Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1630 - 1629 - Dangerous Solutions

"The Divine Twins Inheritance still exists?" Lind was sitting across from Karu as she affirmed to him that what Sun had relayed was not the totality of the state of the Western Lament.

"They made many separate Inheritances that have since fallen to Ruins or Relics, but a few still exist, including that one. You said you found it and the Western Lament has always existed unchanged in my memory." Lind was confused. If it still existed, why had he told Karu he had never been to the Western Lament in the other futures?

He filed it away but she did confirm it was not always the case. Sometimes he told her he had tried and became haunted when he did so.

Lind knew he had to go. It was their last attempt and his Master as well as his brother were both experts far beyond him.

Karu then became pensive as she seemed to ponder something.

Her gold and burnt orange eyes looked up finally and she became serious.

"There is a True Relic from Older Twin you will have to go to." He froze as a new term came from her. What was a True Relic?

As if reading his mind, she explained.

True Relics were neither Inheritances nor any legacy item left for others to claim. They were made by peak Master Tier experts for the sole purpose of fulfilling some function.

Older Twin was an artificer so far as Lind knew but one that made stellar items from all the legends. If Younger Twin was an elixir master of unparalleled renown, his brother only matched him in his own field.

"What was his for?" Karu became reluctant before sighing. She tried to speak but the world went dim and pressure descended from above! Heaven and Earth had reacted severely!

Then his vision was restored, Karu was pale and bleeding but seemingly ok. Her dantian was disturbed but not damaged. He had no idea what had just happened but she did not look surprised.

"I can't tell you. There is a Heavenly Restriction on it. All I can say for sure is you will get an invitation one day and when you do, go. Do not wait nor put it off. It is critical, do you understand?" Her face was firm and he slowly nodded.

What in the spirits was that? Heavenly Restriction? He had never once heard that term but Sun tore into the room looking grim.

He ignored Lind and saw Karu. His staff was suddenly right next to her before either knew what happened.

"You dare?" The deadly serious tone made Lind freeze. He had seen Sun in many battles but what he felt now made him feel small. Sun had never truly gone all out it seemed.

Karu slowly nodded.

"I tried to tell him in advance but I underestimated it. I am sorry." Sun's mostly golden eyes were exerting pressure on the pair but mostly Karu who did not wilt.

After a breath, the pressure pulled back.

"Heaven and Earth spared you, so there was no malice, but do not test me again, little fox." Confusion flared in Lind but neither offered an explanation.

What in blazes did they both know?!

Sun glanced at him but then it was like the imposing mountain of a warrior vanished and was replaced by the playful monkey he had come to know.

"Ready for another spar?" Lind sighed but shook his head. He may not have been the target of either aura, but his own foundation needed some stabilizing. Sun nodded but did not leave.

He just lounged by hanging from the bars across the top of the room!

Lind recovered and then asked a question.

"Sun, how long would it take to get to the Ruined Islands?" The golden furred monkey froze before he became serious as he hopped down.

"No." Not a question or even confirmation, but a flat rejection. Lind expected a lot of reactions, but not that.

"I have no choice. Old Yana has helped me but I need Forging to advance. I can feel it. Something important to my final Apprentice Tier Mystery is tied to it." The bottleneck had not so much as budged since his last attempt.

His elixirs and weaving were advancing steadily but his Forging seemed stuck. It was not a question of materials or practice, there was some kind of fundamental block he was stuck on.

Either he needed to condense the new Mystery or he needed to break the stalemate of his Forging. The natives had Forgers but they paled in comparison to him already.

He would have to go to another island but the 4 factions were a no go. Even a hint of where he was and the Bastard would definitely come calling to cull him and refine his soul. The delicate situation could not hold much longer as it was obvious active hunting would start soon.

Other Fiends could deal with enemies and everything else, all the Bastard needed to win was to kill Lind.

Lind, on the other hand, needed everything to break his way on various fronts. Help had started to arrive in the form of his family and Harmonic Dragons but it was buying time. He had to get stronger to directly contend with the Bastard.

An instinct told him his struggles in the Apprentice Tier would pave the way for his Journeyman Tier Mysteries.

Heaven, Earth, and Qi were something he had been immersed in for so long actively that he was already considering many concepts. Yet, it was all beyond him if he could not breakthrough!

The speed of his advancement was already insane by any standard but the pressure of the Fiends actually drove a renaissance of cultivation. Survival is a strong motivator for any being.

Karu affirmed that in all the futures, various cultivators had explosive growth in the Divine Realm known for its normally glacial speed.

She, herself, noticed that it started long before Lind even in her people's isolation. Heaven and Earth knew the crisis was coming and gave them a chance, but the Bastard used that very aspect against it.

He allowed his food to grow strong enough to launch him to the next step each time. Lind was now the only one like him. Both separated and still inside Heaven and Earth's rules.

"Sun, I have no choice. You know I cannot show myself anywhere. The Ruined Islands are my greatest hope." The monkey True Lord stared at him eye to eye but Lind remained calm.

Both knew he was right.

"You do not know what you are asking. That place has become a death zone. A single mistake and you will not just die, you will cease to endure at all beyond this life!" Lind glanced at Karu who nodded.

There was a reason no one tried to go there despite the tempting rewards. Ruins and Relics bypass the strenuous trials of a full Inheritance. It was a chance to directly pillage treasures, Arts, and resources without as much risk but the Ruined Islands were a torrential place of unrivaled forces.

The Rakathi Wastes came to Lind's mind but Sun outlined destruction on a scale that made the endless storm of that place seem like a drizzle.

Fully empowered Dao Grade formations, artifacts, and energies clashed to make rips directly into the void or nullified the area so no cultivator could survive even a moment.

What seemed like solid ground could be a bottomless sinkhole with no way to fly out. What seemed like a cloud could be peak Divine Sword Aura ready to render a person into mist.

The dangers were evident but Lind stated the bald truth once more.

"I have no choice. It is the best chance I have to break through. I am running out of places to go and grow stronger. I cannot stay here forever Sun, we do not have that kind of time." The monkey True Lord became even grimmer as both knew the truth of that.

A place devoid of Fiends, even if known to be done by Sun, would eventually be investigated. The instant Lind's defenses were discovered, the Bastard would come.

The man suddenly rubbed the back of his head fiercely and roared in frustration.

"I finally find someone that can understand and he goes to his death! ARGH!" Lind blinked and noticed the previously serious Karu looked blank. Too blank. She was twitching slightly and he knew she was suppressing laughter!

Battle maniacs! Why did they like him so much?!

Sun finally sighed before nodding.

"When will you go?" Lind pondered before answering. He had to prepare as much as he could.

"Any maps, no matter how inaccurate, can help. I need to tweak my ship and see if I can reduce the danger to us as well." Sun snapped his head at Karu in shock but then nodded. The trio had to leave. If they stayed, the Bastard would simply tear them apart to find Lind.

"Fine, how long do I have?" Lind estimated no more than 6 months to finish the modifications. The flight and other issues gave him a good estimate of what to modify for general use but anything he learned from Sun could take the rest of the time.

They split up to get started. Sun went to gather information and materials, Karu went to inform Gaia, and Lind went to claim a spot to summon and work on his vessel.

The pressure of time was coming back on his shoulders but at least he had a direction and goals to achieve! He would break through!