Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 115 - 114 - New Maiden

Lind was not surprised that at the edge of the street where the crafting of weapons occurred, he found a massive fortress armed by swordsmen.  Lind smiled as he saw the massive emblem of the Divine Sword Sect.

The guards were at low Gold Tier, but Lind did not doubt that they were the highest quality of that level.  Lind bowed to them and Annabelle mimicked him.  The 2 guards nodded back and Lind moved on.

They were now passing through what appeared to be more of inns and shops proper of the ward they were in.  Rather than hawkers, it was just a natural flow of goods one would need to resupply for a journey like good, repair for saddle or tack, stables, etc.

Lind appreciated the efficiency that showed for Cimmeria. Many streets of merchants and vendors gave way to more modest but steady work for the everyday.  The sheer volume was what made Cimmeria so economically impressive.

Lind noted a few inns that seemed like a good place but made his onward as night was swiftly closing in.  The pristine white tower beckoned.

Lind smelled the familiar scents of herbs!  He welcomed the nostalgic smell of his mother's alchemical area as he saw several storefronts for pills and pastes.  Lind froze when he saw vials of grade 1 elixirs in one of the displays.  It was a pale green that reminded him of mints when they were packaged back on Earth.

He had to get to the gate, but he also was curious about this new elixir in front of him.

"Do you want something from my wares, little junior?"  A large man smiled at Lind from behind the counter and he noted a glance at Annabelle as well.  A warning went off suddenly as Lind chose caution.

"Maybe later, I have to get my companion back to the Heavenly Maiden Sect as we just arrived today."  A bit of lie with truth was his best bet and sure enough, the large man smiled much wider but backed off in a bow.

Lind moved on but noted the elixir for later.

Finally, the street gave way to an open plaza in front of the pristine white tower.  It was surrounded by a fairly large complex of buildings but all in the white and gold of the Heavenly Maiden Sect.  The gate was guarded by 2 mid-Gold Tiers the same as the main sect back in Sarth.

Lind bowed and presented his bracelet to the guards.  A flash of surprise crossed both their faces but a quick inspection confirmed his ID was authentic.

"What brings you to your Cimmeria branch, guest elder."  The words were not spoken with respect but male guest elders did not have the best reputation on average.  Lind knew the cause so only smiled and pointed to Annabelle behind him.

"I have no authority to induct a new member of the sect, but this young lady is a freshly manifested aether child.  I would like to entrust her education to someone I fully believe in."  Lind was earnest and both guards could tell Annabelle was not very old as she hid behind him like a little child but gave off the maturity of her kind in the flow of her elements.

A soft smile crossed both guards and more respect was given to Lind.

"Please enter and wait for an acolyte to guide you, guest elder."  Lind bowed and crossed through the gate with Annabelle.  He held her hand as he could feel how nervous she was.  He was unsure of the requirements for entry but he knew aether children had many exceptions due to the nature of their birth or ability.

"There is nothing to worry about, these are good people here."  Annabelle smiled tightly at him as he patted her head.  They were just inside the gate so Lind could still see the street and frowned as the large man from before was now just outside the plaza.  His large eyes seemed disappointed as the gate guards had allowed them to pass.

Lind felt a chill and was glad he had listened to his instincts.  Cimmeria was not a place that encourage slavery like the Saint Kingdom, but it was a form of commerce that was regulated.  The good faith of the Stardust Emporium made it harder to be as flimsy as the Saint Kingdom but Lind knew there were always those that would circumvent the laws.

"Greetings guest elder, I will guide you to a meeting with the admissions Elder Yi."  Lind bowed as a young lady with bright green hair appeared from the complex in front of them.  Light formation plates began to light up but it enhanced the beauty of the structure while leaving almost no shadows to hide in.

Lind was impressed as always with the efficiency and power of this sect.

They went up a few flights of stairs and entered a carpeted area that was more in line with a house of nobility but Lind noticed the formations were at the mid grade 4, the highest a Gold Tier could produce.  High grade 4 covered Diamond tier while Peak grade 4 worked for both Diamond Tier and tier 1 Sky Realm.  Grade 5 of course was purely Sky Realm.

Lind was still stuck in mostly low grade 3 realm elixirs but he was slowly increasing his proficiency to mid-grade 3.  He wondered if he could get certified but his golden badge was precious.  He did not want others fiddling with it.

Lind pushed it all back as they were let into a nicely furnished office.  There was a large dark wooden desk with several formation plates lighting up its surface with plush chairs and couches set up around a low table for tea or treats facing towards the desk.  The shelves along the back and side walls were full of scrolls, slips, and Lind noticed some stones as well.

He wondered what they were for but likely they supplied power to some formations openly and were changed on a regular basis.  Lind refrained from using his Eyes or Touch while inside the sect.  Not only would it be rude for all that they had done for him, but this Sect had a real possibility of having profound Sky Realm formations that could hurt Lind.

He took Annabelle to the couch and reassured her that everything would be fine.  She seemed to become fearful but Lind knew it was more the fact they might become separated as he truly did not know the rules governing acolytes to disciples.  From what he had seen in Sarth, there were many responsibilities expected of them but freedom to act remained.

The door was pushed open and a beautiful demon walked in.  Her lavender skin was very dark, bordering on black, but her eyes were bright orange, like a fierce fire to Lind's opinion.  Her narrow face was quite pretty as he noticed the immense pressure flow from off of her.

