Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1043 - 1042 - Sky Panther Tribe

Lind no longer had trouble from the jungle. In fact, the brush and what few plants could move, got out of his way. The child was now simply sleeping but their looks could make them a girl or a boy.

There were far too many scents in the air for him to confirm one way or the other but his instinct was she was a girl.

The length of her straw yellow hair and softer features leaned that way but her age was harder for him to determine. If she was purely human, he would guess her to be 11, maybe 12 at the oldest but still small for her age.

He had no idea if the beast kin were affected by the quick aging beasts often went through to survive. Compared to humans or demons, beasts outstripped their age group in progress and power very quickly.

A 6 year old human child was basically dinner for a 6 year old beast.

Her realm leant more weight to his guess on her age as cultivation was a better measure but given the Corruption, he had no idea if that made her older than she looked then too.

He brushed it aside as he made sure to walk carefully over the exposed roots and occasionally sharp debris still littering the ground. He felt like his stamina was being drained faster than it should be but recalled he was still healing.

Even with elixirs, deeper injuries were not so simply repaired. He had been banged up badly and then exerted his body to rend that trunk apart. Transforming also put a strain on his body even if only just a single limb.

He could practically feel the cold stare of Qing even an entire layer away!

"We just won't mention this little adventure." A cold sweat broke out but he moved on. The sun was almost midway going through its cycle but he still did not see the village or any sign of scouts.

His senses told him he was close but physically, things were still hidden. His eyes glowed but even his Law Eyes only saw basic defensive formations. It was only as he looked up that he understood.

The houses were above him!

He did not see any ladders or ropes to climb up. He then looked down at his passenger and noticed her hands and feet. They had 5 fingers and toes but the nails were starkly different. They were closer to a cat's claws!

A tired sigh escaped him as no one was in his range at all. Still, he took out several strips of cloth and tied his charge to his back carefully. With Qi, he was able to use what was essentially extra arms to complete it quickly.

He took off his boots and then transformed his own limbs as he found a likely tree to ascend. The bark was incredibly hard!

With his own claws, he could have shredded it like paper but he carefully just got a better grip and began to climb. The trees towered like skyscrapers but were much stronger due to being in the Heaven Realm.

It was why he avoided making damage to it as he could feel the presence of an aura focused on him.

"My pardon, junior. I am simply bringing the child home." He felt a stark flare of aura but his own shut it up. The tree might dwarf him in age but cultivation strength dictated who was superior.

The sun was halfway to setting when he finally got to a pathway carved into the tree itself. It looked like a natural cut had been modified without causing further damage.

He was covered in sweat and fell flat on his face. His body was complaining at his abuse and he took another elixir to help it recover.

Swearing he would find that Ruin again to have cross words with his Master's wife, he undid his knots and examined the child. They were perfectly fine.

He could see they had nearly fully recovered so they may wake up at any time. He had no idea where to go from there but he pulled out a padded travel bed and set them on it to tuck them in.

[I don't suppose you can answer me, junior?] He sent a message but aside from surprise, nothing came back. In the wilds, only he had telepathy. Inside a city, he could forge a connection but it took considerable effort from the other party.

He examined the child once more but refrained from more than confirming they were fine.

He assumed a lotus position and began to cultivate to truly recover.

Twilight came upon the pair before he sensed others finally return. Their clothes matched the child's but said child was pretending to be asleep.

He smirked but did not out them that he knew they were faking.

He stood up and stretched as his body finally felt fully healed. His scales flashed and no great loss of stamina was felt.

"Welp, time to greet my hosts." Emerald flames built up in his throat before he roared across the jungle. Anything with a bloodline felt the power in his roar and his flames narrowed his species very quickly.

The roar stopped and Lind drank some water. Doing that in human form could be a bit uncomfortable but there was no space to change his body enough to do it properly.

His flames also actually invigorated the tree which made it feel more at peace with him being there.

He then sat back down and looked at the now shivering child.

"If you are going to pretend to sleep, best not to shiver. I mean you no harm. I am the one that brought you here." The covers stilled and so did their breathing. He huffed a laugh but said nothing else.

He recalled all too well how terrifying powerful cultivators and beasts felt to him at the World Realm.

Their own senses could be multiplying that effect as well so he did not push for a response.

The others approaching had drastically slowed just outside the village proper. A small group broke off as starlight began to appear in the sky. The night did not bother him and he suspected the same held true for them.

[Master, be cautious. They may decide to kill themselves if the beast that shared blood to create their ancestors made it so.] Haro's warning made him confirm the child was indeed alive to be safe and was relieved to find they were.

The 3 heading up a few trees over were silent but he easily tracked them. He had to hand it to them that their clothes helped them blend in naturally as well as dimming the ability to detect them.

If not for his full power, even a Crystal Tier might not see them coming!

He was about to call out to them when he was shocked that they floated to the tree he was on. It was not a leap, they floated! How?! No one had been able to fly other than himself!

He narrowed his eyes and then noticed the 3 coming after him had 2 extra limbs. Wings! They had wings!

[Haro?] The 3 still had similar feline features as the child but he was absolutely certain they did not have wings.

[Sky Panther Tribe! A very rare but powerful bloodline from the white tigers! They are not able to become a Divine bloodline but as close as some can. Legend has it they were once simple panthers in the plains but saved a lost child of the Crimson Vermilion Clan. The Phoenix graced them with wings so they no longer needed Qi to fly.] He found it a fascinating story but suspected a great deal more happened in reality.

The legends about how he brought down the Kingdom of Altair were far simplified from the reality of what he faced to get there.

[Are you telling me they can fly?] It made more sense why they lived off the ground but Haro denied his conclusion.

[The panthers certainly can but would never grant such an ability to beast kin. It would be too close to their own strength. Likely the ability to use their wings for short bursts for the elites of the beast kin is the most likely explanation.] Lind found that odd.

If they were right these were all descendants, then why would there be elites at all? Shouldn't that special ability be locked away unless the source beast grants it?

Mysteries seemed to be the only thing he found in the 2nd layer since his arrival.

[Haro, what are the odds it is not just beast kin here?] He did not sense anything above a Sky Realm in the people nearby but it did not mean much if the bloodline was accelerated as it had been in Teegan.

[Very high, Master. They could hide their true heritage and continue to make elites from the descendants. If Sky Panthers are here, they will not like you at all, Master.] Lind sighed as that seemed the theme of his life!

The trio were carefully moving closer but Lind focused his aura to examine all in his range. The vast majority were beast kin as he could finally discern a sort of bloodline blessing on them.

It was almost like a living formation with several key areas blocked off from within their bodies.

The 3 approaching him were indeed beast kin but what shocked him was the child. She was not a human at all!

She was a Sky Panther!