Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1533 - 1532 - Battle Ascension

Lind was teaching Taim as they made their way, finally, to a place to help him complete his realm when his vision doubled.

It was not pain or discomfort, but as if something called to him with energy so similar he almost touched 2 places at once.

He closed his eyes and traced back the sensation but he could not zero in on it. He was about to warn Taim they would have to move when his head nearly split open!

Pain unlike anything he had felt before assaulted him and that time he was ready. It was deep below their feet, somewhere in the Hollow Lands held by human powers.

There should be nothing there but a feeling of urgency came over him. He had dealt with most of the dangers from the Divine Lands but Taim could not help where he was going.

"Taim, I need to go take care of an urgent matter. It is too dangerous for you but you are now a Crystal Tier well on your way to being a Radiant Tier. Are you ready to head out on your own or will you wait for me?" Lind gave him a choice even as his hands moved swiftly to engrave sigils and traces in the air.

The boy was now a full grown adult and while a century did not seem long to Immortals, he had faced a lot in the time following Lind. The black and crimson eyes were full of confusion but also determination.

"Master, I wish to follow you forever but you have taught me to stand on my own. Will we ever meet again?" Lind wanted to say yes but he knew the truth.

"My goal is to ascend, Taim. I will not be staying here save to grow strong–" Pain now pierced his ribs as if he had been struck by a blade but no injury was there! Taim looked worried but Lind finished his weaving.

A massive tear in space was torn open but unlike a normal one, it connected to the other end of the sensation and 2 peak Sovereign Tier auras washed over them.

One was a Fiend and the other was all too familiar to Lind.

He looked at Taim who only bowed and he wished the boy well. He leapt into a dark cavern that was full of dust and destroyed walls but that was not all! Black clouds filled the ceiling!

An ascension tribulation was there!

It had not been there long from what he could sense but the damage was not due to lightning from there, but blades. He narrowed his eyes as 2 figures were essentially blurs even to his speed.

He could not do much with the tribulation looming but there was one thing he could safely do.

Emerald flames shot out like a column of destruction at the Fiend. He was shocked when the flames were dispersed but a gorgeous figure appeared bloody but with no injuries.

Fey then appeared but she was injured while slowly healing. Further, she was clearly straining her abilities as the tribulation was there for her.

It was building in strength but it felt vastly different from the one he had experienced at the tournament.

That one had been full of the power of the sword but the one above them now felt more like a beast ready to unleash its power on them to kill. Yet, he felt no malice. It was not a wrathful tribulation but Lind had no time to study it as the Fiend screamed.

Her voice was vile, yes, but a sonic Art was incorporated that would normally shatter the minds of her targets. Lind's harmony easily protected him and to affect Fey that way was laughable.

The Fiend went pale before she clearly made a desperate decision. She attacked the tribulation!

It was a valid thing to do in the enclosed space as it would make the tribulation retaliate. An ascension tribulation to the Divine Realm would wipe all of them out!

Lind prepared to pull Fey out of there but froze as the pressure did increase but no lighting came. What was going on?

It was like his limbs were in sludge but he noticed neither the Fiend nor Fey were affected. The Fiend was confused but had no time to explore what happened as Fey finally came at her.

It was as if Fey had known the attempt would fail.

[Haro?] His restraints were not impossible to remove but messing with a tribulation was far more than he bargained for.

[I am unsure, Master, but it may be one of the Battle Tribulations.] Lind perked up as he felt no backlash. He could know about it! [As to which one, there are far too many but given the reaction you are having, it could be one of the elite ones.]

Lind wanted to ask more but the Fiend seemed to want to rope him into the fight. He was about to defend himself when a bolt of crimson lightning shattered her flying daggers.

There had been no rumble of thunder, it just appeared! Lind was pushed back to the edge of the cavern.

Fey did not even look at him as she began to wield her 2 weapons with her Dao! Lind narrowed his eyes as he began to count something.

