novelraw Chapter 204 - 203 - Homecoming
Chapter 204 - 203 - Homecoming
The Frey Clan was in celebration. Lind Frey had finally come home. The Gu Clan happily allowed Teylin and Sheyra to head over. The many disciples that had been raised with Lind were barely reaching the peak of the Soul Realm with a few in low Sand Tier while Lind was now in High Stone Tier.
The 6 elemental that had fallen so far behind had now left them in the dust. Even with his elemental theories smoothing out their cultivation, there was a limit of resources for the whole clan.
Now that Lind returned, it was likely more resources would flow to them in the future!
In a familiar open air courtyard used as an herb garden had a bush and stone dias where Lind was talking to his deceased aunt.
The 4 women close to him were standing nearby with relaxed smiles as he talked about his adventures. Fey had been kidnapped by Mira the moment Lind mentioned she had neglected her alchemy skills.
Lind had been stunned to see his mother was a mid Iron Tier. Teyla and Teylin were low Iron Tiers as well. He had been glad to see how they were doing. The twins had been as bad as his older sisters crushing his ribs.
"That is all I have for now. I hope all have been happy here and that wherever you have gone is a better place than the last time around." Lind sighed as he stood up and looked around his old home. It had seemed bigger when he was younger.
The once massive courtyard was now crossed in only a few strides. He observed the garden and smiled to see it was as well kept as before. He noted a few that were ripe and picked them carefully by hand. He also saw some spaces and planted a few grade 3 herbs for his mother in the future.
"So this is where you learned to do that." Qing was warmly smiling at him as he laughed. She had often asked him where he learned to take such delicate care of an herb garden and he always said he had the best teacher.
"I was caring for this garden when I was barely 4 years old. My mother would hum pleasant songs as I assisted her and later I hummed them as I gathered ingredients for her." Qing nodded as Annabelle looked around in wonder.
Shoti and Cyntilla looked a little nervous for some reason but Lind was unsure why. They were fearsome warriors that could flatten him easily if they worked together let alone cultivators in the same Tier.
Their terrifyingly quick ability to corner and defeat aether beasts left him feeling very weak. He had restarted his combat training over their journey but he had far to go.
The Trial of Stone was known a bit to him but the specifics were nowhere to be found. He had known about it before as a point of Relic research but unlike Ruins, Relics were kept fairly secret due to a lack of context.
They could be put to use by their owners as they wished unless something spectacular was found and greater powers could swoop in and take it over. The Trial of Stone's true function was unknown but Altair used it for their heirs to the throne to be selected.
He suspected it was dangerous since they were so happy to throw him at it. He would not back down. He had lost 6 years of his life because he let his success go to his head and thought he was finally safe as a Forger, but he needed strength.
He needed to be able to really protect his loved ones with his power, not relying on norms and backing. Once he was free he could not ignore his weaknesses but he could not magically become a combat expert.
He currently used a staff but he had no killing intent without anger or something on the line. Life and death was easy to nurture a fighting spirit but he needed to cultivate like Fey of all people. He did not know if he would Forge himself a new weapon yet but for now he focused on the joy of being home!
He moved towards the concocting area and heard laughter followed by his mother's voice talking about compressing herbs into pills effectively. He had seen her gold badge and was so proud of her!
She was only a mid grade 3 alchemist but that was far above what was normally possible in the Southern District. Fey was smiling widely under her guidance and he only looked on quietly as 4 more presences gathered at his back.
He looked at them smiling happily at the 2 alchemists, one teaching and another learning, and he wished such a moment could be his eternity. He put a finger to his lips and shooed them away. They smoothly moved back so as not to disturb them.
"I am going to walk about the complex for a bit but they are not used to Gold Tiers and Iron Tiers even though there are some elders at that level. Also, I think my mother wants to talk to you all." He had noticed her firm glance at the 4 and he was confused when Cyntilla and Shoti flinched. Qing nodded with a smirk while Annabelle began to fidget a bit.
"Go, see your clansmen once more, Lind." He hugged them close and kissed each on the cheek before looking at his mother once more. He was about to leave when he thought of something.
He moved towards his old room and smiled. His room had shrunk too! It was still his though. He looked over at where his robes once hung and smirked to see they were still there but he found what he was looking for.
Whenever he went out with the twins, he would leave a wreath of herbs he made for fun when he was little. His mother and he used it as a sign of where he was. He hung it on his door frame from a wooden nail she put up for the purpose and headed into the main compound.
He passed a few young children on errands who swiftly bowed to him as they moved. He only smiled and waved them on. Body Refining Realm was the majority of the population under 15 still but he saw more Soul Realms at 12 and 13 than when he lived there.
"Straighten up your stance. When you move your arms you have to follow the proscribed pattern to really let the Qi flow where it needs to go." A familiar voice reached Lind's ears as he swiftly pulled his hood up. A massive courtyard full of young boys between 6 to 11 years of age were cultivating all at once.
The Body Refining Realm had many paths but all were of the same goal. Using the body as the medium to make the Qi circulate in their blood and lungs as they breathe would carry them through the 9 tiers of Body Refining Realm. The earlier one started, the easier it would be to advance.
Adults that did not actively cultivate could still easily reach the peak of Body Refining Realm but it would take longer than a child. It would also be very difficult to breakthrough to the Soul Realm as a great deal of their potential would be lost if they were in their 20s when they started.
