Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1550 - 1549 - Soul Cleansing Requirements

With the spirit's approval, Lind had assumed the rituals would quickly be taken care of but his hopes were dashed to pieces in one sentence.

"Your soul is too strong." He was sitting in the lotus position as several healers were examining him. While he could normally do it himself, his current state left things too vague for evaluation.

"But the spirit confirmed I need to go through the cleansing, so how am I too strong?" He remembered asking that question but he had forgotten a key factor.

Quality was a measure of strength he had in spades.

So in one sense, he was not a peak Sovereign Tier via his soul strength, but on the other hand, his quality of soul strength surpassed 99% of all Sovereign Tiers.

He sighed as that was a problem.

The Soul Cleansing Ritual had 3 parts. One was meditation where he would actively work to suppress his defenses to allow outsiders to help refine his soul. That was normally suicidal but in his case, moot.

His harmony was fused to his soul. Any idiot wanting to mess directly with the Dao of Defiance would be lucky to walk away crippled if not out right dead!

His defenses, such as they were, were also useless. He could even use them passively at the moment so suppressing them was pointless.

As such, he hoped to simply clear his mind and get started but the council had a procedure that was reasonable. Soul Cleansing was also about compatibility.

While many might look at the various races as categories, one dragon race could be diametrically opposed to another.

It was not as simple as elemental alignment for their bloodlines either. Ethry had all 6 elements but she had an instinctive dislike of Sky Dragons. Technically they could also be called Light Dragons but no matter what name, the face remained the Ryuu and Sky Dragons had some kind of visceral dislike of each other.

That extended to their souls. If a dragon's soul endured and met one of a rival race, the world would actually react to it!

He had heard of it all the way back at the temple in the 1st layer. He had not seen anything but it was well documented.

Being of the same race did not equate to instant compatibility. Lind was an outlier in that sense. His harmony, and even the Harmonic Dragons, were able to work with anyone. The harmony factor made it possible certainly but Lind also taught a different way of viewing the various energies of the cultivation world.

In his current circumstance, dragons and phoenixes may not get along but their souls were generally compatible. A phoenix soul was a rare thing to find since they usually were reborn from their ashes, but the examination revealed a problem not easily solved.

Lind's soul, despite not being at the peak of the Sovereign Tier, was too damned powerful! It would take centuries to complete the ritual if they could do it at all!

Helsgath had come to see if he could be of aid, but being a True Lord did not make his soul any more compatible than before.

Shockingly, the Thunder and Nightflame Matriarchs were compatible. They were, however, too weak to do the ritual.

Lind needed a zone of a peak Sovereign Tier with decent quality but enough vitality they would not be too drained or put in danger.

The Council knew of a few experts that might match but they were troublesome individuals. Helsgath had called one 'Granny' with a tired smile. It seemed they viewed all younger than them as children which included the Council!

Lind was about to go on a tour to meet them when Helsgath dropped a bomb on him.

"Don't you know the Soul Flame Phoenix Progenitor? He is quite powerful and despite being a Radiant Tier, he can fight most Sovereign Tiers. He should become a Sovereign Tier any day now." It was innocently worded but Lind felt a pain in his heart.

"I–I don't think that would be appropriate." His answer made his fellow True Lord confused. Lind sighed as he really did not want to cause an issue.

"Suffice to say I was very foolish and caused pain to many. Some have forgiven me, but others rightfully did not. I have regrets I had to work through, and still consider if I have from time to time, but he owes me nothing. Further, his wife absolutely is angry at me for justifiable reasons." Helsgath looked like he wanted to ask more but Lind's emerald eyes were clear he would say no more.

[Master, he may be your only hope in the timeline we have estimated.] Haro gave an opinion but even if true, Lind doubted it would matter.

Bori and Jur were relatively happy and he would not dampen it with a selfish request.

He had heard some things through Chu but there was a line he was not allowed to know. Jur's anger had hurt but he absolutely could not blame her one iota for it enduring. He had heard the discovery of the manipulation of fate had softened her a bit but the actions were still his own.

He chose to follow the path where at other times he had defied it.

While a Soul Flame Phoenix was absolutely a good call, if Bori was still only Radiant Tier, it meant something was wrong. He should have breezed into a Sovereign Tier without an issue.

Lind paused as a thought occurred to him.

"He is in the Throne right now?" Helsgath nodded but showed confusion. "What about his family?"

The question only deepened the confusion but the phoenix held nothing back.

"His children are mostly grown save 2. They were born here and are both showing signs of profound bloodlines. We are hopeful the Throne influenced them to become pure phoenixes in the future." No issue thus far but Lind could feel it. There was something.

"His first wife–had complications during the birth of the twins. She lives but her foundation has deviated badly. No pill or elixir seems to work and his own skills are not able to resolve them either. She will not die for a long time but she can no longer advanc–" Emerald flames surged like a tidal wave from Lind.

His Art activated and he sunk into the flamestone unlike ever before! Now that he was better at it, he was getting more information but all he wanted was recognition.

He found them!

They were near the Living Flame Crystal!

He shot into the air and none could stop him. The small smile of Jur after he rescued her and her mother was still cherished by him. The day she accepted him as her father was one of the happiest days.

When she and Bori fell in love, he had happily looked forward to more grandchildren.

The betrayal in her eyes also burned in him. He had discarded his familial and other ties in the Endless Peaks. His mental demons had broken him and he had been damn tired of being used.

He saw everything as a trap or bait to keep him going and had tried to leave it all behind. His Mother had kicked him in the head as he richly deserved for his arrogance. Heaven and Earth might have been guiding him but he was not some puppet.

He chose to help people he could have ignored. He chose to fall in love and accept the initially uncomfortable harem his 4 wives wanted.

He did so much beyond what was necessary. He had discarded all that and Qing took centuries to help him work through both the pain and the need to forgive himself for his failures.

Even so, there was one condition Lind would not bend on. His daughter was injured and he now had the power to help!

The emerald streak drew eyes but Lind's presence was essentially public knowledge. At least the point that if defenses did not activate, then it had to be him.

His inability to use his aura, however, left many in the dark as to his actual identity.

Thus Bori and Jur had no idea Lind was so close. The Dragon True Lord, after all, was not someone they would overlook if they knew he was there!

Lind slowed as he came to a palatial set of buildings. They were not as impressive as Helsgath's and designed more to human standards, but still profound. He saw a white flame he recognized.

He had wondered how they designated who owned what at times but it was an elegant solution. A phoenix's flames were unique to their bloodline and individual.

He landed at the gate of pure white. It was made by Bori's flames. Lind gently touched them and smiled but his concern made him move. He walked forward and the gate did not even stop him!

The guards jumped but his harmony flared like a sun at that moment.

"I am here." He spoke 3 words and waited. Space was torn open as a tired Bori stepped out in shock. Bags under his eyes spoke of pushing himself constantly but his body was pristine.

His pure white hair was actually made of flames!

"M–master?! Why are you–?" Bori's voice was hoarse but then tears formed as Lind just looked at him. "I begged to ask for you. I bedded but she wouldn't let me. I can see her getting weaker everyday but she refuses to–"

Lind gently took him in and held him. The scene shocked the soldiers present but they then pretended they saw nothing.

"She was raised by me and Chu, if she was not stubborn, we did something wrong. She can hate me all she wants but if she thinks I will not come when your family is in need, then she has forgotten who I am." Bori actually smiled before he nearly collapsed. HIs faith in Lind was clear.

Lind carefully took him to the entrance of the first building and focused on what he had to do. He had to save someone that would rather die than be indebted to him. If nothing else, she was absolutely his daughter.