Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1710 - 1709 - Secret of Cultivation

Lind had sorely underestimated the Divine Realm. The depth and breadth of the cultivation path at his level was far more than anyone could conceive. The culmination of all that came before dictated his ability to reach the heights but he doubted anyone truly grasped how far they had to go!

It was humbling to realize that the Body Refining Realm was just as important as reaching the Divine Realm! From the very start, a cultivator had to put their all into it.

Physiques, comprehension specialty, or other special circumstances would only carry them so far. True perseverance and hard work had to be done to use those gifts to their maximum.

Even his Talents were integral to it all! Resting on any laurels was a surefire way to exhaust potential and never even touch the surface of the Apprentice Tier.

Why was it not taught like that? Why was such a basic thing hidden? It was not some massive Heavenly secret that would suffer the Wrath or any kind of backlash, so why?!

Lind had no answer but he swore to resolve it.

It took much longer to stabilize himself back to his peak condition. The Samsara Layer had been a warning to him. He only had a complete Heaven Layer recently. It was quite likely he would face a harsh trial.

He took a breath and flew up to the Heaven Door. The pear white haze stretched out into the shifting void. He placed his hand on the door and blinked. In that moment, he shifted into a familiar world!

Golden sky with a single planet with a nebula of powerful forces all around it was the spirit world!

He was about to call out when he froze. Spirits were all around in their amorphous state to the various forms of life they chose to take.

The world was ever changing as well but made the Divine Lands seem a dream compared to how profound and solid it seemed to his newly enhanced senses.

What made him freeze, however, had nothing to do with any of that.

Two figures were floating placidly in lotus positions. Their bodies were nearly translucent but tears stung his eyes as he flew gently forward.

Why? Why were they there? They were supposed to be in the cycle already. So many thousands of years had passed already. Why were they still there?

A well built woman with nearly silver hair now slowly opened her pale eyes and a smile spread as she stood up. A hammer and flame briefly appeared behind her as the essence of her existence made an imprint on the spirit world.

The woman next to her also opened her eyes and virulent yellow eyes sparkled with love as the lavender skin was as smooth as he remembered. She no longer had her short swords or battle leathers, but a wolf appeared behind her as she stood up.

Lind fell to his knees as the 2 women came toward him.

"Are–are you real? Is this a real moment?" Lind's voice was hoarse as it had become too difficult to speak passed the lump in his throat.

[Husband, you of all people should know Samsara is not instant. Especially for souls that had to be collected by the spirits themselves. We have to disperse some karma before we can be safely reborn.] Cyntilla gently stroked his hair and his soul soared with joy!

He embraced her tightly. Despite only being her soul, Lind could hold her in that world!

Delenn gently hugged them both.

A weight on his heart fell away at that moment. He could not interfere but he could resolve his heart.

The pair told him they were incredibly bored as unlike a living soul, they were simply told to disperse their karmic counter weights from their restoration. Unlike normal beings that died, they had to undo that weight that should not be imposed on their next lives.

Lind wondered why he was allowed to know these things when a man appeared. He felt ancient but had a gentle look as he had a beard to beardless face even as he stood still. Unlike his memories, the spirit in front of him felt different.

[Divine Lord, eh? You have come far, brat. If you are here, you found the Pillar of Beast Mysteries?] The name of the tower was now known to Lind but he had more important questions.

"Senior, why–why am I allowed to meet them again?" It was a valid question but the old man smiled gently and pointed down to the planet.

Lind was confused but then he saw the glow of Celestial Qi! It was much thicker than before!

The Fiend Qi wounds were far less than before! The Celestial Qi was sealing them up!

[Heaven and Earth are fair. Plus, the Heavenly Beast Door always comes here. Beasts are closest to us compared to demons and humans.]

Lind did not quite grasp what he was being told but the surface of the planet began to shift. Before he could even glance at it, a shaft of pearly white light engulfed him.

He expected visions or maybe some kind of mental trial, but instead he was bathed in a gentle light. He saw himself.

He was riddled with scars, karmic weight, and also regrets. He saw his existence as Heaven saw it. It was only now that he understood many things.

His assumption about cultivation had been partially correct. There was so much more to it! Every experience, choice, and battle shaped him. Every loss could incur a scar that never healed and festered or encouraged him to grow. Every choice could cut off his path without ever revealing the risk!

It went on but as the light bathed him, his Heaven layer shimmered ever brighter and pain he had long grown used to began to fade. It was not impurities or heart demons, just life.

He held on to too much. He did not discard his past but found he could embrace it in a healthier manner. The 2 women were still in his vision and while the sadness was there, he also understood he had saved them.

They were not cast into oblivion nor consumed by Fiends.

His other wives were alive and those children that had died had not died without reason. They had lived the principles they valued and he was proud of them all.

The Bastard had never been less of a threat but he had let him impede his path. Each action, death, and even his words were meant to make Lind stumble in ways he had not know were critical to free up his next step.

His Heaven layer grew in power and his partial Earth Layer also was enhanced!

It was not about power but about his existence.

The beam slowly stopped and Lind floated in the golden space as he slowly calmed his spirit. He then glanced at the 2 women with a smile full of warmth.

"I will find you again." It was not a dream or a promise. It was reality.

The 2 smiled much wider and gray chains shattered around them. The old man sighed but smiled as the pair was pulled to vortices to be reborn.

[Before you go, be warned, you can enter the Earthly Beast Door but an incomplete layer will face a very harsh exper–] Lind looked up and words left him instantly.

"Earth is the crucible of fate."

"Earth is the well of possibility."

Shock flared as 2 tears opened and Mystery energy slammed into Lind. Now that his mind and soul were clear, it was so easy to see the next steps. He had also fully solidified his foundation thanks to the tower.

Power swelled as his Earth Layer condensed and instantly began to fuse. Emerald veins spread into it and he began to understand what he could.

Earth was where all lived. Life, death, and all fortune was taking place all at once on Earth. Fate was stirred and invigorated only where life walked. It is the only place fate could unfold.

Fate was not all there was too. Lind was proof of that. There were others too. Karu's Talent and even the Bastard proved fate was not absolute. Yet, only where life existed could possibly be exploited.

His power surged until the door reappeared and he was pulled outside.

The progression did not stop but the shocked face of the elder spirit never left its face.

He too had assumed he would have to gamble the Earth Door but instead, the Heavenly refinement cleared his doubts.

He was ready!

As the flow of power slowed and stabilized, he cultivated until he felt the Earth Layer solidify resonate with his Heaven layer.

It was an explosive amount of growth yet he also had to carefully enhance his professions and Talents. He now understood each facet was critical to his progress.

As he did so, more insights flowed in his mind and a sudden stir occurred in the tower. The Earth Door lit up! It was complete?!

He was shocked, even with the clarity he had felt, he understood the tower was a tool, but not the only way. A smile spread on his face as he bowed low to it.

While the Qi door was available, he was not a fool. He did not feel a bottleneck at the moment but considering his unique existence, that door was deadly to him.

He was about to ask how to leave when the door slammed open. A beam of all 18 elements touched his body. He broke out in a cold sweat but nothing happened exactly.

His Origin Nodes instead improved!

The door then closed and he bowed low once more.

"I am ready." He spoke only those words and vanished from the space. Divine Lord Lind Frey was ready to face the world!