novelraw Chapter 175 - 174 - Prepared
Chapter 175 - 174 - Prepared
The Frey Clan had become far different from the time Lind had lived there. The elixirs and other gifts that had flowed for the last couple of years had seen the rise of several peak Iron Tier World Realms. The speed of their cultivation had improved but most of all, Lind had been sending near constant letters or jade slips to his loved ones.
The gap between could increase but then a bunch would arrive.
Mira was currently cleaning up her alchemical space with a brand new gold badge set on her wooden table. She had just been promoted to grade 3! She also put out the aura of peak Iron Tier as her son had blessed her with many resources and guidance.
She had enjoyed his notes the most as she felt his love to stay connected to their special time when he would watch her concoct pills for the clan. Kor, Seyla, and Nya had their own residences now that they were in the Stone Tier.
The clan was changing so much and it felt so much brighter.
Mira's dark green eyes were sparkling as Lind had spoken of finally coming home if he could break through or failed it. He accepted that reality but still pushed ahead. She prayed to the spirits to give all the luck to her son but then she felt an immense pressure on her courtyard.
She quickly dashed out of her alchemic chambers into the open sky herb garden to find a Sky Realm with pristine white robes and pale blue skin. She thought it was an aether child but then the eyes revealed vertically slit golden eyes looking at her.
She had heard of this woman in Lind's notes. She smiled but the grim look on the tall woman made Mira's heart freeze.
"No–" Mira only got that word out when her legs nearly gave out and the gentle arms of Tyr embraced her. Tears threatened but she wanted to hear it, she wanted to know for certain why the Sky Realm had come.
"I have a special jade slip for you. He–he made them just in case." Tyr handed over a rather large jade stone the color of Lind's eyes, her eyes. Tears welled but she sunk her senses into it and a projection of her son appeared.
"Ahem, I feel like I am tempting fate by doing this but my experiences have made it clear life and death are chosen in an instant. I have had too many close calls not to do this, so, first, I am so sorry mom." Tyr held Mira tight as Mira could barely stand but she did not let go of the jade. She had not seen her son in close to 5 years.
He looked so handsome, kind, and she wanted to hold him so badly!
"If you have this, the Heavenly Maiden Sect have done their best to confirm if I am alive or dead. If they have my body, I hope it can be returned to you. I love you all so much and hope you never see this message, but here are the things I need to say." Lind looked calm but she could see it in his eyes. He was sad. "I want Teyla and Teylin to never reveal my embarrassing stories save to you, Kor, Seyla, and Nya. I assume they have not already done so but official permission never hurts. I hope the smiles from my younger days will always be with you all."
Lind then wove his hands and 4 images appeared. They were detailed depictions of women Mira had heard described and met at least 2 of them thus far.
"I did not make it official due to special circumstances, but I found love. Cyntilla is a little complicated but she gave me hope in my darkest days. She defied orders and risked punishment to do so for 2 years. She is loyal to her mother and fiercely independent. I hope she is safe and if possible, the Heavenly Maidens will try to help her." Lind pushed forward what was clearly a demon but Mira did not care.
She had heard and read his words many times. She knew about the demon mark and all that happened at the Lotus Academy.
"These 2 I am aware you have met, but officially I love Qing and Shoti. My trials and path would be impossible without the 2 of them. I hope you can heal together and tell them…tell them to move on when you think you can. They need a mother too." Tyr smiled at that moment but said nothing. "The last one I have told you about is Annabelle. She is like a sun of joy and wonder. She loves learning and she will take this the hardest."
Lind frowned as he looked at the images. He carefully moved his hands around each projection before dismissing them.
"I know you are hurting, mom. I wish I could spare you the pain so much but know I never stopped keeping your words in my heart. I sang the songs you taught me when I was so low I felt there was nothing worth doing. You are the reason I became what I am. You are a miracle." Mira openly wept. She loved her son from the moment she saw him. His round face had smiled up at her and her heart was stolen in that moment forever.
"I wish I could come home, but know there is life after death. I know it. I remember my last life, mom. Not all of it, but enough to know I lived before. It was not a bad life but very different. Yet I can say with certainty I was too blessed in both to have loving family and friends I did not deserve. I died young too. I saved a life, I remember that clearly. I hope I did not do something foolish in this one." Mira could not hold on. She began to sob and Tyr held her close and made calming sounds.
"There is more, a little more." Mira nodded at her words and infused Qi once more into the slip.
"The last thing is this. I entrusted many things to the Heavenly Maiden Sect to my close friends and family. Resources I set aside and asked to be preserved. I made sure to compensate them handsomely but I also trust them implicitly. They have been the best people I could have asked for in this harsh world." Lind smiled wide as he looked behind him at something but then looked back at them. "I love you mom, forever and always. I love Kor, Seyla, and Nya. I love the Old Man, Granny, Teyla, and Teylin. Garnt is ok, I suppose."
Lind winked at that last that made Mira finally giggle.
"If I get the chance, I hope to see Aunt Atla but I am not sure that is how it works. Regardless, please heal together and know I want you all to break free of the shackles of mortality. I hope to see all of you again if I am allowed to, but I am with you, always." Lind smiled forlornly as the projection dispersed.
Wailing sobs were heard to the point some guards came by but when they saw Tyr they only nodded yet relayed messages to the Grand Master and Mistress of the Clan. Shortly after, a small party entered to find a sleeping Mira in Tyr's embrace.
She summoned several more jade slips. Each were marked for the people that came. Not long after, more wails and crying ensued. The Frey Clan became somber in the days that followed.
They were not alone.
The Heavenly Maiden Sect, the Marina Adventure Guild, and all of Cimmeria grieved over the loss of a special gem. Lind Frey had only been in the peak of the Soul Realm but had touched so many lives and changed cultivation forever.
