for obvious reasons. While a cultivator could not stop him, formations absolutely could.

He knew the Heavenly Maidens Sect could lock down space with the best of them with little effort. He did still feel resistance but that was due to defensive formations from before the Corruption still operating he did not account for.

He had to adjust their course until they finally appeared on the street.

"Why did you reject them so forcefully? If you want access to the Divine Ruin, we will need help getting there." Lind did not answer right away as he scanned the area until he was sure they were not being spied on.

Given the tensions and small battle earlier in the night, he would not put it past more spies keeping an eye out for him.

"I have questions about that but I assure you, they cannot use me to enter that place." He had not told Delenn about his badge's reaction. He suspected the Divine Ruin was not what they all thought it was.

The pair moved deep into the alleys as the sun began to rise. They looked around until they found a stable with beasts inside. Lind used his aura to calm them as they climbed to the floor above where hay and other feed was kept.

It was almost humorous how few defenses were on the building but that was the point. The other thing was Lind was a beast so the formations were not high end enough to differentiate him from others.

The heavy scent did not bother him but it was damned potent for Delenn who hid inside his aura at the moment.

"Oh the wonderful places you lead me to on my way home." He smirked at her dry tone but knew she was feeling better after the rough time they had in Kun City.

"To be fair, it is comfortable." The hay bales were the same as Earth and even in the Celestial Fields they served the same purpose for beasts of burden.

He took out his elixir badge and tried to examine it but nothing happened no matter how much he fiddled with it.

"What are you doing?" He looked up but felt conflicted. He instead tried another approach.

"Can you tell me how a Divine Ruin is supposed to be? The only one I encountered was barren on the verge of collapse." Delenn arched an eyebrow at his words but she held off on asking as Ruins were much like secrets. There was only so much she could ask about.

She pondered for a bit but then shrugged as she started with the basics.

"Much like Immortal and Heaven Realm Ruins, they are the remnants of greater Inheritances. Depending on the profound legacy assigned or supported, it can be as simple as inspiration for cultivation of Laws and ascending to the next realm but can also be an entire world even as a Ruin." Lind had experience with that at least.

Skinwalker's Inheritance had actually been a recreation of a real section of his life. The power behind it had resulted in the rebirth of Tal and Kora when they originally died. The metaphysical nature of that fact bothered him but as he advanced, he learned just how terrifying Divine Realms could be.

There had to be limits and rules they had to follow but he had seen how much latitude Heaven and Earth gave them from one example alone.

Only when he found out about his True Lord trials did he learn he had been in the Ruin of a Divine Inheritance. It explained how the dragons could retrieve their ancestor spirit despite being in the mortal realm.

He still had not found that particular dragon clan but suspected they were much farther away than ever.

"The size of this one is not unprecedented but what is inside them is unknown to me. They are damned rare and often controlled by the power closest to them that can hold them. As you might imagine, some mid to high powers became supreme just by hoarding them." He nodded but then frowned.

"Has nothing like the current one ever happened before?" She shook her head.

"There have been several Ruins of all kinds for professions but never a legacy like this. There is a good reason to grasp a legacy if it has become a Ruin. It is not like an Inheritance where many trials stand between you and an unknown goal. They know what is inside and it is not simply one part of a whole. The broken formations could allow cultivators to secure treasures far more easily than normal." Lind nodded but doubted it.

His badge had reacted and he did not think incomplete formations could do that.

[Master, what do I need to do if your legacy is now a Ruin?] He sent a message to his badge out of a hunch but both were stunned as the world froze around them! The badge began to shine until it became too hot to handle even for his tough skin!

A figure began to slowly appear and smiled down at them but Lind was in shock! It could not be!

"Younger Twin?" The man had a square jaw like before but his hair was a mix of black and white. There were no wrinkles but he was definitely older.

"You have come far, Student Frey. The badge has updated me on my former Will's last student's progress. You have had a rough time of it." The spirit was shimmering but did not seem to suffer from the Corruption.

In fact, Lind felt refreshed as pure Qi flowed around them. Delenn also looked relaxed as she clearly enjoyed the same space.

"You are a Divine Will, then?" The man nodded with a smile.

