Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1224 - 1223 - Reflection Hurts

Lind returned to the cavern but had not even fully stepped in when a kick slammed into his head. He was off balance and totally unprepared!

He suddenly recalled where his temper came from. Both of his mothers were not to be crossed!

"Where did you go?!" Her face was flush in her anger but he only looked up and smiled widely at her. Shock flashed before she backed up and carefully studied him. He rubbed his cheek as a welt briefly rose before his draconic healing took over.

She firmly grasped his hair and pulled him down to the floor.

"Apologize." A single word but it held a level of authority that would put True Lords to shame.

"This ungrateful son most humbly apologizes for being a stubborn fool of unparalleled proportions." He put all the sincerity into his words before he glanced up and let gratitude flow from them. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

Tears formed in her eyes before a harsh chop cracked on top of his head.

"That will be the last time for that foolishness! If you do it again, I will help them punish you severely!" She meant it. His mother was no fragile flower. An alchemist had the power to attack the ungrateful in ways no one could defend against.

He had helped her grow that strong!

"You will be coming with me to apologize to your 3 disciples and then you will grovel before your wives! Do you understand me, boy?!" A twinge of nostalgia filled him as he had not been scolded like that since he was caught with Teylin and Teyla stealing sweets from Granny.

It felt refreshing in some aspects. He had become both arrogant and far too self centered. A Divine Progenitor, True Lord, a powerful 6 elemental, and a Triple Maester were his titles. Truly hard work had gone into much of it but he had forgotten all cultivators started as mortals.

Fallibility did not just magically disappear as an Immortal. He could be wrong. His view was not the sole truth of the universe.

He was not wrong about Heaven and Earth helping him, but he was wrong that it was using him. It was fair. He had to put in the effort or there would be no reward.

He had set those damned souls free from the Sifter so it was possible the balance was to let them partake in its destruction as rebirth was impossible. A final act to appease the karma hanging over them.

His arrogance made it all about him and how he was the center of some epic purpose but he was just a man. There were others fighting long before he came along.

The Realm Refiner was sabotaged by a brave individual while the various forces did their best to survive the fall of civilization due to the Corruption in the 2nd layer. The demons had hung on fiercely in the 3rd layer as well.

A million years of history he had nothing to do with. He was only a few thousand years old!

He deserved every hit his mother gave him!

A sudden shiver went down his spine. HIs mother was almost at the end but he was only getting started! He had turned his back on Annabelle of all people! He was doomed!

Shoti alone would be horrifying but Qing–Qing was going to put him through the ringer!

He sighed as he had to accept it all. All actions have consequences, so he could not run away just after accepting his humility.

He was about to try to stand when his barrier lit up. An aether beast had arrived! The storm was going strong so it could only be one kind!

A massive shadow loomed in the snowy wind. It had glowing orange eyes and the barrier revealed its hulking shape. Pale silver fur reflected the light from the elements as a roar shook the cavern.

A Radiant Tier!

Lind felt a strong need to look up but was shocked when his own mother whipped her head in aggravation before a dark purple pill appeared in her hand.

"I am teaching my son! Be gone or die!" Her voice made him shiver as he had been very wrong! His punishment was just beginning.

[Puny hu–] He was about to unleash his draconic aura when the pill slipped through the barrier. It should have been whipped away but instead tendrils ensnared the bear! It was truly a Silver Fang Bear!

They were the kings of the Icy Path!

The dark violet tendrils seemed to ignore its thick hide that could take a direct strike even from Lind's talons. Violent veins of darkness spread as the beast roared in pain.

"Still want to be an annoying gnat or will you die for your pride?" Lind had a sudden flash of his own arrogant words to his enemies! She was the same! She really was his mother in every way!

[I will kill you both! You will feed my rise–] The pained voice was halted as a pair of daggers snapped into her hands. They were peak high grade 7! Where did she get those?!

