Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1652 - 1651 - Hidden Trap

He had not made weapons in a long time and he realized he had come to rely on his Dao Weapon too much. Yet, he had no time to ponder what he could do to improve as the battle never stopped for him.

Swords of all shapes with handles meant for oddly formed limbs flew at him so fast he barely saw them. Long staff weapons with and without blades whirled like deadly extensions of the phantom owners.

All across the entirety of what he knew and the newly introduced versions for other races, Lind felt his mind strain just trying to take it all in. He transformed his arms and legs into draconic form with his tail making an appearance too.

The clash caused thunderous shockwaves along with blood to fly in the air. He lost his limbs multiple times but squeezed out his regenerative limits each time to bring them back quickly.

The world fell away and all that was left were the weapons and him. His Mysteries sustained him but that was only for the present.

No matter how much he improved or began to beat back the floating weapons, their numbers did not decrease and their aura continued to rise!

His robes were shredded and his body now covered in scales as he had to buy time!

Why was he not seeing a way out? The question nagged at him but he was at his absolute limit until a scream shattered his narrow focus.

He looked down and saw a pair of women falling but where they had been trapped by elemental power attacks, a dagger in the leg of one while a dart was in the back of the other confirmed external influence.

Lind saw no fellow trial taker free to attack but his instincts screamed at him even more the next instant.

His Eyes activated and he saw them! Figures hidden in the chaos and striking at them while they were unable to devote a single iota to other issues.

Lind discarded his human form instantly and his massive dragon body dominated the skies.

The previously swift hidden figures froze and he gave them no mercy.

[Shatter!] His Authority roared and, unexpectedly, it was far more powerful at less cost of his vitality.

Not only that, but it tore away the Art hiding the figures from their senses but it also stopped nearly half the trial takers' challenges like they were nothing.

His, however, only slowed down!

He narrowed his reptilian emerald eyes at that but he had no time to ponder as the revealed figures lashed out with far more powerful techniques. At least, most thought they were powerful.

Lind felt something hit his side but it did not even scratch him. He looked down at the slim figure frozen with wide dark eyes looking up at him.

He saw the weapon was decent but it seemed his Authority had broken its inscriptions.

[I see. Your technique hinged on a formation and I just broke them all.] His words made those freed from their challenge shiver. It sounded casual but they all knew the Inheritance they were inside was not made by weak beings at all!

Journeyman Tiers were ants to them!

So the fact a True Lord could so easily break a trial was not a minor thing but Lind disagreed. True Lords needed the Heavens to acknowledge them for their Authority to exceed their race.

The Divine Lands were much harsher on them in that regard, but Lind now felt something had changed too he could not quite grasp.

He also realized that he might be cheating but he did not care. He had acted to save lives as he saw several corpses from the sneak attacks that had no chance to cry out.

The figures in dark tight wrapped robes tried to retreat but it was far too late. His Battle Aura was already active and it was only a thought to divide it.

Emerald weapons skewered the figures as if they were so much paper figures. Just like the weapons, their robes also had lost all their inscriptions.

Yet, no blood flowed. Instead, the figures dissolved into a sand like substance leaving their clothes and artifacts behind.

The instant they fell, the trials all stopped.

Lind finally had time to think and he quickly assessed what was going on. Why would a trial act like a hidden trap? He descended and turned back into his hybrid form. His emerald scales were cracked in a few places but he was healing.

He quickly examined those attacked and saw they were poisoned or severely injured. He had a few elixirs left but he instead summoned his Art of Defiance.

Emerald lines extruded from him and removed any lethal danger to his targets. It exhausted them but it saved their lives.

[Take any pills or elixirs while helping the rest. Anyone that attempts to kill, will die.] His aura flared and all knew he was deadly serious.

Lind then moved to the nearest corpse to examine how they died. A young man with blank eyes looked up at the sky but he frowned. There was nothing that wrong that he should have died.

The injury was bad, true, but not to the extent of killing so quickly. They should have had time to call out.

He quickly scanned again but nothing stood out. He distrusted it on instinct and activated his Touch and Eyes together.

With both working, he found a flaw. An emerald glaive appeared and he fused his 3 Mystery layers at once into it.

It had been unintentional but using his Authority seemed to have broken some restriction on his dantian.

Others looked on in shock and some fear but Lind was looking above them.

[You cannot hide.] The glaive slashed and at first none knew what happened until a burst of blood appeared in the sky. An arm fell as a robust bald man appeared in agony.

Lind narrowed his eyes as he got a good look at the golden robed figure.

"How dare you defile our sacred–" The man turned deep red from rage and pain but then choked as Lind's glaive burst out of his chest.

Many felt a chill until a loop of beads fell lifelessly from the man's hands. The aura was so vile on them that none doubted what he had done.

Lind slashed out with an emerald sword and the beads shattered into natural Qi from the Fiend Qi infused in them.

A dome burst all around them and golden robed figures raced towards them but the group gathered around Lind as he stood between them.

The corpse made some enraged but the traces of Fiend Qi on the body made them freeze.

[Kneel.] Lind used his Authority and just as before, he exerted massive effect with little price. That told him all he needed to know.

The golden robed figures tried to fight but were shocked as they slammed into the surface at terminal speed! Some limbs snapped but Divine Realm cultivators were hardly bothered by such things.

They all stared at him as Lind contemplated.

A trial in the Twins' Inheritance was infiltrated or was something else going on? Unlike the people behind him, the figures in front of him did not feel alive.

His mane of emerald hair flared as a weaving was engraved so fast none could follow it.

A wave of emerald light shot out once it was completed and 2 figures lit up like the sun.

Lind moved and stood before them instantly. They looked horrified but he sensed a change at last.

[You are the true administrators and so was he. Did you vouch for him or was there some other way he entered this place?] His words were transmitted to all as they all needed clarity.

Both tried to lie instantly. Lind did not even move as the glaive shimmered before slicing off their arms. Blood flowed and the crowd of golden robed figures turned to sand like the attackers.

[Last chance.] Lind's emerald eyes were cold. The vertical slit gave them no information but the 2 shivered as they understood they were doomed.

"He–he was compartmentalized. His entire soul and mind were broken into pieces to hide what he was. Once the Inheritance activated, we were cut off from the outside and he slowly did that to all of them." The older man of the pair glanced with sadness at the piles of sand.

Lind fiercely examined him from head to toe but no reaction from his harmony occurred.

The other man was about to add when Lind felt it. His arm shot out and a tiny needle was snatched out of the air. Vile Qi in liquid form covered it but his scales glowed and it was purified.

Terror flashed on his narrow face but it was his last action as he died. His body then withered and was revealed to be a thrall. The older man was horrified as he realized he had been alone.

Lind looked down at him before sighing.

He looked up at the sky.

[Master, you are watching? I think we need an explanation.] His words were barely respectful but before anyone could ask what was going on, a pair of angry men appeared looking haggard.

Lind was shocked but then narrowed his eyes as something finally fell into place.

The pair in front of him were far weaker than the 2 he met before.

He had been wrong, he was in a Divine Memory.