Fey had been inconsolable even when her grandparents came to be with her. Sutra, Athena, and Sabrina, newly minted members of the Heavenly Maiden Sect felt the heavy burden left by their master. He had gifted them his illuminations of grade 3 and even low grade 4 elixirs.
All the people Lind had ever touched or felt concern for had received messages. The man had prepared for failure of the worst kind yet the final moment was immortalized as the saving of life.
A possessed cultivator had been stopped and lives were saved once more. It only took a matter of days for the news to spread.
The Starfire House had allowed Mythra and Su to be excused until such time as they wished to return. Both women were saddened and returned to the Lotus Empire. Su wanted to tell her grandfather herself while Mythra went along with her. The usual jovial aether child had a blotchy face but kept talking to Su the whole trip home.
"Damned brat." Delenn was drunk. She had some alcohol left and was now draining it. Cain had come to tell her and she had been surprised how much it hurt. Compared to her long life, she had outlived so many World and Sky Realms but this child of a Soul Realm had left such an impression on her.
For the first time in her life, she contemplated leaving the safety of her alley and facing the wrath of the Heavens. She stopped when she looked at the jade slip Cain had brought her. The boy had been prepared for his death. Qi deviation was entirely expected with 6 elementals, but death was rare when breaking through to the World Realm.
Even so, Lind had left nothing to chance and he died before even trying! He was too damned soft!
She wept over her student and wished the Heavens would stop punishing her.
Not all were saddened by news of his death. The Regent of Altair was relieved. He had most of his plans ruined by the continued rise of Lind Frey. His initial desire to use the boy as a political lever had backfired spectacularly. His Anointed Representative had crossed the Heavenly Maiden Sect in Cimmeria and paid the price. If further cemented the rising power he had inadvertently created. Now, he could begin again.
Trynith was actually drunk. He had heard the news and gotten it confirmed before he started celebrating. All his issues were one step from solved! He had to only find his wayward daughter and his rise to true power would be complete! The tavern in Rith was located in a ratty village setup in the Dread Desert. She was out there somewhere, and he would find her.
No more excuses, the bastard was dead!
Far to the north, the most northern region of the continents but still within the Dread Desert, a cloaked shadow carefully made their way into a town. It was on the very edge of the world but wherever resources could be recovered, cultivators would lay claim to it.
Demonic stones were rare, but the Dread Desert had the perfect environment for shadow and cold flame stones. The cloaked person pulled their hood low and the ragged edges revealed this was a very poor traveler. The other hooded demons barely noticed their passing.
Even in that remote town, however, a Sapphire Auction House still stood. It was a risk but the person had to know if the rumors were true. Caravans carried word as swiftly as anything in the cultivation world, but certainty would always be in question.
After passing through the guards, they noticed almost no one inside as it was far from the yearly auction time. This branch hardly had any business but demonic stones were still highly valuable in and of themselves.
"How may I help you today?" A slim demon came up but the cloaked person flicked their fingers and held up a Purgatory dark light stone. Compared to normal light and darkness stones, it was of very high value.
It also told the clerk to not ask stupid questions. He bowed and led the person to a private room. Once inside, the person waited until a rather beautiful demoness came. She wore a deep v-neck robe that hugged her curves intentionally. The pale green color matched well with her dark lavender skin.
"How may I help you, patron?" Her voice hit the right notes but the traveler was unperturbed as a jade slip was put on the table. The hostess sunk her Iron Tier sense into it and frowned. "This is common knowledge, why do you–"
The clink of a dark cloth bag hit the bloodwood table. A quick scan revealed the contents and the hostess shrugged. Who was she to deny people to part with money?
"Lind Frey died while in the care of the Aether Sect. From what I understand, it was a fight over a woman and a possessed aether child. The facts were rather carefully distributed. As for his companions, the Heavenly Maiden Sect is keeping their whereabouts hidden." The traveler seemed to shiver but another slip was put on the table. It was followed by a much larger bag as well.
The hostess arched an eyebrow over her pale yellow eyes, but after confirming the bag she looked into the slip. Her eyes went wide but she carefully swallowed any exclamation.
"Ahem, um, one moment please." A communication jade was used and they waited until the leader of the branch came down. It was a withered old demon but unlike the other demons, he was not a native to Rith. He had the emblem of Darkmoor clear on his right breast.
"What?!" He had little patience for fools until the hood was pulled back to reveal virulent green eyes looking at him from a gorgeous demoness' face. It took him a moment until the many information brokers requests matched to cause even his Gold Tier aura to shiver.
"What are you doing here?!" Cyntilla only smirked as she put a hand on her cheek and stood up. She looked deep into the demon's eyes and he felt her full Iron Tier aura flare. She was only in the low end but still very profound.
"I believe you will have something for me?" She held out her hand and the old man sighed as he brought out a storage ring. All the branch heads had one, no matter the quality but the stone ring spoke of his standing. A jade stone was given to her and she tossed yet another bag at the hostess. Seeing her nod the old man waved his hands.
"I was never here and neither was she!" He had no desire to draw the wrath of the Blood Empire and Darkmoor in one go. The hostess nodded deeply.
Cyntilla made her way out as she had made her way in. She did not stay in town nor rush away. She sunk her senses into the slip and smiled at what she found.
'Cyntilla. I am still coming for you. If you get this and the mark is fine, I am alive but unable to get out. Tell no one. If I am dead, I will make a bargain with the Heavens to come for you in my next life!" Lind had signed the message but she was the only one in the world that knew for a fact he was not dead. Her mark thrummed happily in her cheek and she almost felt like singing but the empty landscape was not inspiring.
She melted into the night and hoped to see him again soon.