"Suffice to say I am aware of what has been going on but idiots always try to snatch what is not theirs to have. My Inheritance may have fallen apart but the core of it survived. Your badge has awakened me but you are not ready. You are too weak." It was a bit humbling to be told a Crystal Tier was too weak but a Divine Realm had such authority.

"Are you insane?!" Delenn shouted but then froze before realizing time was not flowing around them. "Lind Frey has face the Realm Refiner, the Great One, lost loved ones, and overcome every insane doom hanging over us! He keeps his word when so many forego their past they leave behind! You dare to say he is weak?!"

Lind felt warmth in his heart at his former Master's words. The spirit did not flinch but it smiled wider still.

"As a Forger and also his teacher, I appreciate your evaluation, but you do not understand what the Ruin is. It is not a simple piece but the entire core of what I created. I did not leave in Imprint as others did as I had no wish to resurrect. This Will is all that remains. Once the Ruin collapses, I am gone." He then looked back at Lind while Delenn looked even angrier.

"Given time, I think you could be worthy of it all. You truly embody what I like in my students and also have a unique path being a 6 elemental. You certainly could face a part of the core but you cannot take it all." Delenn turned crimson in rage but Lind held up his hand.

"I do not want it." Both spirit and woman looked in surprise at him. He pointed at the badge floating in the spirit.

"I was put on the path but have made my own way. While I am happy to learn or simply speak about the Dao, my path is my own. Further, the fools here do not understand the hell they will unleash if I try to go in. I will not be responsible for millions of deaths." He had seen war, real war between cultivators.

The Fiend War was different as it was a fight for survival. Death was coming either way so Lind could get behind guiding forces to fight but he did all he could to support them as well.

The Law Binding, however, showed how terrible wars between cultivators could be. How many millions died even he was not sure but he had no need of more statues or nameless forgotten bodies haunting his path.

Delenn slowly nodded but Younger Twin seemed impressed.

"It takes a clear mind and a humble heart to see that truth. Impressive. Still, you are already accepted. The badge is not only tracking your progress but is the key to the trial itself. No one else can enter even if they wanted to. The defenses are intact." Lind found that unlikely, but possible.

"What about powers that have inherited your path? Surely some may have badges as well?" The spirit nodded but smiled like the Chesire cat!

"Having the badge is not enough. It has to be imprinted by my Will. I made many Immortal Wills before I ascended and only a handful remain. There are even a few still waiting for a mortal realm to meet my requirements." That information made Lind intrigued. How could an Immortal Will be stored and deployed?

The spirit looked a little contemplative.

"There are parts of you I cannot see. My badge is limited by my own understanding at the time of my Immortal Will's creation. Your Forging master makes a point but I appreciate your lack of greed. The war can be brought to an end if you claim the Ruin. It will then be yours to control." Lind did not immediately dismiss the words but still shook his head.

"I have a goal that cannot wait. I have to find the Fiend facility and break it apart. This stalemate can withstand the time for that." The spirit frowned but then shook his head.

"You don't understand. The moment the badge activated, you had no choice. You must go or you will be made to go. I put in the reactions if my Inheritance became a Ruin. If there were no students, it would be forced to collapse. Yet, you exist. There are no others in the Celestial Fields. You will go or there will be a price." The ominous words made him frown.

"What price?" He asked but suspected he would not like it regardless.

"The Ruin will disrupt the Laws of the realm it is in to get to you. If you fail, the Ruin will quietly collapse but refusal is not allowed." Lind grew angry.

"Do you have any idea what that would do to the current world?! It is already weakened by the Corruption! If you disrupt if further–" He had no idea what disaster could be unleashed but the resilience of the world was greatly weakened. If the Ruin went on some kind of rampage, it would be worse than a disaster!

"I cannot stop it. You have 1 month. If you do not enter the Ruin by then, it will come after you." The spirit instantly faded as the badge shot back into his hands. Lind looked at it as rage flowed in his veins.

"What will you do now?" He calmed his heart as he looked up at Delenn and she shivered at his eyes. They were bottomless pools of power.

[End the war.] The Heavens rumbled as a True Lord spoke his deepest wish. Delenn could almost pity what was about to happen. Almost.