Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1282 - 1281 - Master of Lies

Lind was leading an auditorium of young Immortals. It was not only Frey Clan members but those that were allied with them. In exchange, they got resources and some support in the Endless Peaks.

Despite what the older powers might think, the Frey Clan had long known the Fiends were not the only enemies of their plans. Humans and demons were fighting for resources, space, and opportunities like everyone else.

The odd thing about Lind's lecture was the diversity of his crowd. Humans, demons, and aether children were fairly normal. The occasional beast in human form was also not too far outside the norm.

However, there were 2 more races that shocked other powers to their core.

Elementals were notorious isolationists. Despite the similarity with aether children, Elementals fundamentally distrusted other races after many tragedies. The few alliances they had were forged over billions of years.

The fact they were actively sitting in a crowd listening to a dragon give a lecture was so shocking that even wicked powers were content just trying to spend money on information brokers to find out what was going on!

The last species was one that was a minority but highly protected by the Frey Clan and the lower realms. The Celestials.

Golden skin and silver hair combined to make a beyond beautiful race that left many in awe. Their Qi was like the opposite of Fiends but their numbers were not just limited by population but their strange limits.

The Celestials were instinctively born knowing how far they could go on the cultivation path.

Many distrusted them but the benefits of their race were quickly grasped. A Celestial could actively demonstrate concepts all other cultivators struggled with. They also were able to directly manipulate the Laws and materials of the world.

They seemed to get to the heart of any matter regarding cultivation disturbingly quickly, yet they did not have as much power as Fiends.

Such beings were just as ardent about his lectures which mystified those that knew anything about them.

Lind was speaking about the intricacies of Laws and elements with active demonstrations. The delicate displays were exaggerated for all to see and those that looked on were always amazed at how he could use all 3 sets of elements.

He was also good at breaking down concepts that were complex to the point that many Immortals fell into enlightenment at his lectures!

The lecture hall was hosted by the Frost Heart Sect as it was the main entrance to the Icy Path. There were no other entry points that could be maintained due to the massive resource requirements.

Some wondered why the Frey Clan had not made a new opening in the constant ice storms, yet it had only been 500 years. That was nothing in the grand scheme of things.

He was wrapping up when he felt his ring react.

"...thus the Storm Arts integrate the interplay of Laws and elements as we increase the complexity for higher realms." He had been showing the various Storm Arts on a small scale but he noticed a fifth of his audience were lost in enlightenment.

The rest were contemplating his words as he dispersed his Qi before leaving the stage.

The massive stadium could hold up to 2000 comfortably but it was standing room only. After his first lecture, the results had been a drastic improvement without advancing the cultivation realm.

He summoned a smooth jade stone that was glowing to show a message had been received.

[Lind Frey, we need to meet. There is a problem.] Evie, who refused to let him call her anything else, rarely was serious when speaking but when she did, it was bad.

He checked the coordinates and saw she was in the city. He could not tear through space inside the city for obvious reasons but he did infuse the Laws of Gravity to make himself faster and able to jump walls as needed.

He did not fly as that too was restricted but enthusiastic jumping was not stopped. At least if he did not become a nuisance.

The bustling city was drastically different thanks to the last 5 centuries.

It had been rather simple before with a large path to the bridge. It was to accommodate the massive lines that would form to get in.

The rest of the city had been a spartan affair for the soldiers and storage of supplies. Now, it was a sprawling city full of life with a walled off section for the sect.

Now, there was a skyline of towers neatly separated into respective professions, guilds, and living areas. A large area was walled off for the Frost Heart Sect but it was so masterfully done in the limited space that it actually seemed larger than the previous city.

While cultivators were more lethargic about change over time, once they decided to change something, they did so with terrifying efficiency.

Lind finally arrived at a rather high density Qi area. The Icy Path was normally only full of water, darkness, and earth elements with some air when the storms were blowing but the current area had a healthy balance of all natural and demonic elements.

It was the work of peak grade 7 arrays from the 4th layer.

