novelraw Chapter 122 - 121 - Shadows on the Path
Chapter 122 - 121 - Shadows on the Path
Lind knew Heavenly Maidens often drew eyes in a crowd. Whether those eyes were respectful, resentful, or lustful was impossible to gauge, but the day he was escorted back to the Cimmerian branch, he knew it was confusion.
A man was singed and even smoking in a few places still while 3 Heavenly Maidens from the peak of the Iron Tier to the middle of the Soul Realm surrounded him. Lind vaguely recalled the looks on the Stardust guards as they passed them. Normally, they would investigate such a situation regardless of who was involved, but Qing's aura scared everyone.
Annabelle stayed near Lind's left side in case he weakened again, but he had snuck an elixir to recover his Qi and stamina. It was always better than pills but now Lind suspected why. He pushed any thought of his theories into a deep dark place, however, as Qing was clearly on a mission.
As if to taunt his pride, Elder Yi was waiting at the gate with a large smile. The demoness was clearly entertained as Lind was carted off into the Heavenly Maiden Sect. The guards' faces were far too calm as he passed by. He knew his predicament would be across the Sect before nightfall!
Qing and Shoti tossed him into a healing bath while they ordered some acolytes to prepare a room for him. As he was a guest elder, this was not an issue, yet Lind had quarters in his inn and a few belongings there, but Annabelle ran off to clearly resolve that issue.
"Do you need any help, Lind?" Shoti started teasing before Lind used air to slam the divided door shut.
"I can bathe myself, thank you!" The flush feeling on his face told him he was blushing deeply. The formations glowed as a soothing sensation flooded his aching body. His Qi was recovered but Lind cultivated as he cleared his mind. He had given in to his solution earlier and now had to re-center himself.
A few incense sticks burned to mark time and Lind got out after 4 had expired. He could see if Cimmerian merchants had a watch or clock but he had never heard of a measure of time like on Earth. It occurred to him that beings that live for centuries likely had no need for the small divisions aside from production.
A fresh set of pale robes were set on a chair and Lind smirked to see the black symbol that marked him as a guest elder of the sect. Women were always gold, but guest elders were marked by black.
"Ah, I thought you were perhaps growing gills in there, Lind!" Shoti was lounging on a couch as she drank what he suspected was not remotely tea. He glanced up at the open air of the courtyard and saw the sun was late into the afternoon.
He saw Qing sitting over at a desk with some scrolls open in front of her as Annabelle stood off to the side nervously. He noted his other robes and bracelets were there. He smiled at her and she relaxed a bit until Shoti coughed.
"Stop bullying her." Lind reprimanded Shoti but Qing made no comment as he moved across the room to stand across from her. While the 2 women had been toying with him, he had reacted on instinct and attacked earnestly. He then rushed off before they could say a word and nearly blew himself up. There was only one thing he could say.
"I was wrong." Shoti nearly choked on her drink as she was caught off guard but Qing smiled at last. The tension that had filled the room thawed quite a bit. "I am somewhat over protective of Annabelle after what I had seen in the Saint Kingdom and here as well."
A flash of understanding crossed Qing's pale eyes and he saw she understood his fear. Even with the white robe of an outer disciple, there were no certainties in a cultivator's life. A gentle smile now graced her beautiful face as Lind suddenly felt his cheeks being pulled.
"You tried to blast us with LIGHTNING!" It had far less power as Lind had to induce the conditions as best he could but it did not change the fact that even Qing at the peak of the Iron Tier could have been severely injured by lightning from the world.
"I'm swarry!" Lind tried to speak but Shoti was still holding his cheeks and his words broke her. She began to laugh and even Qing giggled a bit. Annabelle looked somewhat guilty but nervous as well. What had happened to her?
"All right, then I forgive your not recognizing us as I know you can and attacking. I may have let myself get carried away by Shoti's idea." A pouting Shoti looked away and Lind found her adorable but he loved the warmth in his heart.
"I am very glad to see you both, but why have you both come out here? Is everyone ok?" Lind was worried about the worst case but Shoti turned back and held him close as she turned serious.
"Your family is safe and thriving. Your new niece has likely been born by now. The Zephyr Clan's sisters have both been married happily as well with the blessing of the Lotus Emperor as well." Lind was surprised on the last part and thrilled at the first. His family was safe and growing!
"Crown Prince Ryu is now engaged to a rogue demoness that is a member of the Divine Sword Sect. She thrashed him! You should have seen it!" Lind smiled as news affirmed the strange demon prince was good. He could see Ryu being enthralled by such a powerful partner. Lind hoped he could see that wedding one day.
"The Crown Prince Etrigan has engaged in remonstrations against the Kingdom of Altair." Lind was confused. What was the Crown Prince doing? His face must have revealed his inner thoughts as Shot laughed. "It means the Lotus Empire is calling them to task for their political attacks while you were there and perhaps will vindicate the lost 3rd Princess."
Lind felt complicated about these words. His heart demons had been confronted and resolved but the emotions were not gone. He was not displeased that the Kingdom of Altair may be made to pay for their actions, but he frankly wanted to wash his hands of it.
