novelraw Chapter 1503 - 1502 - Parting of Ways
Chapter 1503 - 1502 - Parting of Ways
Lind had traveled far with his new companions but now the time of parting had come. They had made their way to Tatian City; it had a major teleportation array to carry the 2 women home.
They had made arrangements a week ago and now the time to part had come.
"Liam, you have done more for us than I can repay in this life." Astra was misty eyed as she bowed to him but he waved it off.
Neena was also weeping but he only smiled before their slot came up.
"If possible, we will meet again, just try to stay out of trouble!" Lind smiled at them and waved as they vanished.
He had worked on his disguise as much as he could but he had no way to test it in the field.
As the women vanished he felt a weight lift from his soul. The woman, Astra, was too entwined with fate.
He walked through the city and simply tried to find things to help his journey. He found a few herbs and even pills that he might need.
His ring had far more, of course, but in a public space he continued his pretense of limited resources.
He was disdained by many merchants but he was able to procure necessities. He then wanted to leave town but it seemed the world was hell bent on not letting him leave peacefully.
"You are the one that invoked that dragon against the Empire of Ricar?" A group confronted him but Lind honestly did not know how they could know such a thing.
He had used the powder to make them forget and even used little to no Qi to reveal his aura. Yet, he had overlooked a possibility.
The 2 aether children were not forgotten. The crippled royal and his lackeys would not forget their targets.
He looked confused as he tilted his head at 45 degrees.
"I am sorry, senior, I am merely on my way to lands east in the hopes of inspiration. I am stuck at a critical bottleneck." He was not lying at all on the last part. His journey was to overcome his bottleneck.
The leader was an older man but he glanced at a younger one with a set of bracelets on both arms. The man paused as the younger nodded.
It seemed he left them frustrated by his truthfulness.
"Where are the 2 women?" Lind frowned as there was no easy answer out of that conundrum! He then sighed as he decided on the truth.
"My companions went home. I wished them well as I found them destitute and lost." The figure nodded once more and the leader looked frustrated as he could not question him further.
Still, his companions seemed riled.
They were all Shard and Crystal Tiers. Lind could easily defeat them but his disguise would be lost instantly.
They outnumbered him 12 to 1.
They were outside the city and anything could be explained away but the person with many bracelets seemed to hold the true power.
"We cannot strike him. He has passed my delving." Their voice was male but Lind did not probe beyond that. He did not dare.
The group left him, stunningly, but Lind doubted that would be the end.
He quickly headed west to find ways to the supreme powers but it was not to be. A lone woman stood at a crossroads.
She was stunning in the twilight as Lind had been about to camp when he saw her. A massive broadsword was on her back.
She had dark robes and he felt a chill as he realized she was a Radiant Tier! She had the emblem of the Empire of Ricar.
Lind knew the first group was official but the current party was not.
Her cold dark eyes locked onto him and she seemed reluctant to attack him.
"Senior, I ask you, if you had been in my place, would you have stood aside?" Lind did not hide the truth. She had a well toned body and her power was undeniable.
She was going to try and kill him.
He had scanned the area, they were alone but he did not believe that was a coincidence.
"You are not a bad man but I have my orders. You tricked the Truthseeker but you know I am not so easy." He sighed as she seemed bent on her goals.
"Young lady, I recommend you walk away. I do not want to kill you." Her eyes narrowed but she did not disdain him. She scanned him deeply but his disguise was improved.
He pulled his hood down and his reptilian emerald eyes made her go pale.
"Do you really want to do this?" He could not hide from her. Nor could he deny the fact that once he killed her, his true power would be revealed.
Her confidence was shattered as her instincts as a warrior told her she was facing a hidden monster.
"What are you?" He did not answer as he sighed and his aura flared to Sovereign Tier. He was about to strike when she slammed her head to the ground.
She shivered before him but he felt the need to kill her melt from him.
"Swear an Oath not to reveal what I am, and you are free to go." It was an option, but she looked up in despair. He saw the truth of it.
Even if she swore such an Oath, her masters would know it. They would understand they were dealing with a powerful Immortal.
They would out him instantly.
He sighed as there was only 1 path forward. She shivered as his cold emerald eyes locked onto her.
He felt pity but did not relent as his harmonic flames consumed her. She died instantly.
He was angry and finally sighed as he contacted Ethry.
[The Empire of Ricar has become an issue. They came after me.] She sent nothing back but he felt her rage. [They know someone who won a favor jade stone turned that dragon on them. Act in accordance with that path.]
He hoped that would be enough to hide his actions but that was all he could do. He swiftly left the area and did not even scan if others arrived shortly afterward.
He had no desire to draw even more attention at that moment!
He had parted ways with the 2 aether children but the Empire of Ricar was not giving up!
They had traced him by finding the pair. While the pair could not be touched thanks to the dragon, he was not included!
It was clear they were ignoring the warnings given during the tournament. Yet, it also was possible they thought since he was just a rogue cultivator, they could kill him without punishment.
A lesson had to be taught to them it seemed.
He left the main roads and essentially became as one with the forests he wandered into. Ever since he fully became a dragon, he found that aside from driving things away, he could also blend in far better than any Art or skill a cultivator would use.
He sensed many powerful auras sweep the area aggressively and voices came to him as he essentially hibernated.
The panic was clear but he simply waited until Ethry's voice reached him.
[It is done.] He waited another month to be sure but no one came. He then shook off the leaves and a family of squirrels that were sleeping on him! He was gentle and smiled at the animals.
He returned to the city he had left before. The guards did not recognize him at all but he noticed they were nervous. As Lind entered, he noticed several previously well established structures were now gone.
He also felt the nervous energy of the city. He eventually found his way to a decent inn with a restaurant attached.
It only took a few moments for his ears to confirm what had happened.
"That damned Empire thought the dragons were kidding around? What was wrong with them?"
"All that death and destruction over a waste of a prince? I heard a lot of people came forward about him and others in the royal family."
"Did you hear about the Fiend altar one of the nobles had? I say we got lucky."
Lind was surprised on the last part a bit but not too much. It was not a Fiend scheme at all but it was possible they had influenced the Empire of Ricar enough to make it foolish.
He essentially confirmed that the Harmonic Dragons had unleashed their power in full. The explanation given was that the Empire had been already exposed for its crime publicly but still chose to get revenge.
Those that held favor jade stones had taken Oaths. If the Heavens did not punish them, then the stone was used correctly. It was as simple as that.
The Empire no longer existed and no former ally made a peep about it.
Lind had a meal and left to rest in a room. He wondered what would happen to the few who had such stones now. Only 5 others were won and claimed successfully.
Still, he made a note to be more proactive in protecting himself as his next stop was a far more dangerous place.
He was going to a Ruin from a Divine Inheritance. A Ruin that might allow him to progress as any Immortal entering it no matter how crippled or stuck, emerged reborn.
It was a dim hope in his case but one worth pursuing.