Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 201 - 200 - Shattered Plans

There was a stony land to the east of the Lotus Empire.  Sparse forests and farmland allowed it to survive but cultivators had little issue if they made it to the World Realm.  Even so, there was little that was appealing about that land to anyone.

There were few Qi stone mines or elemental shards to harvest.  It was a brutal land that did not endear itself to even the most devoted of warriors.  It was a mystery why a kingdom was settled here until the reason it was so harsh was revealed.

Several Ruins once stood on that land.  They had collapsed long ago but left many Relics behind.  Some were able to retain a level of Qi that made cultivating far easier but space was severely limited.

Some of the Relics' purpose was unknown but it allowed a power to rise where few had no interest.  The Kingdom of Altair was often looked down upon by other powers of equal standing yet they made it worse by their repressive culture.  The lack of farmland and other treasures was not bad after some time had passed.

Darkmoor set their tithe appropriately so the flow of resources was lower but pride was not easily satisfied.  That pride led to them waging needless wars and threatening the flow of resources.

The fallout had unfolded in unexpected ways for all powers but the Regent had finally seen a way forward to free them from their poverty.  They would become one with the Lotus Empire through marriage and eventually they would become one in fact.

There had been several lines of attack and pressure that all produced the result he desired but now it was all in ruins.

"Exactly how long has he been doing this?"  A dark blonde man looked like he had aged centuries in the last few days.  His once vibrant dark eyes looked at jade slips in front of him as if they were vipers.  The news had been devastating.

"His highness has been at the Lotus Academy for 3 weeks now.  We at first thought he was targeting our students on purpose but as it turns out, but he has performed openly all 3 weeks for ample opportunity for people to grasp the basics."  One of the nobles used the word that made the Regent wince.  He had no one to blame but himself.

The odds against a 6 elemental breaking through to the World Realm and being successful on top of that were literally impossible until then.  Lind Frey was the first!  Worse, it meant that by his own edicts, the boy was now the heir apparent to the throne of Altair!

"His highness also affirmed his desire to claim the throne but has not stated when he will do so."  Another noble piped up but the Regent ignored them.  He understood what the boy was doing.  His protectiveness was well known even before he 'died.'

Before any retaliation could be implemented or leverage brought to bear, Lind Frey had openly created enough powers indebted to him that the Regent's hands were tied.

"Father!"  The tall wooden doors were opened as a young bright blonde boy made his way in.  The Regent was only a low Gold tier recently but his son was already in low Iron Tier before his 30th birthday.  To any other World Realm, he was still a boy.

"Not now, Lewis.  We are discussing–"  The Regent tried to cut off any opening but his son had begun to act his part very well as the heir to the throne.

"What is this about an usurper to the throne I am hearing about at the Lotus Academy?"  A murmur of disapproval flowed through the court at the boy's words but his pale amber eyes did not flinch.  This was not a pill pampered but a true cultivator prodigy before them.  Lewis had clawed his way up to the Iron Tier under his own strength.  A few whispers would not shake him.

Sadly, the Regent must shatter his preconceptions about the world.

"He is not a usurper, son, he is the heir of the 2nd Prince returned from a Relic trap.  He had reached high Stone Tier, more than qualified to be heir by our own traditions."  The Regent wished the other boy had been more pliable but the Frey Clan cut off that route by Kor's own choice.

The girls were usable but only as alliance marriages, not as queens since Altair flatly denied such a role officially.  Unofficially, for the negotiated engagement of Lewis to Astrella, they had used that term on paper only.

"How do we know it is really him?  If it is him, has he not forsworn the throne long ago as well?"  Lewis was not deterred and brought up the very points the Regent's supporters had, but 3 weeks of investigations had dashed all hope.

"No, Lewis, he did not forswear the throne because to take a stance would have been a problem.  He simply said he wanted nothing to do with us on a personal level.  At the time, that answer was acceptable as he was not in the World Realm."  The Regent felt his own head ache as he saw the trap laid by his own hands close in.  "Lastly, I have verified his identity completely.  A little over a year ago, he returned to Cimmeria and seemed to make a few trips to reconsolidate his power there."

That last part was terrifying.  Starfire House, the Heavenly Maiden Sect, the Divine Sword Sect, and the Sapphire Auction House quickly supported him once more.  The nobles were tempted to let this upstart take the throne on that support alone.  The flow of goods would be impossible to deny.

The very problems they had would be solved in a single generation instead of several!

