Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1284 - 1283 - Warm Welcome

Annabelle felt like she had woken from a long fog. She realized she was likely on the verge of forming a heart demon but her sisters had prevented it. They had respected her desire to keep away from Lind but never let her go.

She felt touched by that but angry at herself. She could see clearly now that she had allowed her anger and grief to control her rather than controlling them. She knew better.

"I was too angry at him. I made the same mistake as him too." It was ironic that she left him because of him pushing people away but she did the same blasted thing. Still, it did not affect her decision one iota.

There was a massive difference between them. She left him only while never turning away her sisters or others. She did not simply treat people as obstacles either. It was just painful to be around them.

She still had gone too far.

Now, she had to face a dangerous force that had already revealed incredible resources to use against her. Further, he had apparently sent experts ahead of the deadline he gave.

It had only been 6 months since his ultimatum but a group of 10 were on their way that included a rather well known group of fighters that few would mess with if they could avoid it.

The Trio aside, the 7 with them were apparently being raised as their successors so the rumors said. Now, she knew the truth about all 10.

It made her angry.

"You don't seem to mind Lind warning us?" Lysanna did not even pause over his name. Of all her Sisters, Lysanna was the only one that officially broke away from him as well. Chu had not made a declaration one way or the other, but being a beast that might be the same as them with her actions.

They were currently playing chess. A game Lind introduced them too, it helped them relax and keep sharp minds. Annabelle was considered only decent at it. She had not devoted herself to it outside of enjoyment.

Lysanna, on the other hand, was a grandmaster according to Lind. She wiped the floor with him and some of the best strategists they knew. They found the game fun but Lysanna could run circles around them!

"I am not happy he interfered but since he did it as a favor to that woman, and it led to some important information for us, then it is fine. Also, I am kind of glad he acted like he did. It means he really has reformed." Annabelle was more surprised at her lack of reaction.

She expected anger, confusion, or maybe even a spark to rekindle, but there was nothing. Had her love and grief been that shallow? She looked up at the lithe figure across from her.

Would Lysanna be able to relate? Or was the situation different for her? Annabelle suddenly wanted Lysanna to stay with her even after the current situation was resolved.

In fact, she resolved to move closer to her family in the future. Icy Peak was inhospitable but the entrance city was easy enough to settle in. The Frost Heart Sect would be happy to have her stay there no doubt too.

"Lys–" She was about to talk when a section of her arm lit up. She narrowed her eyes as she quickly tapped the sleeve of her robe and a projection of Phantom Peak appeared.

It was extremely detailed and to scale with the ability to zoom in and out as well. The castle perched on the mountain side shimmered with various colors to show both defenses and her allies.

Small white dots showed her allies while the other colors showed their artifacts or traps laid out on the peak.

Now, there were 6 red dots suddenly showing on the east and west sides outside her illusion barriers. It had been Cyntilla's suggestion to lay subtle detection arrays on the other peaks.

The revelation of so many spies made it obvious why.

Both women became grim but not worried as they only found the 6.

Annabelle's gold and sapphire eyes narrowed in concern as she noticed something odd. The 6 red dots moved perfectly in sync! If one side advanced, so did the other the exact same amount of distance!

Was that not the description given to the Trio?

Yet now there were 6?! She quickly infused her Qi in certain arrays and a live image was projected from the table they were sitting at.

It was not perfect as the arrays had to remain subtle. Still, they saw the cloaked figures. Unlike expectations, none of them were masked all the way up to their tops of their heads.

The Trio was not in the groups? Where were they?

[Ethry, company has arrived on west marker 7 and east marker 3. Be careful, we cannot find the other 4 we expected, including the Trio.] She used a communication stone but the expected response did not come.

True concern filled her heart as Lysanna tried her own communication stone.

Neither could reach Ethry! Serat and Amares were also not answering!

[SHOTI! CYNTILLA! Ethry is not answering and 6 of our enemies have come!] That time she got back positive responses but she also knew they were in the castle proper.

She saw 3 white dots move to the exits and take to the air. She was now scanning the schematic for the 3 dragons but unlike the peaks and her home, the arrays were limited when it came to the sky.

