Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1477 - 1476 - The Prize

A vast stretch of land outside of the Throne of Defiance had been cleared. It was easily over 500 square kilometers. The shifting nature of the 4th layer made it a slight variable but the minimum was that.

Extremely powerful formations, weavings, and essential support items were set up at the perimeter but the interior was bare. It had been cleared by the Harmonic Dragons for the very purpose it was now being put to.

The tournament continued but the Divine Sword Sect and other Sovereign Tiers had gathered to see something very rare.

A Divine Ascension!

All had hoped the tournament would allow them a chance to use the beneficial environment of the Throne of Defiance but the tournament had not ended and one of their number was there already!

Dea Arc was looking much younger. As he recovered his Qi, his body actually returned to his youth! It was a clear sign that his foundation was preparing to ascend!

Lind was confirming everything was in place as his wives and some other Frey Clan members were in key positions. There had been no time to return and teleportation was limited in the 4th layer.

Dea Arc's Ascension would happen here.

"While the records state it will be dangerous, you seem to have gone overboard, True Lord Frey." An older woman in pristine white robes appeared next to him. He did not stop the flow of his Qi into the weavings but he did glance at her.

The old woman was the Sect Master of the entire Heavenly Maiden Sect!

"That is because I took someone like me into account. My tribulations are not normal. Even if I had not pushed my elements and harmony as far as I had, I must face True Lord tribulations on top of my normal ones." A flicker of understanding came to her nearly blind eyes.

She looked at Dea Arc and a brief flash of jealousy crossed her face.

"How did you do it? I am not a sword cultivator but my Elders include several. They have gone into a trance much like this lot had." Lind finished what he was doing before smiling at her and shrugging.

"You are asking the wrong person. I followed my instincts and let an old sword find a purpose again. Dea Arc has been hunting the missing piece to move forward for a long time and we came together for a chance to grasp it. I honestly did not expect him to come this far." Lind hid part of the truth.

He had felt his harmony react to the Laws Dea Arc used. He knew the man was so close but could not find the missing piece. Sometimes it was easier to see the problem from without than from within.

Explaining that to her would not help as he doubted he could repeat it.

A shocking arrival came suddenly but no one stopped him. The Immortal Berserker was actually calm and did not engage with anyone.

Lind frowned as he was given an exception due to his being the creator of the weavings. Any emergency would require his quick command.

Once the process started, however, he was to return to the tournament. Afterall, once begun, there was little else he could do.

[You should not be here.] The pale man turned to him but shrugged.

[My opponent already withdrew. The red segment is taking a long time again but it is boring. I have seen battle enough.] Lind could not argue that. Still, he did not want someone breaking the rules.

As if reading his mind, the man pointed at him.

[You will be my next opponent.] Lind froze. Surely not! The next round giving up was one thing but did their entire segment quit?! He quickly summoned a communication stone and confirmed that was not the case but the duelists that would go on to face the Immortal Berserker declared they too would quit!

It seemed True Death by Dao was too terrifying to them. Given that, the Immortal Berserker was likely correct.

His next round, on the other hand, was happily humming to herself as she inspected her bow.

[Regardless, when I return, so will you.] The man at least bowed at that. Lind returned to his weavings and reports.

The area was finally ready. Even the old experts confirmed it was a fine area to face a Divine Ascension tribulation.

Lind moved carefully until he was just outside the range of Dea Arc's current aura. It was almost time. He could feel his own harmony and elemental nodes reacting in new ways to what was happening inside the aether child.

"Lind Frey, no matter what happens, I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Lind smiled at his words and cupped his own hands to bow.

"I regret that I cannot stay. Your sect has been given discretion about your protection. I will see you through the beginning." Dea Arc finally opened his eyes and it was like looking at a storm.

They were no longer the eyes of an Immortal. He was looking beyond.

Dea Arc smiled and then was guided to the entrance of the isolated field. The Sect Master and Elders of the Divine Sword sect were smiling as they brought out their swords and held them aloft.

Powerful Sword Aura and Laws flowed in the air but all stilled as Dea Arc drew his. All became one.

