Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1521 - 1520 - Subtle Signs

Astra emerged from the battleground haggard but smiling. She was on the cusp of becoming a Radiant Tier!

Liam's guidance and help during the attack almost 2 years ago helped her leap forward. Her companion was at the gate but Astra noticed she was now a mid Crystal Tier. Bryn had put her time to good use while Astra went into the battlefield.

"Mistress, there are things you should know but this is not the place." The serious look on her face made Astra look grim but she quickly followed her through the crowds.

It was only about half way through that she noticed the tension in the air. Further, there were people that stood out to her. There was nothing overt but an instinct warned her to be wary of them.

They were humans, demons, beasts, and even an Elemental that gave her such feelings. Further, she detected the suppressive aura of Sovereign Tiers had increased drastically in Carta City.

Finally, they reached the pale white pillars that marked the walled off inn they used. She was surprised to see a Maiden guarding the entrance and checking their credentials.

"Juniors, do not wander after sundown." The woman had a scar on her left cheek but her beauty was not marred by it. Astra bowed humbly before moving inside the courtyard.

The inn was now full and she noticed more Maidens were there compared to before she went into the battleground.

It was only after Bryn picked up food and got them sealed in their rooms that she finally relaxed.

"Eat and I will catch you up, Mistress." Astra happily dug in and felt her Qi and Laws recover with the food. The situation Bryn described left her floored.

The Goresh Kingdom's 5th princess was found dead with her entourage not far from the entrance to the battleground! It was too clean and quick not to be done by a Sovereign Tier. The fact they left no residue behind also implied premeditation.

Strangely, the Goresh Kingdom did not send a response but the other powers did. Even their own had applied to some allies in the area. The Heavenly Maiden Sect had consolidated their members into the inn but did not kick out any pre-existing customers.

Astra appreciated that as the current inn was a safe haven for female cultivators and well defended in general.

"There has been no trace of the killer?" Astra knew that killing in the battlegrounds was almost an open secret but to so blatantly do so would draw a response. Carta City was shamed by all the powers even if they knew of previous incidents that had been swept under the rug.

Bryn shook her head but frowned.

"That demon came out not long before they were discovered. He did not seem too stable to the guards but he was only a Shard Tier. Still, he brought back a lot of identity tokens of corpses many said were in the inner regions." While that sounded impossible, the soul was not restricted like other aspects of cultivation.

If the soul was strong enough, a Sliver Tier could go farther than even a Sovereign Tier in the battlegrounds.

"Was he questioned?" Bryn nodded emphatically.

"The guards actually examined his storge ring pouches and there was nothing in them beyond high grade 7. His armor was better but it did not have any ability to kill Radiant Tiers." Astra nodded slowly. Still, the coincidence could not be dismissed.

She wondered if he had been captured.

She recalled his skill in protecting the line members as Bryn and her engaged with the Goresh Kingdom group. It had been truly impressive.

"Did they send a party to go get him after the discovery?" It was a common practice but Bryn frowned at it. She seemed to think about the answer before checking the wards.

"They can't find him but he has not left the city. The guards were questioned and auras were checked on the security artifacts. Still, I have always felt he was more than he seemed. My instincts screamed at me that he was too nosy yet that skill he showed would leave the Blademaster Kiln floored." Astra finally looked stunned.

Bryn was not exactly a member of her sect but a demon on a journey. She was from the Heartblade Sect, an almost supreme power. They only lacked a single Sovereign Tier to attempt to claim the title.

A Blademaster was a title not easily earned no matter who and demons held them up as godlike figures. Blademaster Kiln was an ancient human that chose to live more with demons and became one of the Grand Elders of that sect.

If Bryn, as his disciple, said the nameless demon had such skill, it was very high praise.

Still, that mystified Astra on her question even more. Such skill would surely make the demon more of a suspect if he had ambushed them inside the battleground. It was unlikely but not impossible with such ability.

So why had he not been found and interrogated? If he was in the city, the inn should have turned him in as there was no benefit hiding a single person from all of Carta City and now the Sovereign Tiers.

As if reading her mind, Bryn summoned a jade slip and handed it over. Astra sunk her aura into it and nearly jumped out of her skin.

The inn housing him said he had been there but when the room was examined, there was no one there! Drained formation plates at Law Grade had been found but something had completely ruined their arrays!

There were traces of Fiend Qi from attacks but no corpses were found. There were old traces of Fiend blood. It was clear the demon had been targeted so he was actually cleared in absentia as the odds of the demon surviving them was very low.

The inn had been ripped down to the floorboards to find a secret tunnel but it was clearly recent. The owners were also thankfully not infected and cleared of all charges.

It seemed some excitement had passed after that as Carta City was torn apart for Fiends after that but thankfully nothing else was found.

It did leave a mystery, though. Where did the demon and the Fiends pursuing him go?

Astra wanted to help the demon but since they did not know where he was, they could not possibly help–

She suddenly stood up as an idea occurred to her.

"Did anyone check the battleground?" Bryn looked up in surprise before her own eyes went wide. Her lavender skin became flushed with excitement as she bolted out of the room. Astra sighed as it seemed no one had.

She heard noises from below as a Sovereign Tier aura tore through space and appeared in front of her.

A gorgeous woman in pristine white robes loomed over her. Her hair had some gray at the temples but that was the only sign of age on her.

"Junior, why did you think the Fiends would be in the battleground? That place is full of dangerous events even for them." Astra simply smiled as she pointed at Bryn.

"She is a disciple of Blademaster Kiln. She said the demon's skill, even at only a Shard Tier, was worthy of praise. He also is highly intelligent. If he was faced with near certain death, he has only 1 place to go to level the playing field without involving innocents." The woman narrowed her dark eyes before a nod came from her.

She summoned a square piece of dark metal with a golden crystal set in it.

"This is Gilda, send a force to the battleground to find the demon or the Fiends. Kill the Fiends if found or report back if impossible." Astra then found herself being patted on the shoulder.

"The obvious answer eluded us. The battleground is large but Fiends will stand out. How they got there will be evident with a bit of–" The square artifact floated up and she closed her eyes before they shot wide open!

"By the spirits! He killed a peak Sovereign Fiend!" Now the room became dead silent. A Shard Tier demon could not, in any situation , even scratch a Sovereign Tier. The only explanation was he was not a Sovereign Tier at all!

The crystal flared again and the blood drained from the Gilda's face.

[THIS IS GRAND ELDER GILDA TO ALL SOVEREIGN TIERS! LIND FREY IS IN DANGER IN THE BATTLEGROUND FIGHTING A COHORT OF FIENDS!]

Astra was confused but then put it together.

A Shard Tier demon could not do what was just explained but Lind Frey absolutely could! It would also explain how no one found the demon at all! He was actually Lind Frey!

Bryn looked like she had seen a ghost as she also put it together.

The Maiden Elder left but the pair looked at each other before nodding. Astra downed a few pills to stabilize her condition and exchanged fresh robes for her damaged ones.

A tide was moving now towards the battleground. She would like to think they were all going to help but there was also a rare chance for those that were jealous of Lind Frey.

He was cornered and in a dangerous area that would leave him vulnerable at the right moment. She could not do much normally but there was one thing she could do.

If forced to, she would become a Radiant Tier right then and there!

The pair rushed and because they got a jump on it, slipped into the chaos and into the battleground unnoticed.