"He has not faced the Trial of Stone!"  Silence finally descended and the Regent felt a spark reignite in his soul.  It was true!  They had used Lind Frey as a pawn to pressure the Lotus Empire into shame but never once did they simply say the throne was his.  They only claimed he could be an heir!

Some nobles frowned but it could not be denied that their own rules could be ignored in favor of a royal who never lived in their kingdom.  It was also known he despised their culture.  The benefits were great and tempting but the people would never accept a king that did not support them.

The Trial of Stone was an ancient Relic whose purpose was never fully understood but was used to filter out true Kings from the pretenders.  Heirs that refused to face the trial would be disowned instantly.  Lewis, despite only being a Regent's son, had faced the trial and survived.

"Very good, my son!"  The Regent had truly forgotten as all his plans collapsed just by the return of Lind Frey.  There was still a way out!  No matter what else he achieved, he was still a 6 elemental.  He made it to the World Realm but a Stone Tier could not survive the Trial of Stone without supreme battle skills.

While his production and cultivation skills were widely acclaimed, his battle prowess was unheard of.  A few confrontations and of course his near death at the Relic showed he was not highly experienced in combat.  The Trial of Stone would claim his life!

"Get word to the envoys in the Southern District.  If they meet his 'highness,' they are not to engage and only tell him to claim the throne he must meet the royal trial as all have before him.  Make it clear!  No provocation or their lives are forfeit to his mercy!"  The Regent cut off any deals the nobles might try to make.  There was still time to do so as both potential heirs were below the Gold Tier.

While Lewis was a prodigal cultivator, he had only just entered the Iron Tier.  It may take him decades to break through to the Gold Tier.

"We obey!"  The nobles bowed and left only father and son alone.  Pride shone from the Regent's eyes.  All the plans, backroom deals, and constant resistance from the nobles had dulled his brain it seemed.

"You will be a good king."  Lewis sneered now that the nobles were gone but the Regent did not mind.

"You are too tired, father.  Those pack of fools think I will be as kind as you but once I am King, we will begin our rise!  The foolish nations around us will regret underestimating us."  It was not ranting, Lewis was coldly calculative.  They had already mapped out what to do with the resources the Lotus Empire would be forced to send as dowry for Astrella.

The final settlement of peace would only fuel the rise of Altair!  Lewis would do in a century what thousands of years could not accomplish.  He would conquer and consume until they became a mid tier power at last.  It was not the final goal but it was reachable within Lewis' lifetime.

"Your bride will be here next month after we settle this issue.  Just be patient a little longer."  Lewis shrugged at his father's words as if it mattered little.  He then smiled darkly as if a thought amused him.

"I have heard there are some special products in the Saint Kingdom I can procure in the meantime.  I will do so now, father."  The Regent waved the boy off with a smile.  The crisis was past them for the moment.  The plans were still wrecked a bit, but could be corrected with Lind Frey being dead.

The Trial of Stone was not unknown to the Lotus Emperor nor Darkmoor Kingdom.  If Lind died in there, he could parlay it into withholding Lind from them to properly raise him.  It would be a stretch but it would also reset the table back in his favor.

"The spirits bless my family at long last.  Those fools of the main branch wasted lives and resources on their war when there are so much better ways to get what we need first before war begins."  The Regent did not kill the main branch of their family, he had only to sit back and let them create their own noose.

After the Darkmoor Kingdom reprimand and hostage exchange, the old King still had wild delusions of going back to war.  Their hostage, who was still technically alive, was crippled by the crown prince as an amusement.

That fact was well hidden until a noble aide leaked it to the greater court who rose up in rebellion.  That rebellion was the only reason the Kingdom of Altair still existed.  The execution of the old King and his progeny was offered up as a sacrifice to Darkmoor who quietly accepted it.

Despite their stance on being honorable, most of the demon functionaries did not care so long as resources flowed and no issues were created.  The Lotus Emperor had often sent messengers until the old King was overthrown.  They did not need to be told what happened.

It was that very event that triggered the 3rd Princess to investigate the Lotus Empire once more.  Ironic that her death would be caused by the former Crown Prince's actions.  The enmity deepened but the Regent was never involved.  He made a clean break while still planning dominance in the end.

There were better ways and Lewis would carry them out once he was gone.  It was all part of the plan for the Regent to die in the end.  He had little life left as he was nearing 5 centuries of age.  It was a small sacrifice for the future.