Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1435 - 1434 - Staff Welcome Feast

The towering wall of emerald flame felt like it would consume them all. The large caravan that floated on various artifacts or were pulled on wagons slowed down after their long journey.

Many had hopped several teleportation arrays and a few other shortcuts to finally reach their destination but it did not lessen the fact that before them was power that could snuff all of them out with a thought.

The vast majority were Sky or Heaven Realm cultivators but they were escorted by Immortals.

Eric was just a simple orphan taken in by the Riven Sect when he passed their entrance exam. He had mediocre talent but he was steady in what he could do. His Sky Core was nearing the peak but he had already taken a thousand years to get there.

A few white hairs were starting to show but his face remained fairly young. He was lucky if he crossed into the Heaven Realm before he ran out of vitality.

It was a common enough tale from the middle and lower level powers. It was vastly better than the few backwater powers he had heard about.

Those poor bastards got barely any resources and were lucky to have World Realms. The 4th layer was a good place to cultivate but it was not evenly distributed. Borders were erratic places but some lived there to be free from the high and supreme powers.

Eric shook the thoughts from his mind as he examined the jade slip in his hands. His simple gray robes marked him as a glorified stock boy but he was good at that work.

His fair features had allowed him to have some fun during his life but no one wanted him as a companion. He frowned as he examined several crates in the wagon in front of him. They were missing 2.

He quickly found the leader of the caravan but the man dismissed him as Eric was only a Sky Realm and he was a Moon Tier.

Still, he filed the report as was required. He would not be held accountable if their hosts tried to punish someone!

He was about to move on when a hand grasped his shoulder. He turned to find a very handsome man with dark green eyes and dirty blonde hair smiling at him.

"That report you filed, could you show me the wagon in question?" Eric could not sense any aura from the man but that could only mean he was much more powerful than him! He bowed and quickly took the man to the wagons.

The barrels did not match still and the senior nodded before becoming grim.

"Good work." The man then left but Eric was mystified as he had expected to be hauled off as well. It was a common enough story, yet he saw the headman of the caravan taken away screaming he did nothing wrong.

Eric then saw a few other people were pulled away and realized it was not only their caravan with some sticky fingers.

"What is your name?" He jumped as the senior was back but with a smile. Eric felt a cold sweat break out as he quickly introduced himself. The man nodded then gave him a golden medallion.

"After you pass through the jump gate, present this to the demoness checking in your caravan." No further explanation was given but Eric filed it away quickly as he noticed several glancing his way.

The flames quickly parted but instead of the reported paradise beyond, a distortion was all he saw. It looked similar to the Gateway described in the 2nd layer to him.

Even with the Corruption removed, some powers retained the use of them as they were easier for lower realms to cover a great distance compared to teleportation arrays.

Eric rode with his caravan as he saw flying artifacts quickly enter the portal. A feeling of dislocation washed over him but it was not as unpleasant as a teleportation array.

He noticed a few of the more menial members that would be heavily affected by such a transit were perfectly fine!

He wondered how that distortion worked but instead he heard a voice call out.

"Riven Sect caravan leaders over here!" A gorgeous demoness called out. She had pale lavender skin with bright cobalt robes covering her. She was a little tall but her voluptuous form made Eric feel his chest shake with his heart raging inside his body.

He shook such useless thoughts from him as he quickly moved forward. He was not a leader but had been told what to do by the senior. He dared not disappoint.

The demoness had pure amethyst eyes that narrowed as he approached. His robes were clearly not of a high rank compared to the others but he produced the golden token and a look of understanding passed over her.

"I accept your caravan. Follow the orange lights to the feast but you, follow me." Eric swallowed as he quickly fell in line as a few others presented tokens to her.

She nodded and the small group followed her to a room with a table laden with exquisite food.

Eric waited until given an order but the demoness merely waved before leaving.

The small group were all lower functionaries that clearly took their jobs seriously. He noticed a plump older woman eyeing a much younger man but he only shook his head as they all swarmed the table.

He simply stood and waited. He knew it was likely a reward but he was not making assumptions. A few glanced at him but they consumed without any holding back.

[You do not wish to eat?] A voice suddenly entered his mind and he shivered as he knew only Immortals could pull off such a direct communication. He concentrated in what he hoped would make sense.

[I only did my duty. I am happy to be recognized but such food is wasted on me. I will be lucky to reach the Star Tier before I die.] He recognized much of the food as peak grade 5 which would be beneficial to him but wasted as his talent was poor.

Laughter entered his mind before the world turned emerald. He found himself in a simple but powerful office.

There was a single desk and wooden shelves filled with scrolls, jade slips, and even some random artifacts. He also saw several couches and a hearth currently happily burning with a flame.

It felt very cozy to him but the man sitting behind the desk was familiar. He was the senior that had spoken with him!

"You are strangely stubborn, but dutiful. You do not harbor false goals nor arrogance. That is good, but you should really enjoy yourself when given a reward." The dirty blonde hair shifted to pure emerald and the dark green eyes became an emerald reptilian.

The coloration gave it away but the fact he was moved so easily made Eric pale.

"T–t–t–true Lord Frey!" He knelt on one knee but laughter greeted his move once more.

"No need for that!" The Sovereign Tier Immortal stood up and pulled him to his feet. "You remind me of an old friend. Further, you are honest. I like that!"

Eric was unsure how to process the compliments as he was still trying to rationalize being in the presence of a peak being.

Pressure suddenly washed over him as his body felt strained. A foul stench suddenly filled the room as impurities were extracted from his body. His Qi suddenly flowed like a storm and his body felt light!

Eric felt the impossible bottleneck of the Star Tier fall away all of a sudden!

His foundation felt far more profound as he smoothly shattered his Sky Core. Stars took shape in his dantian and power flowed in his veins.

His body was reinforced and he felt like all the struggles he had faced were trivial to the current moment.

He collapsed on the floor, covered in sweat but elated. He was a Star Tier!

His hair had become pure black once more and his face even younger. His body felt like he was a young man again!

Tears formed as he looked up at the smiling True Lord.

"Why me?" A smile crossed the fair features of the senior before him.

"Call it instinct but you struck me as someone who could use a push. You may not become an Immortal, but you certainly could be a powerful Heaven Realm cultivator." Eric felt his eyes moisten with tears.

He had been discarded as mediocre and at the end of his path but the senior before him saw more! He cleared the path as well!

"True Lord Frey, I do not know how to thank you!" He knelt in the filth of his impurities but he did not mind. It was a mark of his new progress but Lind Frey laughed.

"You remain as you are and take advantage of your time here. The support staff will be here the longest so cultivate well and who knows, you may surprise yourself!" Emerald light flared again and he was suddenly in a different room.

Food was laid out as lavish as before but the demoness was there.

She smiled at him and waved him over.

"The Ancestor likes you. I also noticed you liked me. Join me!" Thunder rumbled in his ears. Was he dead? Was this the afterlife?!

Eric slowly moved before sitting across from the gorgeous woman he now knew as a dragon. He swallowed before bowing.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!" He spoke the words before realizing. He blushed a deep crimson but a cool hand grasped his chin and tilted his head up. A smiling face greeted him.

"Let us get to know each other better." Eric felt his brain short circuit but stopped questioning it. He enjoyed food and her company until she led him to a place of unbelievable joy.

The night was the best of his life and he wished only it would last forever!