The man passed through the barriers and was then sealed inside. Lind quickly got to work and felt the rumble in his very soul before it physically arrived.

Black clouds began to gather but he frowned as he felt something odd. Almost all tribulations started by building power but what he felt was different. It was like the quality of the tribulation was shifting.

"By the spirits! It can't be!" The elderly man with wispy white hair suddenly looked slack jawed as he stared upward. Lind did the same and froze.

It was not lightning in the black clouds. It was swords! Swords of all shapes and quality.

It was as if every sword to ever exist were in those clouds.

The Divine Sword Sect members suddenly all took a deep bow and put their heads to the ground. Some sword cultivators followed their lead.

Lind also felt the need to bow but the most shocking was the Immortal Berserker. He calmly did the same as the others!

Lind pushed it aside as his weaving was already straining. It only took a moment to understand why.

"A Sword Dao Tribulation?! What is going on?!" A small chuckle came from his left and he saw the Heavenly Maiden Sect Master looking amused. She looked at him before pointing up at the clouds.

"Did you think such a profound leap forward would trigger a normal tribulation? A Sovereign Tier that did that will still become a Divine Realm, but just barely. What we truly seek, the prize you have now revealed, is the chance to trigger the myriad varieties of Ascension. These are the true tests of our mettle." She began to laugh uncontrollably at that point.

Lind realized he had never actually read an account about Ascension to the Divine Realm that was not just more powerful. Dao was introduced, obviously, and he would have to face his True Lord and Progenitor Tribulations, but that was all he considered.

He had grossly underestimated the Heavens!

It also made far more sense. Heaven and Earth were fair but Dao broke many of the rules the Immortals and lower realms lived by. Lind had done impossible things because of it. So had the Immortal Berserker.

Yet, would a standard tribulation measure up to such power? It could push them over the edge but that would also mean the end of the path. They would only be at the entrance of the Divine Realm and never move past it.

To truly grasp a Dao, one must be judged by it.

[Partially correct, Master. As you now face one, I can speak with a slight correction.] Haro suddenly spoke up. [Divine Realm Ascension can be broadly separated into 3 paths.]

{Forced Ascension - The potential exists but is pulled out by pills or other external force. The foundation will be reduced massively and death is very high.}

{Final Step Ascension - The most common and similar to other realms, it faces the 9 rounds of lightning followed by Dao and any special circumstances. It is possible to continue but unlikely to leave what is called the Apprentice Tier.}

{Dao Ascension - The true hope of all Immortals. A complete refining of body, soul, dantian, and in the case of 6 elementals, their harmony. A true synthesis of the DIvine Realm but still left much hard work ahead.}

Lind felt his mind expand but the power building worried him. He had to guess at the power he might face and had grossly underestimated it.

[Immortal Berserker, I require your aid.] He made the man tremble but it seemed he was enthralled by the tribulation.

[He cannot help you master. They are currently unable to move. A side effect of facing the true power of Dao. Those that have touched on it are that affected by it. Your–unique–path shields you from it.] Lind felt a strong desire to hit Haro.

He could have mentioned that!

[I need help and my soul can't do what I need.] He spoke before Haro appeared. The man actually felt more solid than ever before and he actually sighed in relief.

"Master, I can help now. The tribulation empowers me more than ever before. I am closer to my true power now. Abby and Ember can also help." The 2 women appeared.

Ember seemed to be much stronger too but Abby was the most shocking. She seemed to be absorbing something that was transforming her.

"It is fine, Master. You brought them this far and I think this will finally do what we hoped for. Entrust this to us." Lind sighed but quickly created a strong link between them.

If he got too far, they would be pulled back without it.

"Begin." The trio moved as one to reinforce the weavings. Dao flowed from all 3 of them! He could not track it as they were too fast and far more vast than anything he currently could do!

The straining wards finally contained the power. Dea Arc sighed at the center and waved. The black clouds thickened and the swords multiplied. It was about to begin!

Lind desperately wished to stay, but he was no longer needed. He picked up the Immortal Berserker and returned to the tournament. He could only hope all would go well!