Since his arrival, the 2 had escalating clashes but they suddenly stopped oddly. It seemed if the Fiend or Fey took an advantage, they would suddenly back off without breaking the momentum of the overall fight.

[What happened to me, Haro?] No tribulation should have affected him save his own. Haro was silent for a long time as 2 more fierce fights occurred. Each time Fey took a hit, he felt the pain but now that he was closer it seemed far less intense.

[I only have a theory but of all the people you have saved, only a handful were rebuilt from the ground up. Fey was one of the first from what you told me. Only the demon Tess might be close to the level of help you gave someone.]

The answer only produced more questions but it told Lind the ring spirit had no answers. The fights were getting worse but he was seeing it finally.

It was like instead of rounds of lightning to start off, Fey was being forced to engage a foe with ever increasing power! They had left Laws far behind as full power Dao came into effect!

[Master, the Fiend is unaware she is part of the tribulation but there is a danger. If she does figure it out, she can do something to make Fey fail intentionally. It will result in both their deaths but if she has thralls–] Lind understood.

Yet, he examined the Fiend in detail with his Eyes and Touch before he recognized the faint Dao control was so fine just like all the others he had fought! She was sent by the Great Bastard!

It was odd, though. The other descenders had practically advertised their actions with their clear disdain but he had not heard a peep from the Fiends in all that time. The oddity only became clear at that moment.

He had been hunted so strongly before but it was like they vanished entirely.

Lind was snapped out of his thoughts as certain Daos suddenly added to the pressure of the black clouds above. Rather than the swords like he had seen previously, he instead saw vistas of various worlds!

Some were overflowing with plants, animals, and even whole civilizations, but others were wastelands, voids, and other desolate existences.

[What–?] Haro actually seemed shocked but Lind felt resonance in his own body!

A sudden thought occurred to him.

[Haro, could my Dao of Defiance have synced up with Fey's path?] His Dao had proven to be extremely adaptable. It could destroy and heal in almost equal measure but it was in areas normal healing and destruction could not touch.

Dantians, harmonies, and even the elements themselves were all under his purview.

[Master, we need to leave, now! I know which tribulation it is!] Lind would like to comply but space was so solid he could not even make a stone move! He tried to exert his full power despite the warnings as the pair fighting had long since passed that level.

While he was able to move, finally, that was all he could do!

[We are not going anywhere.] He told his spirit and Haro began to panic even more.

[It is the Divine Dao Battle Tribulation! Fey has gone farther than I imagined! If we stay here, it will set you up as her next opponent!]

Lind wanted to laugh. The Fiend was a peak Immortal Realm so it made for a good opener but he truly was the best being to allow Fey to find her full potential. He could use a Dao Weapon and he was connected to her!

[If that is true, I am not going to be allowed to leave.] It seemed obvious but Haro felt desperate.

[You don't understand! To ascend, she would have to shatter your Dao and triumph!] Lind felt his blood go cold. Heaven and Earth were fair but the resonance had been bait? Was he drawn there to die?

It did not match up but he saw Fey straining just to succeed against the Fiend as the pair were allowed to go all out.

The flashing vistas clearly marked the climax and he watched as Fey finally seemed to glow with power far beyond anything she had shown before. The world fractured around her yet held as the tribulation acted to keep the 4th layer safe.

The Fiend was torn apart! She was eviscerated without a chance to survive. A look of lost hope crossed her but then the impossible happened.

Vile lightning bolts slammed into her dying body and put her back together!

{You are not allowed to die as a pawn of Heaven and Earth.} A vile male voice was heard by all but it was faint. It was clear that the Great Bastard could not fully defy the tribulation at that moment.

The female Fiend was then flung to the side and left unconscious on the stone floor.

The cavern was a wreck. Any protrusion had been completely smoothed out. It was like the stage had been set up for them.

Fey slowly turned towards him. She was covered in her own blood with her robes heavily damaged and swords nearly cracked but she looked at him as if ready to take down a God.

"Father, let us begin."