Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1458 - 1457 - Fang vs Deception

Lind's unexpected success quickly spread as the crowd roared in excitement. To see an Elixir Maester at work was rare but to see not only the work and a success left them awed.

The displays had filled in the information as it was discovered for each patient. Shock filled them to see what he had pulled off but understanding came to them as well. Hope bloomed in many of the audience as well as they had similar wounds.

Immortal battles were unforgiving even if one survived them.

The result of his direct competitor was actually quite normal. Cultivators got desperate to advance or overcome a fight only to aggravate dangerous injuries.

A pair of virulent yellow eyes was full of mirth as she looked at her display in the waiting room. Her pair of shortswords seemed to sing as their mistress hummed in joy.

"You never cease to amaze. You may be a dragon now but you were always a monster when it came to elixirs, Forging, and weaving. You underestimate yourself if you think you have contemporaries in the old experts of the 4th layer." Lind had been too focused on his needs and goals to truly step back and see the experts around him.

Cyntilla and the rest had far more time to immerse themselves in treaties, trade, and other mundane issues of the Clan. She knew that while they were not bad, they were not as imaginative as Lind.

The Clan experts had swiftly surpassed and left in the dust the supposed guild experts of billions of years of history.

Their legacies had to be modified to the new elemental theory while the Frey Clan foundation was rich and diverse.

Lind was head and shoulders above the Clan experts as he had taught them all. Only Fey came close to him but she was only an alchemist. Her Daos also helped.

Yet, he had already been pulling off miracles even before he learned to use his harmony completely. After he did start using it, there was no stopping him.

He left them all behind with no chance of catching up. He had yet to realize that truly because he had not had time to meet fellow Maesters on his level. Frankly, she had never heard of any.

She felt the emerald disk call her attention so she looked down and saw it was time for her to go. She had been waiting a month. The battle before her had dragged on as both contestants had come down to a slug fest.

Their Immortal bodies recovered faster than fists or kicks could damage them. It was a battle of attrition at that point. Her next opponent would be the most difficult she had ever faced in her life.

She took a breath and then ascended up the stairs to the arena main floor. As soon as she emerged, the audience went into a roar.

As time passed, focus was not as split anymore so large swathes of the audience could not look at her battles.

She had not found anything truly pressing thus far, but as she looked across the stone platform, an all too familiar alluring figure with a whip on her hip smiled back waving.

The ease of the figure only made her sigh. Given they were in the main tournament and there were only so many Sovereign Tiers, it was inevitable that the family would face each other.

Death was impossible but it did not mean they would go easy on each other. Anyone else and the fight might have been enjoyable as a contest of prowess but Shoti was not one to hold back!

The short green hair shone as the whip unfurled in her right hand. Cyntilla frowned as she knew the woman had another whip on her person. The smile on the cream colored face only stretched wider.

"Problem, Sister?" Shoti called out to her and the poor Harmonic Dragon looked like he wanted to be anywhere else at the moment.

Cyntilla then glanced at the judge and gave a subtle nod. He proceeded to outline the rules but the pair were suddenly isolated from the area.

[Any updates?] Shoti still smiled but her violet eyes became serious.

[None good. I have not updated Lind as it would only anger him with no target for now. Too many experts have gone into seclusion just before their students came here to compete. Their histories are clean, far too clean. Not even an altercation we could get a whiff of.] Shoti's words made the demoness nearly frown but she refrained as they were out of time.

[Put on a show but not too much, Sister.] Shoti now smiled in her eyes as Qi began to flow into her weapon with Laws.

"BEGIN!" The judge dropped their arm and Shoti became distorted. Cyntilla was shocked as she had trouble tracking her! What was that Art? It was only as she realized the other whip was still missing that she quickly unsheathed her swords and her own figure became smokey.

Where once there had been 2 people, there was now a giant wolf head with its maw stretched open and multiple shadows of the woman in white were moving all over the platform.

