Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1088 - 1087 - Unintended Ripples

"You finished burning the bodies?" The arrogant young man was sitting around a campfire as he filed his fingernails. He had fine looks but there was only coldness in his features and eyes.

His auburn hair was silky and smooth while his yellow eyes were devoid of any emotion.

A massive set of pyres were burning black smoke into the sky and the stench was nauseating but the man hardly seemed bothered.

"Yes lord! All the enemies were burned alive as you requested once we finished interrogating them. The traitors bodies were added once we finished skinning them or dismembering them." The older soldier did not even pause over the horrific description.

"Any issues with the commoners?" The man held up his left hand to the sunlight and examined it for any imperfections. His fine robes were lined in gold with dark gray lining. They also shimmered with powerful grade 6 inscriptions.

It was made by experts from his father but that mattered little to the young man. It was his due.

The older soldier finally paused but then resumed speaking from his kneeling position by the fire.

"We had to make some examples but less than expected. Those that knew of the commoner the Immortal took away knew nothing of his Talents before today. He hid them well." A frown finally marred his fine features.

"I want the screen process reviewed when we get home. People like that are trouble and need to be culled as soon as possible." The soldier bowed low and was dismissed. "Tck, how dare a rogue Immortal spurn my generous offer! I will find that commoner and show what disobedience brings!"

It never occurred to the young man the grave he might be digging.

"Lord Yen, we have confirmed no more issues to the border of the Fionan Empire. Our messengers were even able to use the guard post to contact the city as we have found at home!" A slim young man came running up after dismounting his horse.

Yen was pleased as it meant his intentions to meet with the new Duke could be prepared that much better but he was surprised when a jade slip was presented.

A response already?

Yen sunk his senses into the slip and saw the usual noble greetings and acknowledgements. If there was one thing Yen agreed with commoners about, it was the useless language nobles used between themselves.

Time was better spent between equals of spending spirit stones on fun or expanding their power in alliances.

He finally got to the meat of the response and his knuckles turned white as the jade slip cracked in his hands.

{Your suggestion of an alliance to settle the now untamed lands is not a bad idea but I am well aware of the practices in your county. Further, I am aware of your desire to break free from King Gilad. We will not allow such backstabbing to proceed. Further, Maester Cord sent me an incredible subordinate that was able to inform me of your intentions.}

If that was all, Yen's anger would have been manageable but the last part made him shatter the slip into dust.

{Due to these revelations, I have had my Imperial Father send an envoy to your king. By the time you receive this message, I suspect your county will be already subjugated. As you are outside your borders, I am unsure how you will be treated but if the kingdom follows similar procedures to our Empire, you will be stripped of your status and treated as a bandit going forward. If you approach our borders, you will be exterminated as such.}

"HOW DARE THEY?!" Yen shot up as blood trickled down his hand. The soldiers all jumped but he ignored them as he summoned a communication jade stone.

[Father! Father, can you hear me?!] He felt the connection barely get through so the relay post was still working. He waited but the voice that came back was not one he knew.

[Ah, you finally reached out. You must be little Yen. I doubt you remember me but I was the Man at Arms of King Gilad's forces a few centuries ago. He had to call me out of retirement but I remember your handling of a spear. Not bad for a teenager. Pity.] The old man's voice made all the blood drain from Yen's face.

He could not remember the voice, but he did remember the man!

He was a one man army!

[Anyway, your father is dead as is the rest of your family. You are outside the borders with soldiers of our kingdom. You are ordered to return them in the month. Failure to do so will result in extermination orders. Also, your commoners were in terrible shape. I am amazed you did not have a riot before now. The bloodline array must have protected pathetic nobles like you.]

The connection broke and Yen screamed in impotent rage! How could his family's grand plans have been thwarted by a single commoner and rogue Immortal?! How?!

⬧⬧⬧⬧

Far to the north of Crescent City, a massive castle loomed over a sprawling sect. Concentric rings encircled the areas until a normal city grew up around it. It was not a capital city but it was the seat of power for the Divine Sword Sect.

At the heart of the castle, a sword was thrust into a stone. It was rather rusted and dull yet none of the Immortals seated around it could even touch the grip.

At the highest seat was a familiar old man with a massive broadsword at his side. His gray robes were marked with the shimmering emblem of the sect master.

"Your promising brat ruined our chances! I warned you she was too eager! She needs another million years of tempering–" A bald man with 2 short swords on his hips spoke up but a simple glance from those cold steel eyes stopped him short.

"Little Elisha is already being punished. Her right to succeed me has been removed." A tremor went through the crowd. Many agreed she had been too impatient but to remove her from succession was extreme.

It meant she had lost the hard won confidence of her ancestor!

"Sect Master, while that is your right, will it resolve our current issue?" An old woman spoke. She had wispy white hair and shrunken limbs but any idiot that thought her frail would never know how they died.

Of all in that room, only the Sect Master could best her.

Lord Starburst sighed but shook his head.

"We cannot apologize for what she did. We can try to make amends another way but that is for when he resurfaces. As to my clan, I will deal with that on my own. There are a few candidates still in consideration but the sect is another matter." He was about to continue when a pedestal lit up.

The youngest member stood up and moved to it. He actually looked like he was in his midlife with graying hair and black still overpowering it. He touched the jade stone set into the stone and voice was heard by all.

[A message from the Heavenly Maiden Sect. Anyone that causes Maester Taren Cord any further issues will have to deal with us. For those that do not heed this message, your deaths will not be swift.]

Lord Starburst was not entirely surprised but it was faster than he had expected.

"Those crazy broads actually offered protection to him?" A larger man spoke up who had a strange sword at his hip. It was segmented and seemed to flex far more than metal should.

His large body was also unwieldy in appearance but like all in that room, he was death on 2 legs.

"Sigh, I expected it as he was a guest elder and did literally free us from the bloodline array. On top of that he seemed to help that War Maiden give birth too. They repay their debts and can make a close connection with a Triple Maester without any extra effort." It may seem kind on the surface but it was all about benefits.

By shielding Cord now, they would reap benefits later. Their own foolish True Maiden had not burned all bridges it seemed or maybe that was their way of asking for forgiveness.

"Tck, this will make future negotiations troublesome. He already has a connection to the Golden Vermillion Inn and that new dragon city as well is under his umbrella. Never mind the fact the other dragon tribes have practically declared they know he is their True Lord as well." The old woman spoke again.

Her words made them realize how narrow their vision had been. Even Lord Starburst grabbed the bridge of his nose as the full weight fell on his shoulders.

"Little Elisha will need further punishment." No one argued that statement. Even those that were disturbed at her removal previously were now in full agreement with it.

The ripples of a single cultivator was far outside anyone's ability to control. Their choices were to try and ride the changes or simply wait them out to see where things fall.

The elders of the Divine Sword Sect would have longer meetings like many other powers as Lind was unaware of how many changes his even random decisions were having as he moved west.