The left dagger lit up with a virulent green aura while the right became darker than a moonless night! The bear finally froze in its struggles and seemed to take them seriously. Lind wanted to end it but it seemed his mother was more than prepared.

Besides, he got the distinct impression he would be punished more if he interfered!

[Tiny worm! You will be my foo–] A single clash of metal was the only sound anyone heard but a deadly beam of poison and darkness Qi slashed outward. Natural Qi and demonic Qi working as one!

Lind was instantly interested as he was the only one he knew of to pull off something like that so flawlessly! Who had made those daggers?!

He should not underestimate the methods of his own mother. If words did not work, then drawing him in with such a fine set of unusual weapons would have been a good wedge to start needling him!

The beam cut off one of the bear's forepaws! It also drained his mother considerably but the barriers held. It roared as the storm now hurt it! The open wound was freezing over and the ice would invade its veins with the pill attack.

Lind had no idea what that pill was but it had to be based in natural Qi as that was what he felt. His Eyes saw the flow of darkness, earth, and light Qi acting like a poison to the bear.

It was almost comical as the apex predator of the Icy Path was rendered impotent by the barrier while a fresh Radiant Tier not only insulted it but hurt it!

A shimmer appeared on its claws that finally concerned Lind yet his own mother sneered as she twirled so fast he barely followed the move! He recognized that attack! It was Cyntilla's!

Since when did his mother learn such skills?!

He suddenly realized he did not know anything about his mother aside from her skill as an alchemist! They spent many afternoons with his children playing as wells talking about herbs, beast cores, and other ingredients for pills or elixirs.

Yet, as time passed, they became so impersonal to each other. He felt a flash of pain as his original mother was the same. Meaningless conversations replaced heartfelt words but his mother always smiled when they met up.

He was a bad son. He truly was not a good son at all!

The roar of the bear brought him out of his reverie in time to see the dagger had punctured its eye! It was the poison Qi dagger! Despite her firm stance, he could pick up on the vibration of her muscles.

The move was smooth but costly. She was not fully trained as a warrior. Likely, she had chosen to add skills to her repertoire for coming after him!

[I will not forget this, human!] The bear vanished into the storm. Its life or death was unknown for certain but a Radiant Tier was hard to kill. Unless that pill attacked the soul, it would survive after its body's death for sure.

Her dark eyes locked on him and he instantly kowtowed before her.

"It is good you understand. Stay there until you have properly reflected on your actions!" He did not dare look up but his aura confirmed she was assuming a lotus position to recover.

The silence stretched but Lind only did as told. He thought over the last 1300 years. Only a single name was known to him!

He had actively ignored forming any bonds. Even with the young fox girl, he had no idea of her name! Once he resolved the source of the soulless, he would have a lot to–

He stopped that line of thought. It was important to stop the soulless but he had a lot to answer for before that.

He was about to return to his contemplations when an image of that barrier vanishing came back to him. Until the thread from his weaving touched it, he felt nothing! Not a single thing stood out nor appeared out of the ordinary.

He had felt that before! The Knife Edge Bazaar and its bridges!

He suddenly sat bolt upright! His mother glared at him but a glance at his face made her stop. She knew it was serious.

"What is wrong, Lind?" He looked at her but then glanced at the storm. It was finally waning.

"We have to go! The Knife Edge Bazaar is in danger!" The soulless had no need to find the place because they already knew where it was! The same defense that hid the bazaar had hidden the Fiends!

The only way that was possible was if it was the same source! The Knife Edge Bazaar was left alone all that time due to the function of the soulless.

They were to buy time. If they completely conquered the 3rd layer, the Sovereign Tiers would have no reason to hold back! Things had changed now! He had changed them!

The various threads came back and he recalled when the barrier fell he felt a massive number of soulless behind it! Far more than had been seen even during the last million years!

There was an auction coming up to celebrate 1000 years of recovery next month. What better time to strike?! They had to go!