The Arts were very powerful but delicate. The amount of control demonstrated showed the expertise better than any words. Some cultivators followed similar weapon Arts and truly appreciated what they were seeing.

The phantom wolf fang flowed through the distortions and many heard what sounded like metal hitting metal. Time became a variable for the viewers as it was clear the 2 women were of similar skill.

At least at first.

Suddenly, the distorted women in white deployed multiple whips of all 6 elements and a physical one as well!

It was only at that moment that all recalled her primary weapon!

Many exclaimed as the whips all moved in different patterns to make even more distorted images but others sped up the screens to find out they were solid copies! Shoti was moving so fast that the naked eye could not keep up but it was at that revelation the audience became quiet.

Cyntilla could keep up all on her own! It made sense as her Art heavily relied on the speed of 2 blades moving so fast they created the phantasm of the wolf jaws.

It was clear both women used speed in different ways. The speed of a whip was well known to most cultivators. Many used it as a support item rather than a weapon but the strength of a cultivator allowed it to reach speeds few could follow.

By the time the crack was heard, the whip could be anywhere.

The fact Shoti could control multiple whips at such speeds and power terrified some while thrilling others.

She showed a level of control for 2 Arts to some eyes but old monsters understood better.

"To think, someone exists that can use that Art." A VIP had 4 women in pristine white robes lined with gold.

They looked at the screen and clearly saw both women frozen as they examined their skill.

"Vice Sect Master, she was once a member of a lower branch. It is not against the rules to retain an Art like that either as we did not rate it very highly." The woman on the far right with still some faint streaks of red in her silver hair spoke up. Her pale blue eyes were curious as they resumed the battle.

"Deceptive Whip Art was considered purely a mortal Art yet she clearly has transformed it into an Immortal one. Either she was born for it or yet again that dragon has demonstrated an ability to enhance Arts far beyond what is considered normal." A rail thin woman next to the Vice Sect Master spoke up.

Her wizened face showed the millions of years she had lived to become a True Elder of the Heavenly Maiden Sect was clear.

"It would be no different than that demoness. If I am not mistaken, she is using the supposedly limited Phantom Fang Crush Art. I had heard the Demon Clan home to it had gone extinct but there it is as an Immortal Art as well." The final woman was the oldest in the room.

She was the Grand Elder of the sect. A former Sect Master, she had retired to use her remaining years only as needed for the sect. The tournament provided a unique opportunity for entertainment.

"The lower branches keep singing his praises and that new girl only confirmed them with her reports. Her unique cultivation physique is of great interest and the True Lord has a deeper insight than anyone." The Vice Sect Master's dark eyes were full of greed.

The Sect Master had shown how Romana had arrived as a Sovereign Tier then fell to the Sliver Tier with no negative consequence they could perceive.

Yet, the woman herself was unsure how it worked. Only 1 person supposedly had more knowledge and he was beyond their control.

Their conversation was interrupted as the whip Art suddenly stopped. They saw that the wolf fangs had severed the elemental whips but not without cost.

Cyntilla reappeared bloodied and her armor broken in many places. Shoti was slightly better but it was clear she had less Qi than her opponent.

"Damn it, you have too much efficiency, Sister!" Shoti seemed to pout but the demoness did not lower her guard. A careful look revealed her left arm was broken but it suddenly moved with elemental power.

It slammed down the whip before it could crack at full strength yet it allowed a darkness whip to wrap her right leg and cause her to fall.

Shoti nearly stumbled as it was clearly her final attempt.

The judge was looking on nervously but the 4 women were just as earnest. Was it the end?

A single fang appeared behind Shoti and pierced her left thigh before she could react! A single short sword appeared once the illusion was gone.

Cyntilla slowly sat up and stood up barely. Shoti looked up in frustration and sighed.

"Fine, you win." The crowd roared as it had been a fast paced bout full of excitement. Cyntilla would move on but neither combatant would be forgotten soon!