novelraw Chapter 1155 - 1154 - Bounty
Chapter 1155 - 1154 - Bounty
Lind spent the better part of the year setting up his new Emerald Haven. It was easily as large as the Frey Clan personal courtyards! He had room for 6 laboratories at least with space to spare for storage and even just a treasury if he wanted!
The one catch, however, was that while he could finally enter, he could not close the door behind him. Only the key could do that. It could not enter anymore than he could before.
Haro had tested for him that the space could be locked from the outside but not with him inside it. All that happened was the key created a kind of plug to block all senses at that time yet Lind could then open it from the inside.
In other words, anyone looking for him would find at best a shimmering emerald ward with the circular key at its heart. It would not take much for a cultivator to unlock it as the artifact was already too complex just to become the anchor for the space.
He pushed the security matters aside and focused on his needs.
He needed a place to store various materials not only for elixirs but for his own testing purposes. He would be working on his body and fundamentally had to look at both his dragon and human body from all perspectives since his existence was a bit unique compared to others.
He was born human but gained a dragon soul that slowly converted his body over to a dragon. He could not assume he was like normal dragons so what was known about them may not apply to him.
His human body also retained many of his original qualities so it was not a simple transformation either. His recent experience with altering his appearance had been shocking to say the least.
When suppressing his draconic side, he not only reverted to his original body but not even Immortals could tell he was not human!
It told him there was more humanity still in him than many assumed, even himself.
All of that had to be quantified before he could even begin the real work that he had already touched on.
Incorporating and changing his body to have all 18 elements in it. His harmony was already fused with his body and soul. It was evident given the coloring of his scales to his human hair!
Such a coincidence was unlikely and also a direct result of his need to fuse his harmony to his soul in the first place.
That gave him hope of success as if his flesh was truly rife with harmonic Qi already, he should be able to adapt it! It would then become a question of how and what side effects to avoid.
If he could easily put the elements in but his draconic and human bodies would become useless, for instance, then it was not the desired result he was looking for. Far less complex issues had left cultivators bereft of normal life.
Body cultivators especially were prone to that issue. Metal God Technique, for instance, had a cultivator push their body by incorporating a metal with the earth element into their very blood.
The point was to gain the benefits of the metal properties and a more resilient body but if taken too far or the flesh was incompatible with the latter parts of the technique, the body could become a useless husk of metal and flesh. Essentially, a blob!
It was very possible that Lind could succeed in fusing the elements to his flesh but be left unable to move or even speak!
There was a balance to most techniques to avoid the extremes but he had no such certainty. He was once more on uncharted paths but there was still hope. His harmony was a bridge already in his crystal dantian.
If the same property applied to his flesh, then hopefully he could avoid the worst case scenarios!
Thus he set up powerful isolation barriers on top of the Emerald Haven's natural ability. He did not want to cause a breach if the elements ran wild. He also Forged several life saving treasures to forcefully stop testing or safeguard his soul at the very least.
It was on his list, after all, to build a body from scratch. He would have to cultivate all over again and it would be much harder than before, but given possibly reaching a dead end with his current body, he could not discard it.
It was his absolute last resort, obviously, but he put it on the list. Building a body was not an easy thing no matter what Immortal you picked, but he knew his own requirements would be beyond ridiculous.
Before he did that, though, he would have to crush the inverted mountain and release the 2nd layer from the Corruption. He would need help from the Celestials if he was going to build a new body.
Lind made an elixir atelier with brewing cauldrons and essence dispensers. Pristine jade vials of various grades were shelved there as well for inspiration to true testing. He never knew what might hold the key to helping his projects.
The Forging furnace was almost magical in that there were melting pots like a normal refining furnace but then the crystal resources were far less. There were no molds nor other standard tools either as Forgers used their own aura to create!
Finally, he had a weaving astrolabe set up. He named it such as the ceiling looked like a sea of stars once he was done. It was actually all the sigils he had ever learned set up like a display.
The tiny points of light could be easily seen with his naked dragon eyes but his Law Eyes could show all the details he wanted.
Those 3 areas took up a lot of space alongside a vast resource treasury. His ring was now quite empty compared to before but it was much more organized as well!
The last 2 areas were essentials.
A living area with a bed, cultivation mat, and even just a place to relax and eat with guests if he desired. He would be inside the space most of the time and it would be easier just to stay there.
The last spot was almost like out of the old Frankenstein movies. A large table that could hold a man was laid out in the middle of many artifacts that sparked or hummed as they were ready to perform their various tasks.
There were restraints, made from Law Grade Forging, to hold him down should he proceed with altering his very foundation. There was also a crystalline tank with dark metal encircling it to the side.
If he needed to do his last resort, he wanted everything made beforehand and as strong as he could make it!
Once all of that was done, Lind took a short break for a few days to cultivate and return to his peak condition. He also shed some scales, hair, and various parts of his body he could regenerate for testing.
It seemed morbid when looking at them all but it had to be done.
He was just about to begin when the emerald film around the key shimmered. He could not sense outside of it but Haro was out there. If he was trying to get his attention, then it had to be important.
He twisted the key and the outside world appeared before him. Haro was looking grim but only handed over a jade slip.
Lind arched an eyebrow but sunk his senses into it.
{Notice to all powers: The Fionan Empire has revealed the death of Princess Delenn. She has been murdered. Due to the quick confirmation of exiled former Prince Nest dying not long after, the Emperor Fionan has offered a bounty of 3 Law Crystals to anyone that can find who killed them. If the Princess was not killed by the traitorous bastard, her killer is to be brought alive to the Empire and an additional Law Crystal will be offered to do so.}
Lind frowned deeply as he had expected a response but he did not want to simply send a message to Delenn's family. Nest was not an issue. In fact, the Emperor would be pleased to know his son was not the monster he thought he was even if it was still a tragedy.
"How long do I have?" He looked up and Haro frowned even more deeply.
"The 5th Prince brought this to us. He stated that his father will not actively respond yet but the other nobles cannot be silenced. They know enough, Master, and we can't really blame them. In the current age, maybe 5 years at most." So little time!
The Corruption was preventing instant communication over such a long distance but the gateways could be employed far more cheaply thanks to his own actions!
If the King actively protected him, the nobles, in either gratitude or a chance at a favor, would hold the line for the moment. The prize, however, was too tempting even for him!
How did the Fionan Empire have 4 Law Crystals just lying around to give out?!
It implied a crazy level of treasure that he could not conceive of.
"Sigh, please have Chu inform them not to hide anything. Better to not cause friction between friends." He pulled out a memento from his Master. It was his badge. The last one she had ever created according to her.
He looked up at Haro and became firm.
"Have them relay that the last student of Delenn Fionan will come to account in 3 years." Lind had no choice. He had to do what he could and go to the Fionan Empire! It would delay his ultimate goal but it was also bait.
His enemies were looking to strike at him and now they would have a target. He wanted to find all the threads that led to his Master being banished. He was not so foolish as to think Nest was the only tool left behind!
Some may be innocuous or unaware but there was no way such a powerful weaving had just been lying around to be put to use. Why were no other Immortals sent down to mortal realms? Why had he yet to find a single reference to even the basics of it anywhere?
The questions had been pushed aside but he had a responsibility to his Master's will. She had her revenge and she was sent off in peace. He had to make an accounting of that to her parents and her direct brother at the very least!
Haro bowed as he resealed the Emerald Haven. Lind then rolled up his sleeves and got to work!