"Thank you for all the good news, now, why are you both here?" Lind knew a communication jade could be used to relay good news. His location was no longer secret, but Cimmeria was a fairly safe place. Trynith's power base was back in Sarth and it was likely too wasteful to try and reach Lind that far from the source.
A shadow flickered over Shoti, but she glanced at Annabelle and Lind understood. He moved and pulled the girl into their circle.
"She knows everything about me. I built real trust between us as she had a horrible start to her life in the world." Qing nodded in agreement as she moved to embrace the young aether child. Lind was glad to see Qing sharing her kindness. Annabelle finally relaxed and looked up to see where this conversation was going.
"Very well, I just wanted to be sure." Shoti looked at Qing for confirmation before looking seriously back to Lind. In a rare move, she gently took one of his hands in her own as Qing took the other. Lind felt a pit form in his stomach. "Cyntilla Fang and her immediate family have disappeared from the Darkmoor Kingdom."
Lind instinctively focused his senses on the mark on his right cheek and was glad to feel a faint pulse from it. She was alive! The flash of relief seemed to make the other 2 women relax but Annabelle looked concerned. She was not quite up to speed on everything.
"I have a mark from a demoness, my close one, Cyntilla. So long as she is alive, the mark is alive." If she died, Lind would suffer quite a bit of pain as she had likely broken through to the World Realm by now.
"There is more." Qing now spoke but she first threw out a formation plate that flared a Sky Realm tier 1 isolation ward. Lind really did not like that move. "The Demon Empire has begun to make moves that are concerning Senior Cora. She has received word they are looking for you with renewed interest."
Of all the powers to know his secrets without solid proof, the Demon Empire was the most concerning.
"How long?" He was holding in his emotions and he felt safe with these 3 near him, yet he had to know because he was not going to stop. He had to progress or he would be trapped in the Soul Realm until he died 2 centuries from now.
"We are not sure. Elder sister Tyr has gone north to see what she can learn, but some of their moves are odd. It is as if they are searching for something or someone, yet no powerful member has vanished or defected." Lind nodded as he understood. While the Demon Empire was antagonistic to most other powers, at times there were cultivators that saw greater benefit betraying the Empire to its enemies.
Sometimes the demons were merely traitors trying to gut their former political enemies out of spite, but there was the rare honorable demon as well. Darkmoor was founded by one of the more powerful former dukes long ago so the fear of a repeat of that was high.
"Both the old hag and Sister Tyr want you to stay in the sect." Shoti showed how close she was to Cora with the derogatory nickname but Lind shook his head. He then took a calming breath because he was about to scare the hell out of them all.
"I can't wait. I am not sure how much the Marina put out but I had an experience…" Lind relayed his journey to Indelia and the horror of the trap Ruin left all 3 women terrified. How many more could be out there like that?
It had to be few as the Ruin would likely collapse once its purpose was fulfilled, but Qing of them all knew exactly how powerful those Heaven grade 2 elixirs were. Shoti had seen them as well and held Lind tightly.
The mercy of karma was the only reason he sat in front of them.
"I have really solved the 6 elemental core issue. I want to create artifacts as I do not think my solution will work for weapons or armor yet. I have to work on that more. Also, I somehow refined a sword but unlike anything I have ever heard of." Lind told the other 2 what Annabelle already knew.
"You have been through a lot in such a short time." Qing smiled gently at him as she hugged him close with Shoti piling on. The tension in his soul unwound after being separated and nearly dying on his way to Cimmeria.
"Now, explain your relationship to this young lady. What was your name again?" Lind felt his soul freeze as he knew what was coming.
"Annabelle Frey! I am part of Lind's family!" He was not naive as Annabelle was not his daughter despite how much he taught her. She identified him as home and as she matured she refused to compromise on sleeping next to him when he was at the sect.
"He, he, he. What a nice name, don't you think so, Lind?" Qing's voice was ice as Lind wished fondly for assassins to break in or a meteor to crash into the city. Anything to save him from the grilling he was about to suffer.
****
"Go away." A strange shop was owned by a powerful cultivator in the peak of Gold Tier but she was brusque as Master Cain stood in front of it with a wrapped item from his precious storage ring.
"I had to search through my old master's journals because what I have seen is so familiar. It is said you specialize in this, lass." He unwrapped the grade 2 sword Lind had created and infused his Qi into it.
The cold dark eyes changed radically when they saw the flow of all 6 elements make the sword far more than it should be possible to make. The blade vanished from Cain's hands but he made no grumble of frustration. The person in front of him was a legend in refining.
"Who made this?" The tone had hardly changed but at least their was curiosity in it now.
"A new apprentice of mine and Harold's. He is a tier 8 Soul Realm 6 elemental. His name is Lind Frey." Cain had discussed with Harold his decision but the old fool still insisted Lind would be a better artificer than refiner. If not for the current low grade 2 sword, Cain might have given up, but this miracle could not be ignored.
"I want to test him. Inform him to be here in a week!" The woman whirled from Cain and did not return the sword. He sighed and scratched his face as he made his way back to the main roads of Cimmeria. He was still unsure if they would find answers but at least there was hope.
If Cain was right, they had found a better gem then either he or Harold realized.