Instead of just gathering Qi, they had a far simpler version of his elemental farming spheres. Using a crystal or high end natural resource, the arrays nurtured it and then other arrays dispersed the Qi at a constant rate.

It was, of course, very expensive to do so. Thus those that lived or used such an area were the very well off or branches of powerful guilds.

The Frost Heart Sect had taken full advantage of those wanting to reach out to the Frey Clan but conversely, they dealt with the headache of regulating everyone. It was a win-win in his book.

A dark metal gate loomed in front of him as he landed on the relatively clear street. A few demons and humans noticed him but only bowed or ignored him as they felt inclined too. He returned respect and indifference equally.

He summoned an irregular metal artifact and placed it on the gate. Space twisted and he found himself looking at a dark stone room where a lithe demoness with violently pink hair was cleaning implements that never needed to see the light of day.

"You came quickly. Lecture too boring?" Evie smiled but it was far warmer and more real than before. Her body was fully healed and no longer a form of illusion.

It had taken Lind centuries to heal her. The majority of it was her rehabilitation. The Akashic Bloodline Physique was a bastard to free will without a lot of tempering and constant honing.

Kal could not help her as their own instincts would make them battle for dominance. Kexin and Cyntilla had far better luck with Qing counseling her as well. After each healing session, she spent decades mastering her instincts.

No one knew of his new ability to heal souls but it had severe limitations as well so it was not too bad if it got out. Simple damage was just that, simple, but something like what happened to Shoti so long ago was still far beyond his power.

He could not restore what was ripped away but he could repair what was missing if he had a parallel to follow. Her demonic physique was like Kal so it gave him a place to start.

"You made it sound urgent." She nodded and a gurgle drew his eye. A fleshy blob was quivering on a table and he frowned deeply. "I thought I told you not to cross my bottomline."

Torture was not pleasant but against enemies and strict timetables, he could swallow the necessity to a point. What he saw on her table was beyond unacceptable.

"Sigh, you think that man just let's his followers out into the world without being able to hide his secrets? Don't blame me for that. I just got information, the bastard's formations did the rest." He frowned even deeper.

"Why would an illusion master do this?" Evie became grim at that point.

"Because his ultimate target is not Annabelle, but you. You and your entire legacy to be wiped out. She is just bait." His aura flared but he quickly calmed it down.

"Details, now." He did not trust himself to speak but Evie revealed a horrifying secret.

"The Illusion Immortal is not what he seems, fittingly enough. He may publicly be selling powerful illusion arrays and services but the reality is he is almost worse than the Fiends. He has stolen and extracted uncounted lives and legacies to improve himself. He makes himself seem small-time when I now know he is a terrifying black market lord." Evie was one to talk on that front but there was a vast chasm between the 2.

"You are saying he is trying to bait me with my former wife?" Lind did not like it but a dark smile crossed his face. Evie was surprised.

"You are not going to rush to the rescue and save her?" He snorted at her.

"Putting aside her very clear stance about us, why in the world does Annabelle need anyone to save her? She may have pulled back from the world but if there is one person in my personal life I would never want to make angry with me, it is her." Evie stared at him like he was an idiot but he only smiled sadly.

"I am not talking about what happened. I am talking about the fact that everyone assumes she is a naive girl that avoids violence. Anyone that thinks that may as well dig a grave and get it over with. Numbers are an issue for anyone but against her, numbers become meaningless once she is angry." He then looked off into the past only he could see.

Regret filled him but he was slowly dealing with it.

"She worries about repercussions a lot so it seems like she is an easy target, but trust me. All my wives, even Ethry, would say the same thing. Annabelle is the last person in any world they would want to piss off." He then moved to the suffering being on the table.

"Do you mind?" She shrugged but then looked shocked as his hands glowed with emerald light. No matter what the person had done, no one deserved what he saw.

For the second time since his return, he did something no one could do normally. He rebuilt a body and healed a soul as easy as breathing!