Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1401 - 1400 - Spark

She felt it. The flow of time was accelerated inside the dome and it was so smooth that even the memories embedded by her creator could not find a flaw.

She could not tell her Master about those. She knew Big Sis had to have them too but they were locked down. They were meant to be the keys to the Inheritance they were made for.

Their Master, however, knew that was a limited existence. Now that the heirs were claimed and the purpose served, the keys were no longer needed, but they endured. Their Master was making a place for them.

She knew that much but she did not understand it. She was nurtured by her Master's aura, intent, and his cultivation. She was born from the resonance between her artifact and him.

Yet, he did not see her as the tool she was meant to be. It confused her but Big Sis and Uncle Haro did not seem surprised.

She dismissed her random thoughts as she focused on cultivating. Spirit tools normally could only grow over time as their Master used them. It was like picking up scraps slowly over time and accumulating what they could until they finally crossed the threshold to become a fully fleshed out spirit.

She, on the other hand, was about to follow a more difficult path. A tool left alone long enough in an Inheritance or the right environment could also manifest but it was infinitely harder.

Yet, she felt like she was not following that path either.

"Dao is beyond me but what we share is known to me. What you need to do–" Her Master spoke and she felt warmth in her chest. He was not like the knowledge built into her. Her creator was cold, distant, and saw no value in her aside from fulfilling her purpose.

Her Master, however, only saw her. Saw what she could be too!

His words were absorbed as she began to feel the cavern around her. The Dao was not stopped by the ward at all. It was far superior to him.

Eternal Daos were the peak. She knew that but she did not understand why the Dao of Eternal Flame was so powerful. She only felt its power compared to what she had.

She felt all 3 of her Daos partially resonate and pondered over them.

She lost herself in the feeling but nothing else happened. It was not much different from before and she worried she was letting her Master down!

She opened her eyes but saw him smile and he simply asked if she had any questions.

She pondered it and asked a lot. He never lost patience and even told her she had nothing on his children when they were toddlers.

She felt happy being compared to his children. She did, though, feel like he was withholding something. It was not a concrete fact, but she still felt like sometimes he deflected rather than directly answer her questions.

When she asked about understanding Dao, he simply said it would be part feeling and part instinct. What was she supposed to do with that?

She felt frustrated but he kept answering like that. Uncle Haro and Big Sis were the same too! They also deferred to Master many times!

She pouted at one point and rather than be upset, Master picked her up and began to tell her stories. She loved stories!

He told her about the children who never grew up and took other children that wished to go there for adventures! She loved the one about the being that could regenerate into a new body and travel through all of time and space!

She wanted to see the blue box in real life!

She was not happy about the dull ones where a prince saved a princess from a dragon or a wizard. Why couldn't the princess save herself? She had heard a lot about his wives and they were just as good as her Master.

In fact, despite the danger she was in, Master was sure Lady Ethry would be alright.

He trusted she could defend herself from any danger but he did not want to leave things to chance either.

"--So Luke learned that the person that killed his Master was actually his father. Do you know how shocked he was?" She suddenly realized he was talking about a really good story he had told before!

She loved it! It had bad parts though where the Princess that faced a whole empire without blinking was so submissive later! It made no sense!

He told her that sometimes that was life. He looked odd when he said that.

It was as if her Master, who was so powerful, sympathized with the princess that was saved by the strange cultivators wielding swords of light.

After that she slept but then felt reinvigorated to cultivate once more.

The cycle repeated but little progress was made. She began to worry as she was not sure how much time had passed. A weaving was powerful but it could break down over time. It was especially true for those that touched on the Laws of Time.

Speeding or slowing Time was far more stressful for formation or weavings. She knew that but her Master never rushed her. Still, she became desperate.

Why couldn't she make any progress?!

She began to cry and he gently pulled her into an embrace.

"Master! I am not making any progress. I can't do it!" He smiled and patted her head.

"Cultivation is not about the sprint, but the marathon. Too many make that mistake. They rush to increase their life but neglect to comprehend what that advancement means. A Soul Realm can become a World Realm with pills but would that person understand the difference between Soul Cores and Fonts?" She did not understand entirely but her creator's embedded knowledge agreed.

Pills and elixirs could make a shortcut but then the cultivator would face bottlenecks far harsher than others.

She wanted the shortcut to make her Master happy but he wanted her to truly walk the path. She felt so loved at that moment and something shifted.

Her fractional resonance changed as she felt a spark light up in her heart. The Dao of Eternal Flame suddenly flooded her!

A conflagration burned in her spiritual body but she also saw her Master's right arm turn black! He grimaced but nothing else! She wanted to stop but it was impossible.

The Dao, once lit, could not be denied.

She then focused on all his lessons and all her Big Sis and Uncle Haro taught her and she felt something shift inside her. Her very body felt heavier and her mind began to expand.

Concepts that were so difficult became clear but she also saw beyond. The stories that her Master told her were entertaining but they were lessons too.

Life was not fair but that was no reason to accept it! She would not be shaped by the Dao of Eternal Flame but follow a path that could incorporate it into herself.

Time became fluid as she realized she was lost in cultivation but her Master got shorter. He was so massive before but now she could not fit in his lap! He was also cultivating but his progress was nothing compared to her!

She felt something shatter inside her and a moment of indecision came upon her.

She was in a sphere of flames with many paths out but she had no idea which to walk! She wanted to ask her Master but she felt he would no longer answer her. The choice was hers.

What did she want to become?

Her Master did not want her to just be a tool for him to use. The instant that thought passed through, many paths vanished. She did not want to just be dependent on her Master either.

More paths vanished.

She wanted to stand equal to Uncle Haro and Big Sis but her own path!

All but 3 vanished. She realized how terrifying the Dao of Eternal Flame was. Eternal Daos could extract any possibility at will!

The 3 blazing paths called to her but she frowned. Did she want to define her life based on the choices available?

Her Master did not. He defied Fate and blazed his own path!

She respected that and the being that regenerated was like that. They did not conform nor accept the path well traveled. They sought adventure and embraced reality for all its beauty and darkness.

The 3 paths vanished.

A spark burst in her vision and she felt it at last. It was her beginning. She would start her true path here.

She took the spark and opened her eyes.

Her cascading flame eyes settled into all the colors of flame that was possible as she now looked her Master in the eye at the same level. Her hair never stayed still as it floated in the air.

She looked at his weavings and understood how profound they were. Her Master was only an Immortal but she understood how far he had walked the path of Dao.

"I–I am me." He smiled and nodded. He then looked over her golden robes and skin glowing like a soft flame.

"Congratulations. You are a fully fledged spirit now." He held up his right arm and it was so damaged! Her artifact had changed drastically but she had no idea what it would do anymore.

"I am sorry!" He smiled and waved it off but then asked her a question she had waited so long to hear.

"Do you have a name you would like or do you want one from me?" She pointed at him without pause. Abby had been named by him and she wanted the same. He nodded and then closed his eyes briefly before smirking at her.

"Ember. You are Ember." The name settled and the Dao in her being grew stronger! She was Ember now!