Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1108 - 1107 - Trial of Shadows

Lady Chu was being punished for a month. She was not allowed out nor allowed to have time with Katerina. The latter was more punishment than the former. On top of that she was being firmly educated by Master Lind on controlling her instincts under extreme conditions.

The latest incident had revealed she was not as in control of herself as he would like but she too wanted control. A more level headed approach would have been to simply report to Master Lind and plan a better method to confront the 5th Prince.

Gilgamesh still visited but the Marquis and Prince had become a bit withdrawn. Ironically, Lady Piercer of the Veil Immortal stopped by the inn a few times to chat. She actually enjoyed playing with the baby as well!

Lan was currently training as he confronted the truth of his current state. Despite copious amounts of guidance and experience, he had hit a harsh bottleneck. He was at the peak of the Star Tier with no further ability to advance!

Master Frey had told him and his brother the truth about their current state. The Heaven Realm would be a trial for them to affirm their fitness to become true white tigers. They did not understand it but Lan had a suspicion about Bori's trial.

Emerald and shadow could only refer to a single being and it was Lady Chu. He was not sure how she was involved but it was clear she had to be. His was simply but could refer to 2 possibilities.

Jur, being pure shadow now herself, was possible or Ranger. His skill with shadow Qi was stunning lately. The man was getting ready breakthrough any day too. Lan felt pressure because soon only Oz and the baby would be beneath him at the rate things were going!

"Brother Lan? Can you hear me?" Jur's voice suddenly woke him from his thoughts and he realized he had been standing still for a long time. Sweat covered his body and made his fur itch in places. He smiled and waved at her as put away his training weapons.

He favored long swords or spears but his own fists were truly his preferred weapons.

"I wanted to train but Papa and Mother are still busy. Sister Mills is the only one that can interrupt them I think." Lan agreed. Mills was coming along but she still lost control facing anyone but Master Frey.

Gilgamesh had actually volunteered and he noticed some difference but was still nearly killed by accident! For a Gold Tier, Mills was terrifying when using her Battle Aura.

"Sure, one moment." Water and air gathered around his body to cleanse him. He also felt refreshed as the previous training sweat was wiped away.

Jur was currently trying out various weapons at Master Frey's instruction. His goal was to see what she aligned with but nothing really stood out. She was an innocent girl still in many ways but they did not hide the brutality of the world from her.

Still, no one was in a rush to have her fight directly. The battle back in Crescent City was bad enough!

They started with one handed swords and moved through spears, axes, and war hammers before both were exhausted. He could tell she also was getting close.

She had recently reached the later stages of the Sky Realm. Her tribulations had been terrifying to observe but also he felt like something had been staring at both him and his brother during it.

Bori had said he felt like something looked into his soul and Lan agreed but it passed.

"Brother Lan, do you feel stuck?" Jur was enjoying being cleansed with water and air by him when her question made him flinch.

"What makes you ask that?" He tried to keep his cool but his white silver eyes betrayed his surprise.

Jur's tail swished as she seemed to think a bit too hard on her answer before slowly nodding. She closed her eyes and then when she opened them again, Lan felt like an ant!

[It is time youngling. You are ready to face the trial.] An ancient voice that made his hair stand on end entered his mind. What was going on?!

He was about to reach out to his Master when the world fell into darkness. Lan's body was rippling muscle and lithe fluidity usually gave him grace and power but now he collapsed as if the strings were cut from a puppet. His body felt like lead and worse his bloodline was gone!

What was going on?!

[Your trial has begun. None can help you here. You are alone. Life or death are yours to find. Try not to die as that brat will be annoying.] The last part dispersed the majesty of the previous words but Lan could not worry about it.

He made his body move and it was so slow! He was used to the power of his flesh and blood. He was used to scenting the wind and knowing the world all around him with ease. Was this what it was like to be human?

So dull, so ignorant! How could they live like this?!

He could not pierce the darkness no matter how he tried but some instincts still worked. He felt danger closing in and he had to move! He tried to use his hands to feel anything but it was just emptiness.

The ground was the only solid feeling. He tried to use his Qi but nothing responded! He was mortal!

The thundering of his heart filled his ears as his heavy body became covered in sweat. It was only at that moment he noticed the lack of itching! He had no fur! His ears, usually perched on top of his head, were now at the sides!

His hair was silver still but it was just human hair!

His feet were clumsy shaped human feet! The toes were so useless! No claws nor did he feel like breathing was as easy as before! How could any race live like this?! Even his worst day as a Failed Awakening beast was better than being human!

"I am so weak!" His voice was smoother and less guttural. He hated it. He hated all of it!

He had been about to lose his brother and his own life until Lind saved them. Lind taught them how to better control their Qi and to cultivate. He freed them from the curse of being failures.

They were about to die again despite being Star Tiers until he saved them again!

He was always so weak!

Fumbling in the endless dark was a perfect place to put him. He pretended to be strong but the reality was he was weak! He had no chance to really stand on his own without support. He relied on his bloodline and Qi for everything but he had seen how hard others worked.

The darkness did not lesson but the feeling of danger increased until a whistling finally changed his sense of danger. He heard it from his right and tried to dodge but then something slammed into his back left side!

Blood spurted from his back but it was not lethal.

What attacked him? He could not recognize the sensation at all!

Was this a trial or just a punishment? How did he overcome his circumstances?! Lan stumbled as the blood flowed down his backside. The feeling of death was closing in but anger rose up in his heart.

It was just isolation and an enemy! Was he truly going to whine until he died?!

"COME OUT! I will die on my feet, not begging on my knees!" He had no weapons but his hands took on the familiar open clawed attack he was used to using. He tried to detect the next attack but he suddenly felt something slam into his knees and a crack was heard before pain shot up his body!

He was now on his knees! It was mocking him! The shadows were mocking his words and effort! Why?

Why was he being treated that way?!

[You really are weak. What are you doing on the floor?] The booming voice shook him from his despair. He looked around but could see nothing.

"How is this a trial? What am I supposed to learn here?!" There were no tests of knowledge, will, or other aspects as he had heard described. He was just dropped into darkness and stripped of everything!

[Foolish child, how is it not a trial? Did you expect human kindness from me?] Clarity flowed into Lan's mind. He had beast blood but had he earned it?

He realized what he was seeing for the first time. He had just been surviving. Even learning from Master Frey was only about his own survival.

What better environment to be than stripped of his bloodline and all sensation. All he was left to face was himself!

He suddenly realized what was attacking him. He slowly closed his eyes and focused on his hearing. Pathetic as human hearing was, he knew he was going to die if he did not grasp the next chance.

He suddenly felt his mind clear as a change in pressure actually preceded the whistling sound once more. It was a trick! He was hearing an echo!

In the darkness, he had to grasp the truth of himself!

A white tiger appeared in his mind and his hands whipped out to grasp its forepaws as a roar filled the shadow filled space. He was a Failed Awakening before. He had to face his human and tiger self at once!

The trial was about his own existence!

The shadows stripped away his ability to escape. His loss of his tiger bloodline was to manifest it so he could face it head on! He had to prove he was worthy of it! Was he going to always rely on luck and external help or claim his bloodline for himself?!

The tiger had silver and white fur. It was glorious to behold and for the first time he understood. That was a true white tiger.

The battle for his future had begun!