As such, she activated much more powerful formations. They were not simple detection arrays however!

The once sunny sky was turned into a maelstrom of black clouds with lighting of all colors flashing ominously. Many would think it was just an illusion to hide real attacks, and that was not entirely wrong, but Lind had shown her that illusions can have real bite too!

His revolutionary ideas inspired her to find the limits of her already realistic illusions. She discovered that while complex arrays to seem real were quite inflexible, she could alter them on a fundamental level to trigger true Arts!

It was why the Frey Clan was able to defend itself so efficiently. People looking for attack or defense arrays would mostly find illusions. They would overlook them.

It was an action many came to deeply regret. The storm outside was an illusion but the lightning was not!

The 6 red dots perfectly dodged in sync which should have been impossible. The lighting was not attacking symmetrically, yet the dots continued to keep in sync.

How?!

Annabelle was sweating as she put more power into her arrays. She was not only attacking but scanning the skies yet no dragons were present! Where were they?!

[Sister Annabelle, I sense them. I will take care of it.] A voice entered her mind before a dark shape took to the skies straight up! Annabelle turned her arrays in that direction and found them!

She became pale as she saw 3 figures neatly thrashing her Sister and the 2 emerald dragons! They were doing it with ease but it still left one last person missing. She saw Chu arrive and she was in her beast form.

A massive tiger with black scales roared as emerald and black flames blasted the Trio. Despite the devastating power, a shield easily appeared around them to deflect it.

Still, it allowed the 3 dragons to finally regroup. It was only then that Annabelle saw the mangled corpse in Serat's claws. The 10th member had already been dealt with or maybe they had been used as bait.

Regardless, all their enemies had been located.

The Trio was terrifying. They were only Radiant Tiers so they should not have been that much more powerful than them and they were outnumbered, yet they treated the 3 dragons like they were toys!

Even Chu, her attack timed perfectly to catch them off guard, was easily dealt with without causing an opening to attack them from the 3 dragons.

"They really must be near the next step of the Immortal Realm. Is the peak of the Radiant Tier really that powerful?" Lysanna sounded worried but neither of them gave up hope yet.

Shoti and Cyntilla were joined by Fey to deal with the 6 surrounding them but for some reason they had not killed or captured even one of them yet. Even with the lightning helping, it was like the 6 could see the attacks before they arrived!

Annabelle suddenly narrowed her eyes. Precognition was not totally impossible but there was a much more likely explanation.

"They are under an illusion to change their perception of time." Lysanna looked at her in surprise.

"Would that really do anything?" Annabelle nodded.

"The mind is a powerful thing, even for a mortal, but it is bogged down by all it has to do for daily living. Inputs are coming in constantly aside from what we are aware of. Qing might be better versed in the subject but there are things cultivators do that can trick the brain to allocate more power to perception. Hypnosis hardly works on us but illusions from formations are a different matter." Annabelle grasped the concept but the horrifying part was yet to come.

"To pull off what we are seeing, the arrays have to be carved into their skull directly. It is acting on them internally. Weaving might be better at it but it would be easier to disrupt. Direct inscription would be more efficient." She shook with rage.

Suddenly, an image of Lind going on a rampage after finding out about how the aether children were being used in Cimmeria flashed through her mind. So, that is what he felt like? How could he change so much from that day?

She pushed the random thought aside and focused on the present.

"Essentially, if perception can be pushed to the limit, among a few other things, it explains their odd abilities. It is also a grave crime if discovered to be done against their will." Cultivators could go to insane lengths to increase their power or longevity. So long as it is done willingly, no power would object to most practices.

The one she was revealing was borderline banned but if done willingly, no one could object. As no one sane would ever proclaim they agreed to it, it was mostly proving a negative.

"Can you disrupt it?" Annabelle shook her head.

"That is why it is so dangerous. There is only 1 way to stop them. Shatter their skulls." Her words were grim but they had faith. She worked on aiding them as they gave a warm welcome to their invaders.

They would bring them down anyway they could!