A Diamond Tier!  Lind was not totally surprised but he saw she was 5 elemental!  She was only missing shadow from the demonic elements.  Her pressure seemed very steady and Lind was impressed she was still so young.  Next to 6 elementals, 5 elementals were nearly as difficult to cultivate.

Her figure was also stunning as she wore a battle dress with dark armor on top of her white robes.  Lind saw no obvious weapon but he knew better than to assume.

He bowed low to her and Annabelle followed his lead.

"Greetings senior and thank you for seeing me so late in the day."  Lind spoke respectfully as all the elders of Heavenly Maiden Sect were powerhouses in their own right.  Only a complete idiot would make assumptions due to their gender.  Many had and paid the price.

"At least you are honorable compared to some of the guest elders others have brought in.  I see you have also brought this innocent lamb to our door."  The rich tones of her voice seemed to affect Lind but he pushed back with his emerald flame and felt his mind clear.  A chuckle came from the elder.  "Very good.  A strong will is a necessity for a cultivator but far too many get drunk on their power as they progress.  Sit."

Lind resumed sitting as Elder Yi came to stand over Annabelle.  She started shaking like a leaf in the wind but Lind did not reach out this time.  He knew this was an important moment but he still sent out good thoughts for whatever good that might do.

"You are indeed newly manifested little girl.  I sense light and water, a powerful combination.  Show me what you can do."  Lind smiled as he made a swift movement that stunned the Elder but then her eyes bulged as Annabelle jumped and she disappeared.

In her place, a blue and gold beast with a long snout was there trembling on the couch.  The cushion was showing depressions exactly where the 4 hooves should be and Elder Yi could not see through it at all!

"Amazing.  Truly amazing!"  Her tone was now soft and she nodded to Lind.  He comforted Annabelle until the girl reappeared and was crying.

"It is ok.  I am here."  She held onto him like a lifeline until she calmed down.  "As you can see, she is somewhat dependent on me but I fully explained that you will be able to teach her far better than I can.  Further, I trust you with her as well."  Lind's voice became firm on that last part and made Elder Yi arch her eyebrows.

"Cheeky boy, while you may have some position as a guest elder, you have no authority to–"  The words died as a golden badge appeared on the table.  Lind knew that while the bracelet gave him a safe haven, it was not a certainty he could impose his wishes on them at all.  His other identity, however, was very different.

"I am Lind Frey, I believe all elders at the Diamond Tier and above should know about me."  Elder Yi picked up the badge and examined it before her demeanor completely changed.  She bowed humbly to Lind but he waved it off.  "I am only a low grade 3 elixir master.  While I know that gives me some face, I only wish to help this innocent girl survive our harsh world."

An actual smile spread across Elder Yi's face.

"You are soft but unbending.  I can respect that.  There is no issue with accepting this girl into our ranks but she needs to understand she will not be seeing you as often as she likes."  Lind nodded as he patted Annabelle's head.

"I have told her as such, but I would like to know if she needs anything while I am here.  I have also made some discoveries that seem to have spread farther than I realized."  Lind held out another jade slip and Elder Yi examined it before nodding.

"Yes, you made a huge contribution to 6 elementals and all Soul Realms.  It will take centuries to fully adjust techniques but the results are stunning.  I wish you could do the same for us."  Lind was stunned.  He had never thought about it but a flash of the anti-elemental Ruin and all he talked about with the Ruin spirit inspired him.

Lind began to go through calculations and comparisons.  The few demons he had seen in action were all at his Realm and he had continued to study their elements in books at the Academy.  A new slip appeared in his hands but he froze.

"Is there a way to stop the Demon Empire from benefiting from this?" Elder Yi was stunned as she realized her comment was not simply taken as a complaint.  Could a Soul Cultivator truly relate to Demon Cultivators?

"Unlikely, but it can be delayed.  After all, they are quite prideful of their techniques.  Also, Darkmoor is unlikely to as widely distribute that knowledge as you had the others spread."  Lind had already uncorked a bottle and nothing could stop it.  No one could horde the knowledge forever but the near infinite techniques would take centuries to be changed.

Lind sighed but continued.  He did not want to cause a power imbalance that would lead to horrific wars.  He knew all too well what having a lead in power would become if left unchanged.

Lind was not as confident in demonic elements and he had no understanding of their arts, but it just needed a beginning.  It was far shorter but no less profound thanks to that Ruin Spirit he met over 3 years ago.

Elder Yi examined what he gave her and felt her jaw drop.  It was there!  It was really there!

"Make sure the name Taren Cord is all anyone knows if they want the source of that knowledge."  Elder Yi swiftly nodded as she tapped out a quick message on a communication jade.  She was about to leave when vials started to appear.

"I assume supply is running low by now.  These are all I can make for a while as I am exploring refining for the future.  If you need me I can be found at either Sunlit Forge for the next month and Myriad Treasure the month after."  Lind was about to talk to Annabelle when he saw Elder Yi freeze.

"Y-you are learning refining from both of those places?"  Lind nodded as he saw blood drain from her face.  "Those are peak grade 4 masters that teach there and run their business.  How did you get someone to give the permission of those 2 to share?!"

Lind felt his jaw drop as he realized he had stumbled onto a larger opportunity than he realized.  Just what had he gotten himself into?