Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1500 - 1499 - Liam

Astra had seen many kinds of humans in her time, the most common being the 7 that had struck their small camp. Those arrogant bastards had killed them with conjuring and the Radiant Tier with them cut off any hope of escape!

They had called it 'looking for some fun after being stifled in the tournament.' The leering gazes at them had been obvious. She felt bitter tears as she recalled her sister Hilen shattered her crystal to try and give them a way out.

The brief power up had been far from enough to even ripple the Radiant Tier's power. They were just too weak in their foundations!

Stability did not bring power, only a sure path forward.

Her triple elemental birth was rare and made her technically stronger, but Hilen had been near the peak of the Crystal Tier in power. She was also far more decisive.

Now, she and her junior sister Neena, were at the mercy of their benefactor. Humans could seem chivalrous then turn on someone in the next moment.

Still, she was grateful to have been saved from the dark fate awaiting them.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist. May I know your name? I am Astra and this is Neena." She bowed low to the scruffy faced human and realized his eyes were covered. How did he see so well in battle?

She had not felt an aura at all!

"I am Liam. I had a family name once but can no longer claim it without issues. My apologies." The rather formal response actually drained the tension away. The way of speaking aligned with those humans that worried about polite interactions and honor.

It was very antiquated but still held in high regard by several powers. If the human truly came from such a power and could reflexively respond like that, they should be relatively fine.

He seemed to suddenly realize the pair were nervous as he scratched the side of his face.

"I am sorry. I acted without a real plan and hoped for the best. My ward is decent, plus I left those scumbags alive but in need of immediate medical attention. It is far less bothersome than killing powerful people." Truer words were never spoken.

Astra knew some cultivators imagined being the hero or heroine that slayed criminals like those 7 nobles but life was not so kind. Many powers invested into soul slates or tablets that could retain the final aura of their killer.

WIth that and enough resources, finding a target was not so difficult despite the vast territory to cover. Enough of a bounty could spread across the entire 4th layer and then it was merely a matter of time.

Severe injuries, while still a serious issue, were much harder to trace. Further, the methods Liam used were very common. It would leave no traces on top of a clear preventative step with the powder.

"Do you have a safe place to retreat to?" Liam's question snapped Astra out of her contemplations. She was still in shock and coming down from the near nightmare they had avoided.

She did not even know where they were anymore!

"Um, senior sister, I may be able to get a reading now." Neena suddenly spoke up. She had a powerful ability! She closed her green and tan eyes as her aura became profound.

Liam seemed to perk up but he only looked on. It was so reminiscent of their Master that she smiled. So, he was that kind of human.

A knowledge seeker.

Neena began to float and turn until she faced to the south of their current position. Her face scrunched up as the aura slowly retracted. She was now covered in a sheen of sweat.

Astra quickly used a clean cloth from her belt to wipe her brow.

"I did my best but we are much farther now. I can only get a general direction of home." Liam seemed like he wanted to ask questions but he kept quiet. Astra actually smiled at that.

"It is no great secret. Neena can create a special kind of lodestone. It reacts to her and she can orient herself no matter how many illusions, obstacles, or other impediments are put in her way. Only the unstable nature of the 4th layer can interfere to an extent but even then, she can still hone in on a general direction." It seemed useless overall but Liam actually seemed to become energetic.

"Marvelous! You could build a network of lodestones to build an image without eyes or a scan! Does size matter or it a matter of power?--" Liam began to ask many questions before he came back to himself and looked a little sheepish as he shuffled his feet in place.

"I am sorry, I should not pry so much." Neena actually giggled. It was good to see her smile. Astra knew she had to be hurting as much as her but the priority was to get home safely.

He then became grim as something seemed to occur to him.

"They knew where you were from?" Astra slowly nodded but suddenly terror gripped her heart! Their power was nothing to the Empire of Ricar! They would come for her family!

Liam seemed conflicted about something but it was likely his own powerlessness. His actions would bring harm to innocence. She did not blame him!

If anything, it was the fault of that Radiant Tier elder for indulging the sick desires of his charges.

"We are not under the Empire of Ricar but our backer is weaker than them. They will sacrifice us to save themselves." It was an old truth, but Liam frowned deeply. He sighed before reaching into his pouch and pulling out a glittering violet jade stone.

It flickered with golden light! It held a weaving!

She reached up to stop him but he crushed it! Such a precious item was known to her but what it did could vary massively. He seemed to be waiting for something and the wait was not long.

An oppressive presence swept the area far stronger than the Radiant Tier!

[What favor have you decided on, junior Liam?] A voice boomed in all their minds but Astra never saw the source! She looked up and a massive dragon was there! A realization made her snap her head back to him.

He looked pained as he knelt down and put his head on the dirt.

"I made a mistake in my rush to help these 2. Their power will pay the price. I use up the favor I earned in the tournament to ask that innocents not be killed." Neena put a hand to her mouth in shock. Astra was not far behind her.

They had heard of those stones! Some people could change their winning bets to resources or other items. One was literally called a favor stone!

The Harmonic Dragons were not peak Immortals but they were connected to many of them. The favor stones had some strict requirements but one of them stood out to Astra.

An Oath to not abuse them for revenge nor to inflict harm on others. If the Oath was taken, a Sovereign Tier would come!

A dragon had come! One of the most powerful beast races in the Immortal Realm!

[Speak the name of your power and the power that will come for them.] The dragon now focused on them. Astra felt like an ant! Neena was shivering but they had to speak.

"W–we are from the Lost Valley Sect under the Terra Gold Kingdom." Liam did not respond to either name so he truly had no idea where they were from.

The dragon hummed before its tone changed. It became softer.

[Does Master Jeriah still live?] Astra was surprised! She knew that name very well!

"You know my Master?" A flash of flames revealed a very tall man with horns coming from the top of his head. They swept back over his ears as his dark red skin nearly blended in with his robes.

His eyes were molten gold but his face was gentle.

"A long time ago, a young dragon was about to be slaughtered. A young man, hardly more than a Sliver Tier, used some–unconventional–methods to rescue them. Rather than capture or tame the dragon, he took the welp home to their roost. He only told that welp to stay out of trouble until he was old enough to have enjoyed a good long life with many regrets and adventures behind him." Astra broke into a smile.

"He is a bit cruder about it, but tells his disciples to stop living like monks. He also is too well known at the local taverns!" The dragon laughed aloud but then glanced at the kneeling Liam coldly.

"If you had not used your favor for this, I would have found out and killed you myself. Think your actions through in the future or you will not live to become a Radiant Tier!" Liam flinched and nodded with his head to the ground.

Neena and Astra both wanted to defend him but another puff of flame and the aura vanished! He tore through space!

"You won a favor? Took the Oath?" Neena meekly asked and Liam slowly sat up before nodding.

"I got lucky with the Shard Tier Immortal battles. I pushed my luck in a few other rounds and just barely cleared the requirements. As for the Oath, it was not onerous. It was lucky I anticipated needing that over other resources now. I did not expect to use it so soon." He looked a little worn out and Astra could not blame him!

They broke camp and began the journey south. Neena would guide them until they reached the next town or city to narrow in on the next leg of the journey.

Astra suspected that once she and Neena resupplied, Liam would part ways with them. He looked guilty despite using such a precious gift! She wished she could do something for him but he had to make his own choices. She could not force him.

The trio kept to side roads and other less traveled ways. The ripples of their meeting spread wide without their knowing, but the major powers knew something odd had gone on when a Sovereign Tier dragon wiped out half the army of the Empire of Ricar before issuing an edict.

{Stop making waves, or die.}