Lind observed and Garnt only bowed to him but the little children did not look at Lind. He quietly waited until the part he knew to come shortly as it was almost lunch time.
"All right! You have all done well. A solid body is not achieved through training alone, but through good food as well!" The little children cheered but some noticed the hooded figure nearby and were curious.
Garnt looked at the man and noticed he was only a high Stone Tier while Garnt had become a mid Iron Tier himself. He had not wanted to become an elder but kept training the next generation as he always had done.
"Is there an elder that needs me?" Garnt thought perhaps the person was an elder in training but then the hood was pulled back as Lind beamed at him. It took only a moment for Garnt to be smiling ear to ear as he laughed.
An embrace followed which left the little children confused. They had never seen Garnt so happy before.
"I heard you were back but I did not want to intrude!" Lind waved it off and looked over the small sea of faces looking at them before a smirk crossed his face. Lind looked back at Garnt and removed his outer robe.
He was now in a loose shirt that showed off his well muscled but lithe body.
"How about a refresher. I have been trapped for 6 years and feel very rusty!" Garnt laughed at his words and moved towards the front of the courtyard.
"You all can relax and keep an eye on us. Here is one of your forebearers!" Garnt assumed a stance but then Lind frowned at his restricting his cultivation. He let his own aura loose and Garnt was surprised but smiled as he put his foundation back at full power.
The 2 stared for a moment at each other then seemed to blur to the little boys. Word spread quickly as one of them ran off and other courtyards gathered as they watched in awe as a high Stone Tier held his own against a mid-Iron Tier.
Their fist and foot work was smooth. Lind felt like he was falling back into old habits but studied Garnt's moves and found some glaring holes in them thanks to the years spent with Shoti.
He began to attack those holes and found Garnt was baiting him! The man was testing LInd! Lind began to insert techniques taught by Cyntilla and Shoti but he only had a basic grasp. Garnt nodded in approval and raised his abilities accordingly. Where did the man learn to do that?!
Lind was now sweating but Garnt seemed hardly bothered. Ducking a sudden fist found a knee closing in on Lind's face! He split his legs and flipped backward as Fey had shown him how to do. His legs screamed at him as he was not that flexible yet!
Lind was on the defensive but then his mind calmed down. He was responding to Garnt rather than analyzing. He took a few hits with his forearms and legs but he finally saw a pattern. It was subtle but a fist was sent out away from Lind's body to catch a fist coming at him.
He then advanced and Garnt was put on a back leg as Lind was not where he expected. Rather than be flustered, Garnt was smiling wide. Those that knew him were stunned. He was considered one of the best hand to hand combat experts in the clan these days!
"Are you 2 quite finished? Lunch is over." A voice cut through the moment that broke the spell on them all. Lind was breathing heavily but Garnt was barely sweating. He still looked satisfied.
"Not bad, not bad at all, Lind." They both turned and bowed to the girl staring daggers at them. Teyla was standing next to a slim girl that was her spitting image. The only difference was the younger version had silver eyes rather than the gold tinged ones her mother had.
"Greetings Young Miss and Mistress." Lind noted the change in title but decided to be himself. Teyla was near the peak of Iron Tier but not quite yet. Even so, he never stood on ceremony with the twins since he was 5.
"Teyla, is this Little Shi?" The boys and other members were floored at a high Stone Tier being so intimate with their Mistress but then Teyla smiled wide and pushed her daughter forward.
"This is my pride! Shi, this is your Uncle Lind. Say hello!" The courtyard became silent as the grave. Those that had missed his name now realized who he was and became very stiff. He was a grade 4 elixir master! He was on par with Gold Tiers!
Garnt tossed LInd a towel who happily used it to freshen up before he examined Shi. She was looking down now in a nervous state but he saw she was like Kor. She had all 4 primary elements but her foundation was unstable.
He knew she had broken through recently but she was clearly not grasping how to stabilize her foundation.
"Little Shi, may I help you?" She glanced up in shock as she realized Lind had seen through her. She almost retreated to her mother's reach but then remembered all the stories she had heard from her parents about this man. His kind smile had none of the ulterior motives she had come to expect from others.
"Um, if it is not too much trouble Mas–" Lind bonked her on the head. She held her dark hair with her hands as she looked up at him confused but Teyla only giggled.
"I am your Uncle. You never, ever need to call me anything else. Now, assume a lotus position and cultivate. Do not resist when you feel the Qi change." Teyla nodded at her as she assumed the lotus position. Her tier 1 Soul Realm aura appeared but all could see it was unstable.
Lind observed for only a few moments before his aura flooded the courtyard. It was not oppressive but invigorating for all, even the Body Refining Realms. Garnt smiled wide as nearly all the younglings assumed a lotus position as they absorbed his guidance.
Shi felt nervous at first but then a gentleness began to show her how her 4 elements should flow. Kor had tried to teach her but he had not been able to teach anyone well. Lind, without words, guided them all to digest their gains. Shi's dantian stabilized and she felt understanding flood her mind.
"The body is more than what you have but you have most of it. Power is only 1 aspect but balance is key." Lind's words resonated in her mind and she felt like a piece missing finally fell into place.
Lind's aura retreated gently and all the children were lost in enlightenment. He bowed before the elders and they returned it deeply. Lind Frey had come home!